Pemmican: Energy bar for warriors, explorers... and the far-sighted
Long before the invention of industrial protein bars, the Indigenous peoples of North America created the ultimate survival food: pemmican. This concentrated source of nutrients, which can be stored for months without refrigeration, nourished trappers, explorers, and warriors for centuries. Today, this ancestral recipe is regaining popularity among modern bushcrafters and preppers.
A food born of necessity
Pemmican takes its name from the Cree word "pimîhkân," which literally means "manufactured fat." This name perfectly sums up its composition: dried meat ground into powder, mixed with animal fat, and often enriched with dried berries. Simple in appearance, this recipe nevertheless meets all the challenges of survival in a hostile environment.
The Native Americans of the Great Plains perfected it out of necessity. During long bison hunts, they needed to quickly transform enormous quantities of meat into long-lasting provisions. Pemmican allowed them to concentrate the protein of an entire animal into a few kilograms of highly nutritious, portable, and virtually imperishable food.
The science behind conservation
The genius of pemmican lies in its balanced composition, which naturally inhibits bacterial growth. The meat, dehydrated to less than 5% moisture, becomes hostile to microorganisms. The animal fat, rich in saturated fatty acids, forms a protective barrier that isolates the proteins from oxygen.
This synergy creates an exceptional preservation environment. A properly prepared pemmican can be stored for 2 to 5 years at room temperature (!), and some historical accounts report pemmicans still being edible after 20 years! This longevity far surpasses our modern canned goods.
How to make pemmican?
Preparing authentic pemmican requires patience and technique.
- Start by selecting a lean meat: beef, venison, elk or even fish.
- Cut it into thin strips and dry them in the sun for several days, or in a modern dehydrator for 12 to 24 hours at 60°C. Properly dried meat should crackle under the tooth and break easily.
- Then grind it into a fine powder using a mortar or a blender.
- Meanwhile, gently melt the animal fat to obtain a liquid, filtered tallow. The traditional ratio is 50% dried meat to 50% fat.
- Gradually mix the meat powder into the warm suet until you obtain a smooth paste. Now is the time to add crushed dried berries: blueberries, cranberries, or elderberries provide vitamins and flavor. You can also add nuts if you like.
- Form into compact bars or balls (whichever you prefer) and let cool completely.
Modern variations and adaptations
The modern bushcrafter can adapt this age-old recipe to suit their tastes and needs. Replace animal fat with coconut oil, which is naturally stable and antimicrobial. Add ground nuts to enrich the nutritional profile, or spices like cinnamon for their preservative properties.
For an "urban survival" version, use commercially available dried beef, blended with peanut butter and dried fruit. Less authentic, but just as effective for building up lasting energy reserves.
Some are innovating with alternative proteins: ground smoked salmon, dried insects, or even spirulina. The important thing is to maintain the fat-to-protein balance that guarantees preservation.
Exceptional nutritional value
A 100g serving of traditional pemmican provides approximately 450 calories, 35g of protein, and 30g of fat. This remarkable energy density makes it the ideal food for expeditions where every gram counts. Essential amino acids are present in optimal quantities, while animal fats provide fat-soluble vitamins often lacking in survival diets.
The added berries compensated for the lack of vitamin C in the meat, thus preventing the scurvy that decimated the explorers. This nutritional complementarity explains why the coureurs des bois could survive for months consuming almost nothing but pemmican.
Practical storage and consumption
Store your pemmican in airtight containers, away from light and moisture. Glass jars or metal tins are ideal. Avoid plastic bags, which can promote condensation.
It is consumed in small portions: 50 to 100g is enough for an energy-rich meal. You can eat it as is, dilute it in hot water to make a nourishing broth, or incorporate it into wild vegetable stews. Its strong taste is surprising at first, but you quickly get used to it.
Pemmican is more than just a recipe; it's a distillation of ancestral wisdom adapted to modern challenges. In a world where food security is becoming a concern, rediscovering these traditional techniques isn't nostalgia, but smart preparation. Whether you're preparing for a wilderness expedition or building up your emergency supplies, pemmican deserves a place in your survival kit.