This Homemade
These protein bars are a satiating mix of protein and fat, making them a great option for anyone on a keto diet or carnivore diet. Adding hidden organ meats takes the nutritional quality to the next level. There are many easy keto recipes and savory carnivore diet recipes in which you can add hidden beef liver or beef heart.
Table of Contents (click to view)
What is Pemmican Made Of?
Pemmican is the combination of dry, ground lean meat and animal fat. Most people make
Webster‘s Third New International Dictionary, 1967, defines
A concentrated food used by North American Indians consisting essentially of lean buffalo meat or venison cut in thin slices, dried in the sun, pounded fine, mixed with melted fat, and packed in sacks of hide.
The technique of combining meat with fat is a Native American food preservation method. Traditional
History tells us that adding dry berries to the meat and fat became popular during the American fur trade.
Honey may be added in also. Our children love this version! Honey is also a preservative, so there’s no risk of spoilage. I usually add a few heaping spoonfuls of honey, up to one-third of a cup, to the meat and fat mixture. Taste it as you go and stop when it’s sweet enough for you.
I always add salt to my homemade
Is Pemmican Healthy?
Homemade
Often called “the bread of the wilderness,”
If you are interested in learning more about this historically important food, the wars fought over it, and how it was traditionally used in daily life, Vilhjalmur Stefansson wrote Not By Bread Alone, which contains a fascinating account of the
We include this book in our recommended reading list.
On the utility and function of
[Pemmican] was a travel food, and journeys were usually made in summer. Its most impressive record as the exclusive diet, or nearly so, of large numbers of men for long periods is from transportation crews of the fur trade working twelve to eighteen hours a day and straight through the noon period with its scorching or steaming heat.
Not by Bread Alone
The extreme supporters ofpemmican recommend it as the most concentrated food known to man or possible within modern concepts of physiological and chemical science. They say that is is a complete food in the sense that it will keep a hard-working man in top form for any length of time in any climate. They maintain, indeed, that it is the only concentrated food whichever has been tried out by large numbers of men for long periods.
On April 28, 1947, Dr. L. L. Savage of the University of Chicago started a 40-day trial of an all-pemmican diet. Two months after the study was initiated, he concludes:
Pemmican came as close as any to the ultimate ideal of a concentrated “pill” diet. He never felt any need for additional salt and he never felt any distaste for
“Pemmican“pemmican . He did note that smaller and smaller amounts satisfied his hunger as the experiment progressed. He lost 24 lb. of body-weight from his original weight of 214 lb. during the 40-day trial.
E. F. BInkerd, O. E. KOlari AND C. TRACY
Armour Food Company
Why add Organ Meat?
The great thing about a homemade
Organ meat recipes have been a fundamental part of my family’s diet because there are many health benefits of organ meat, they are very affordable, and we don’t want any part to go to waste.
Plus,
After learning about the health benefits of liver and experiencing how good it makes me feel, I add it to many different recipes.
These are just a few recipes with hidden liver to get you started:
- Organ Meat Pie (it’s a family favorite!)
- Mini Meat Pies with Hidden Liver
- Cabbage Noodles with Hidden Liver
- Liver Chips (not hidden, but surprisingly subtle)
For personal use, I make
Liver is much easier to dry and grind into a fine powder. Heart has a great flavor but does not grind up as smoothly, producing a more noticeably crunchy texture in the finished bar.
In the recipe below, I only include liver in the ingredient list, but if you want to add heart also there is a note on how to do so.
How to Make a Homemade Pemmican Recipe
If you prefer to make
Pemmican is a very adaptable recipe and easy to make in any amount.
Follow a 1:1 ratio of dry meat to fat by weight. You can fill any mold or roll balls by hand.
Measure the meat; measure an equal amount of tallow. Put the meat in a bowl and add salt.
If you want to use herbs and spices, I highly recommend Mesquite Seasoning by Mountain Rose Herbs. It’s my all-time favorite for
Combine all ingredients together. Working quickly, before the tallow solidifies, transfer the mixture to an 8×8-inch baking dish or other container and fill evenly. Score into individual pieces once firm.
Would you prefer to purchase
How to Dry Meat in a Dehydrator or Oven
Use a food dehydrator on the meat setting at 155°F (68°C) or dry in the oven at the lowest setting. Either way, spread the meat as flat and thin as possible.
Six pounds of raw meat makes one pound of dry meat powder.
Once the top is fully dry, flip it over and continue until the entire piece has no moisture. When in doubt, dry longer. Since we grind the meat up anyway, there is no harm in making it brittle, although you don’t want to cook it.
Working with lean ground beef and ground liver is extremely easy. As an alternative, thinly slice a lean cut of meat and liver instead. Spread the material flat on a tray or baking sheet.
It will take a few hours for the meat to dry. Once done, break it into smaller pieces and grind into a fine powder in a blender. You can use any ratio of liver to meat you like. I tend to do either 50/50 or 25/75 liver to meat.
How to Store Pemmican
Other than being properly prepared and kept in an airtight container,
The US Army used
I keep
It is possible to add
The Best Keto Camping Food
Pemmican is ideal for traveling, camping, hiking, and backpacking. This is a nutritionally complete food that will not melt, spill, or make a mess while out on the go.
Treated like a protein bar, this is also a great food to take out with children at an amusement park, nature park, or just on errands. Our children like it mixed with avocado or topped with cream cheese. Both ingredients are portable and easy to bring into your bag. Slice an avocado open, crumble the
If you can think of a better food than this, leave your suggestion in the comments.
A list of keto-friendly camping foods usually includes canned fish, boiled eggs, salami or dry sausage, aged cheeses, and nuts or seeds.
More Delicious Homemade Keto Camping Recipes
Pack some of these foods next time you head out to the great outdoors and you’ll never miss the carbs!
- Low-carb trail mix with cranberries, nuts, and coconut. There are 10 g of protein per serving!
- Homemade keto granola made not one but four different ways. I would first go for the chocolate peanut butter combo, although Almond Joy is a close second.
- Copycat Keto Cracker Jacks will surely be a win for the children, too. If you’re a pecan fan, you’ll love this recipe.
- Keto Seed Crackers are a dairy-free, grain-free, egg-free keto camping snack. These would be great with canned salmon and cucumber slices on top!
- Easy Low Carb Granola Bars, another great grain-free alternative made with nuts, seeds, coconut, and a tasty combination of cinnamon, vanilla, and almond butter for flavor. Bake them in the oven, and you’ll be ready to go.
- Keto Avocado Chips are a nut-free option to pack. The cumin and chili powder give a fun kick and recreate a healthy version of nacho cheese-flavored chips.
Pemmican Recipe for Dogs
Not only was
The paper “The Physiology of Sledge Dogs” by R. J. F. Taylor, 1956, tells us dog
Beef was a very expensive food source to use in the Arctic, so many expeditions chose to feed the more economical options of whale
Whale
Pemmican is recommended by CSJ K9 for hard-working dogs, stressed show dogs, and can help build up underweight dogs as well as for gundogs, agility dogs, sled dogs, and rescue dogs.
This is not the first time I’ve wondered if our dogs eat human food or we eat dog food.
Homemade Pemmican Recipe (Optional Organ Meats)
Ingredients
- 300 grams dry, ground, lean meat
- 100 grams dry, ground, beef liver
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons herbs and spices optional
- 400 grams beef tallow melted
Instructions
- Combine the dry meat, liver, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add optional herbs and spices, mix well.300 grams dry, ground, lean meat, 100 grams dry, ground, beef liver, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoons herbs and spices
- Melt tallow in a double boiler over medium heat.400 grams beef tallow
- Pour over the dry ingredients. Stir well until thoroughly combined. Break apart all clumps. Tallow should fully incorporate into the meat. If still crumbly, add more melted fat.
- Spread the mixture evenly in an 8×8-inch baking dish and leave to harden at room temperature or place in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Once firm, score into squares. Alternatively, you can roll the “dough” into balls with your hands.
- Store pemmican in an airtight container in the pantry. If made correctly, it is shelf-stable and will never spoil. You may also store it in the refrigerator if that makes you more comfortable.
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
Featured in 12 Pemmican Recipes: Legendary Keto Survival Food
Originally published August 28, 2015. Updated July 15, 2020 with more details and images.
I can use the fat from the bone broth to make pemimican?
Hi Matt, Great question! I don’t recommend using that fat because it’s very hard to get totally dry. You don’t want any water (or broth) in the pemmican.
What are the ratios when adding honey?
Add honey to taste 🙂
Hello, I was wondering if chicken liver can be used with beef mince? I can get a clean supply of chicken liver but not beef where I live. Thanks
Hi Jess, that’s an understandable question. I haven’t tried it myself, but would assume if you’re sure the liver is 100% dry it’s probably ok. Have you considered buying beef online and having it delivered? That might be a good way for you to purchase some.
Great write up Jessica & Tristan. Thank you infinitely for what you’re doing. This is my current favorite snack/meal for skiing.
I’m so glad you like it Jason! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your review 🙂
Could you use all-organ meat? There is a pet food/farm store here that sells dehydrated heart and liver for dog treats, and it’s not only already dried but also very inexpensive. I think it would work for this, and so I’m wondering if I need meat at all, or I could just use these.
Sure, you can use all organ meat if you want to. The flavor will probably be slightly different but it’s likely the texture will be similar if not the same. I have noticed that beef heart does not grind up as finely as liver and meat so it leaves a more gritty texture. I don’t mind it but others might. I encourage you to do a test and experiment!
Traditional pemmican uses equal amounts of tallow to dry powdered meat.
Your recipe is not accounting for the water loss.
Typically, raw meat will shrink down to 1/3 after drying.
For example, 6 lbs of raw meat will dry to 3 lbs.
Your recipe should yield 133 grams of dry meat
Hi Blake, thanks for trying to clarify this point but I think you misunderstood the original text. The meat ingredients are already dry and ground. Each batch uses 400 g total of dry, ground meat. I updated the recipe card to be more clear 🙂 Thanks again for stopping by. Have a great day!
hi Jessica,
what do you use to grind up the meat? I think might need a better blender? I love pemmican. it’s great for travel or for days where I get so in ‘the zone’ that I can’t be bothered stopping to cook. I always have some pemmican in my fridge.
I use a high-speed blender to grind the meat. Maybe you will have better success if you break the meat into smaller pieces before grinding it?
Hello! I am shocked that I’ve never heard of pemmican before. Very interested in trying it with my family. You mention “store bought” pemmican – can you recommend a best/favorite “store bought” pemmican?
I hope your family enjoys the pemmican as much as mine does! I linked in a recommendation to store bought pemmican online in the post. This is a great choice: https://www.primaledgehealth.com/go/pemmican/
Do you cook the meat and liver at all first ? Thank you
Hi Jese, The meat and liver are not cooked. They are dried raw, just like jerky.
How much does this make??
This recipe makes 800 grams of pemmican. I used an 8×8-inch baking dish as my mold and divide into 8 servings.
I have never heard of a dish like this, I am thinking my family would really enjoy this! I love the idea of an avocado bowl!
Wow, this is a very interesting recipe. I appreciate that you use all the parts of the animals you eat!
This is a very interesting dish, I’ve never heard of it, and would love to give it a try. That said, I’ve never ever dried anything. Could you give a short instruction for the drying part so a total newbie like me can do it? Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Anita. I’ve updated the recipe with more details in hopes of making it more clear for you and others alike!
I haven’t ever heard of pemmican but it sounds similar to jerky but can be used as a whole meal which sounds great to always have on hand.
I’ve never had this before. So intrigued to make it now though!
Now, this is a different approach to protein bars – but by far the most natural I have seen. I would definitely try one! I am all about that getting that protein!
hi Jessica
how do you dry the liver and meet?
I use a food dehydrator. You may also dry at a low temp in the oven.