Pemmican or what the Cree tribe called Pimithkàn, was called the mountain man’s protein bar. It was fashioned out the only relevant resources such as fat, meat and occasionally berries.

Pemmican is calorie dense and long lasting which became popular amongst mountain men and Native Americans. Some reports claim Pennican can last between 10-50 years while others claim if prepared correctly the shelf-life can be indefinite.

Pemmican Recipe

Ingredients:

• Meat – Native Americans used animals such as buffalo, deer, elk, and moose, but regular beef is fine. It’s best to use chunks that are lean, such as the thigh or shoulder.
• Fat – Just ask your butcher for a pound of beef suet. Most people prefer fat from the kidneys, but it’s not absolutely necessary.
• Extras – You can add all sorts of things to pemmican: berries, dried fruits, chopped nuts, maple syrup, peanut butter… some people have even added chocolate and sugar. These are all completely optional.

1. Dry the meat until brittle; This can be done by thinly slicing the meat and hanging it high on an open flame or placing the meat in a dehydrator or oven.
2. Cut and grind the dried meat into fine particles until it has broken down into a coarse powder. Can also use a food processor to speed up the process. Native Americans traditionally pounded the meat with stones.
3. Add dried berries to the meat. Render the fat (heat until liquefied)
4. Then pour it over the dried ingredients. Mix thoroughly then pour all ingredients into a molding tray or baking sheet. Let the mixture set, and after it solidifies, it should resemble a protein bar.
5. Now the Pemmican can be cut into squares and wrapped.