Pemmican is a concentrated blend of fat and protein commonly consumed for its amazing nutritional values. It’s a recipe that was discovered by the Native American Indians ages ago since they had no time to look for food while on transit. This was one of the main meals for the fur traders’ way back in the 18th and 19th centuries. The European explorers also used pemmican while exploring North America.

They used lean meat from a buffalo, bison, elk or a moose which was sliced and smoked or dried in the sun then later ground into powder. This meat powder was mixed with dry berries and put in a bag made from rawhide. To complete the recipe, melted animal fat was added to the mixture to make it more filling and nutritious.

The pemmican mixture once packed in the rawhide bags could last almost for months or years without going bad. The Native Americans used to store them in bags made from a buffalo or deerskin. The Europeans later adopted these bags and today they are commonly known as saddlebags while the French call it parfleche.

Benefits of the pemmican mixture today:







The pemmican mixture still has a lot of nutritional and health benefits today. Nowadays, the pemmican is mostly offered in bars and pails. Some people prefer buying the pails and making their own pemmican bars in various sizes. Below are some of the reasons why this diet was and still is a delicacy:

1. It is a delicious wholemeal which can last for a very long time without going bad. It does not need any kind of refrigeration since it is dry and devoid of moisture. It is, however, important to note that your preference for storage will determine its shelf life. the following are some storage guidelines you can use:

• Pemmican bars and pails can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 years

• Salted pemmican bars can last you for that weekend trip without any refrigeration

• Pemmican bars can be refrigerated for about 2 weeks

• Pemmican pails can be refrigerated for up to 7 days

2. It is an ideal snack on the go while venturing outdoors. You can carry this food with you while mountain climbing, kayaking, biking and basically anywhere you go if you don’t have the time to cook.

3. While on adventures or in an emergency situation, a pemmican mixture can greatly reduce wastage and help you optimize your resources. The mixture contains a blend of fat and lean meat which creates minimal waste, especially in a survival situation.

4. It is light in weight and easily portable. It can be stored in small airtight containers and carried together with your luggage. It is ideal for military personnel in the field since it is easy to carry and highly nutritious.

5. This diet contains protein, vitamins, fats and essential minerals that are needed by the body to function optimally. As a matter of fact, 22 ounces of a pemmican mixture contains the following healthy nutrients:

• 15 grams of Protein

• 285mg Sodium

• 292 calories

• 1gram of carbohydrates

• 26 grams of fat

6. It is an ideal food especially in survival or emergency situations that might arise anywhere. It is easy to prepare and does not need special kitchen tools. Even without gas or electricity, you can be able to make a pemmican mixture.

Making Pemmican at Home

Learn How Our Ancestors Made Pemmican

It is very easy to prepare pemmican at home even if it’s your first time. Below are some of the tips you can use to make the best pemmican:

1. Select the fat for your pemmican outside the marrow or the muscle of the meat. You can request your butcher to choose it for you.

2. Get the leanest part of the meat from the muscle area

3. Mix the meat, fat and dry fruits in an equal ratio of weight and not by volume. This will give better-tasting pemmican.

4. Render the fat properly so that you will not have to refrigerate your pemmican. You can store it in air-tight glass containers or vacuumed plastic wrappers. For a longer shelf life, ensure the ingredients are fresh and the fruits are properly dried. For an even longer shelf life, you can use raisins instead of fat in your recipe.

5. Make sure the containers used for storing pemmican are fastened firmly to avoid insects or rodents getting inside to destroy your pemmican.

6. You can use an alternative ingredient instead of fat. Peanut butter is a good substitute for fat. Vegetarians can also use a leather fruit or vegetable instead of meat though this will not have high calories as the meat and fat pemmican.

In conclusion:

Pemmican is an ideal food for survival and emergency situations though it is recommended you prepare it earlier in anticipation.

Practice making pemmican on a regular basis so that you can identify which method of preparing it best suits you. You can experiment in making pemmican using various ingredients like nuts, honey, chocolate, and sugar. This also helps you to prepare it in a very short period in case of an emergency. It is important to learn to make pemmican as it might save your life in a survival or wilderness situation!