Pemmican Recipe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Servings
16
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
242
Pemmican is a nutrient-rich blend of dried meat and fat. Because it's shelf-stable and keeps for a long time (we're talking years!) at room temperature, it's a favorite of outdoorsy folks, homesteaders, and anyone who likes having high-protein, no-sugar snack and meal options.
Ingredients
1½ lbs lean, grass-fed shoulder roast
Salt and pepper
8 ounces fresh or frozen wild blueberries (thawed)
8 ounces tallow or suet, diced small
Directions
Let the meat firm up in the freezer, then thinly slice it. Liberally salt and pepper.
Arrange the meat strips in single layers in a food dehydrator. Arrange the blueberries on separate dehydrator trays. (See Recipe Notes for alternate method.)
Let the meat dry out for about 15 hours, until all moisture seems to be gone and it breaks apart easily. Check on the blueberries every couple of hours during this time and remove them when they are fully dried.
Transfer the dried meat to a food processor or blender and pulverize until it becomes powder. Move the powder to a large mixing bowl and repeat the process for the blueberries. Add the blueberry powder to the meat powder in the bowl.
Render the fat by placing it in a cast iron pan and cook it slowly over very low heat, stirring frequently. Once the liquid fat has separated from the solids and the bubbling has stopped, use a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
Stir the meat and blueberry powder together. Keep stirring while you slowly pour in the liquid fat. Add just enough that the fat soaks into the powder.
Line a square baking dish with parchment paper. Press the pemmican mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Allow it to fully cool, then cut into bars. Store bars between layers of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container.
Recipe Note
- If you don't have a food dehydrator, set the oven to the lowest possible temperature (around 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit). Lay out the strips of meat on a metal rack set into a rimmed baking sheet. Keep the oven door slightly ajar to prevent moisture build-up.
- Store any leftover fat in a jar in the refrigerator to use in another recipe.
- Pemmican is typically made from beef, but any red meat will work. Bison, venison, or elk are also delicious options.
- Nutrition information calculated using Cronometer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1/16th of recipe
- Calories per serving
- 242
- Carbs
- 2 grams
- Protein
- 11 grams
- Fat
- 21 grams
Pemmican is a mixture of dried meat and fat that makes the ultimate portable meal or snack. If you're thinking, "That sounds like beef jerky," yes and no. Jerky is made by dehydrating meat until it is pliant and chewy. Pemmican is made by fully removing the moisture from meat until it can be powdered and reconstituted into bars with added fat. Compared to jerky, pemmican has a much longer shelf life—no refrigeration needed—and higher caloric density thanks to the fat content.
Originating with the First Nations people, pemmican is favored by today's outdoor enthusiasts since it's perfect for tossing in a backpack and fueling up on the trail. Keto or carnivore dieters likewise appreciate the simple ingredients and macronutrient profile. But you don't have to be an adventure junkie or follow any particular diet to enjoy all that pemmican has to offer. It's also a great option for anyone who eats on the go or for folks who like to keep a well-stocked pantry or food cellar.
Try your hand at making it today!
Pemmican Flavor Variations: Modern Pemmican with a Twist
With its simple, no-frills ingredients, pemmican probably isn't going to be the most tastebud-tickling snack in your kitchen. You can up the flavor ante, though, by marinating the meat before dehydrating. After slicing the meat, marinate it overnight (up to 24 hours) in the flavorful mixture of your choice. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- A mix of 2 parts Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki to 1 part tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- Korean Style BBQ Sauce or Unsweetened Golden BBQ Sauce
- Original Buffalo or Hot Buffalo Sauce for a spicy kick
Shake or rinse off excess marinade before dehydrating, and omit the salting step if you give the meat a salty soak. Note that adding ingredients to the basic pemmican recipe may affect how long the pemmican lasts at room temperature. Out of an abundance of caution, you might choose to store it in the fridge or freezer. With any homemade pemmican, always check for signs of spoilage before consuming.
Enjoy!
