How To Eat Pemmican: A Step-By-Step Guide with Storage Tips

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This guide on how to eat pemmican is the only thing you’ll need to learn about this convenient meal. Historically, pemmican was an essential part of indigenous cuisine in North America —and it’s still being prepared today! 

Jump to Recipe

Pemmican typically consists of rendered fat, dried meat, and sometimes berries — a meal that rightly deserves the title of the “ultimate survival food”. And like most survival foods, it’s calorie-dense and shelf-stable, going anywhere from a few months to several years. This is why it’s a popular choice among preppers, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a convenient, nutrient-dense snack on the trail. 

This simple homemade recipe is made with just five key ingredients and takes only 20 minutes to prepare. And here, we’re taking pemmican to the next level by incorporating organ meats in the formula. Prepare it on weekends or whenever you have free time so you can stock up on this filling and energizing portable meal.

Ready to create a pemmican meal? Keep reading to learn why this superfood has such staying power. And while you’re here, be sure to take a look at my Original Homemade Pemmican Recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Learning how to eat pemmican came in handy for Native Americans and the earliest fur traders in what is now Canada, who could survive on it alone throughout the winter season. It’s such a filling meal that it’s become a staple food for traveling, long-distance hiking, and backpacking. Here are compelling reasons to give this recipe a try:

• Simple ingredients
• Budget-friendly
• Short prep and cooking time: This meal is ready to serve in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for packed lunches.
• Amazing flavors: The pemmican‘s meaty-fruity flavor is an acquired taste, but the savory flavor and subtle sweetness make it an ideal companion for adventurers and explorers.
• Basic kitchen equipment: No fancy cookware needed; just common kitchen tools like a steamer, knife, mixing bowl, saucepan, and serving plate.
• Easy-to-follow directions: Follow 3 straightforward steps, including preparing veggies and guacamole.
• Minimal cleanup: Involves simple cooking tools and prep methods that make cleanup a breeze.

If this is your first time hearing about pemmican, start by reading Pemmican: A Traditional Survival Food Turned Modern Protein Bar to familiarize yourself with the history of this remarkable superfood and the basics of making it.

How to Make Pemmican Meal

This 20-minute pemmican recipe is one of the most efficient meals I make often, so much so that it’s become a kitchen staple. For this recipe, you can use regular pemmican or pemmican with organ meats.

Steam chopped broccoli and mash together avocado and seasonings to make guacamole. Place your pemmican on a plate and serve alongside warm broccoli and guacamole. Fast and simple, right?

Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions on how to eat pemmican.

Ingredients You Need

Pemmican is dried meat, traditionally elk, deer, moose, or bison pounded into coarse powdered meat mixed with equal amounts of melted animal fat, and occasionally, dried fruit. 

For this pemmican meal recipe, I’ve kept things simple and easy to make with steamed vegetables and guacamole on the side. The following ingredients are accessible at home, in local grocery stores, and in online shops:

• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Tomato
• Salt
• Lime
• Pemmican: Use regular pemmican or incorporate organ meats to supercharge the nutrient quality of your meal. For the meat, any grass-fed animal will work (beef, bison, goat, lamb, etc.), depending on what’s seasonably available and most affordable in your area. For organ meats, I use a combination of grass-fed liver and heart mixed with normal muscle meat.

Variations

Once you learn how to eat pemmican, you can easily make your own blend by substituting different types of lean meat and fat sources, and then combining herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Try the following modern variations to spruce up your pemmican meal:

• Mix and match dried fruits like cherries or cranberries into the pemmican for a sweet-savory taste.
• Mix in more superfoods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp hearts into the meal for added texture.
• Sweeten it up with sugar-free maple syrup or honey.
• Garnish sides with black olives or add an ounce of aged cheese like brie or gouda, or fresh goat or sheep cheese.
• Add cilantro, garlic, or ground cumin to the guacamole.
• Sprinkle red hot chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika on the broccoli for a spicy twist.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preparing and cooking this meal requires only 20 minutes of your precious time. Follow these steps to make your own pemmican meal:

1. Prepare the sides. Chop broccoli into small pieces and steam in a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, mash avocado and seasonings to make guacamole.
2. Serve with pemmican. On a serving plate, prepare your pemmican and serve with freshly steamed broccoli and guacamole. Serve and enjoy!

If you love this dish, you might also enjoy my signature pemmican recipe, which is one of the highlights in The Ketogenic Edge Cookbook.

Storage Tips

Pemmican has a long shelf life that can be measured in years, not just months. If made and stored properly, pemmican can remain edible for up to 5 years or longer, even without refrigeration. 

Storing pemmican in the fridge or freezer makes it last as long as possible. Cut it in squares for better storage and to maximize space, especially if you’re carrying them in a pack.

As with any preserved food, store your pemmican in an airtight container or even just a clean, dry place. The key to a long-lasting pemmican is to remove all the moisture and to use a rendered fat mixture that acts as its natural preservative. Pemmican is traditionally consumed cold and doesn’t need reheating as it can alter the texture.

What to Serve with Pemmican Meal

Now that you know how to eat a pemmican meal, it’s time to incorporate it into your diet. Pemmican alone is such a nutrient-dense food that you can either eat it plain or pair it with prepared meals, salads, and sides. Below are some suggestions:

• Fresh fruits: Enjoy with a bowl of mixed berries or sliced apples and oranges.
• Cauliflower rice: Serve as an alternative to regular rice.
• Light salads: Serve with mixed fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a simple vinaigrette or light dressing.
• Fermented veggies: Pair with probiotic foods like homemade pickle relish, kimchi or sauerkraut.
• Roasted root veggies: Add roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, or parsnips sprinkled with thyme and rosemary.

More Easy Meat Recipes to Try

• Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
• Crockpot Beef Stew
• Organ Meat Pie
• Liver Meat Muffins
• Braised Beef Shank

What’s your favorite part about this guide on how to eat pemmican? If you make this easy pemmican meal recipe, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and comment!