How to Make Pemmican in a Survival Situation

Americans boast a long list of survival inventions that can save your life. Pemmican is an excellent source of nourishment for those that desperately want to survive and is rather easy to make.

Native Americans were the first to promote the consumption of pemmican to everyday people of the culture. These foods are made directly from meat that has been dried in the sun for days; it is then later cut into smaller pieces for easy carrying.

The life of a nomad can be draining; carrying a few pieces of pemmican in your backpack can provide you a lot of energy for a long time. Not to mention, pemmican will never go bad. Here are a few steps to make your own pemmican.

An Easy Guide for Making Pemmican

There are many things you should do before you start to make pemmican. However, this guide will give you the exact steps you’ll need to take to insure your pemmican is of the highest quality.

Get Your Meat

Any meat will do. Whatever you can skin, you can make pemmican from. You’re better off opting for a greasy, fatty part of the meat so that you can take some of the fat to bind it with. Don’t forget to let the meat mature for one or two days after slaughtering the animal, so that most of the blood is drained from its muscles.

Dry Your Meat Using Sunlight

When maturing your meat, start removing the fatty parts and setting them aside. This is a time-sensitive procedure and must be done with extreme care. Retaining all of the fatty parts is an essential step in creating the most nutritious pemmican possible.

After extracting the fatty parts of the anima, you’ll have to then cut your meat into thinner slices. Next, make sure the pieces are exposed to sunlight, enough to dehydrate and, thereby, preserve them. Evaporating any moisture in the meat will ensure its longevity while retaining the protein necessary for survival.

Grind the Meat Using Stones

When you’re in the wilderness with minimal tools on hand, you can smash the dried meat with stones. Crush your meat down to a powder, which will become an element of this later.

Boil the Fat strips You Saved Earlier

Fat strips are important in giving your pemmican a more edible texture, binding it together, and preserving it. Set your boiled fat aside.

Mix the Meat Powder with the Boiled Fat and Other Ingredients

Your pemmican is almost ready!

When you mix the meat powder with the fat and condiments you get a high-protein and fat food that will last a very long time in the wilderness.

Pemmican is easy to make and even easier to store in your backpack. The last step is to wrap it in a soft cloth to reduce the access of pests.