How to make pemmican

Render 1 pound of beef tallow on low heat until melted, then strain it through cheesecloth to remove chunks.

Cool the strained tallow and refrigerate it to harden for later use.

Slice lean meat very thinly against the grain into small strips.

Dehydrate the meat in a dehydrator or oven on the lowest setting, keeping the door slightly open for ventilation with a spoon.

Dehydrate the blueberries on a tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced apart.

After about 10 hours, check the meat and blueberries; they should break apart easily when bent, indicating all moisture is gone.

Grind the dehydrated meat and blueberries into a powder using a food processor or mortar and pestle.

Heat the tallow and mix it with the ground meat and berries in a 1:1 ratio by weight (e.g., 1 pound of each).

Mix thoroughly until well combined, then press down to make it uniform.

Refrigerate the mixture for a couple of hours until it hardens.

Cut the hardened pemmican into bars for storage.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: