SURVIVAL MEAT PERSERVING - PART 1, PEMMICAN

Preserving meat requires energy to be expended. Very simple concept. It is the 
method of using that energy that is of interest to us. The use of electrical 
energy via freezing is the most common form of meat preservation today -- and 
the most fragile, as we can expect the electrical grid to go down at some point 
in the near future. So, what else can we do to preserve meat?

All other methods of preserving meat also require the use of energy -- 
principally yours! Some methods are easier than others, but make up for that by 
using another energy source than electricity. Canning meats requires jars and 
lids and a heat source. Those are medium-technology items, however, and may not 
be available deep into a crisis.

The most primitive method of meat preservation -- and the most dependable -- 
requires a lot of human energy. These would be smoking, making jerky, and making 
pemmican.


PEMMICAN

Pemmican is the classic survival ration. It is really a paste of powdered jerky 
mixed with dried berries, nuts, and meted suet rolled up into balls. To make 
pemmican you must first make jerky and locate a source of fat for the suet. Beef 
or pork fat can be used, as other animals often do not have enough fat to use 
with their meat. Other fats, such as from vegetable sources, generally do not 
harden and are not recommended for use in pemmican.

The jerky for pemmican is made in the usual manner (that part will follow 
someday), but in thinner strips. The meat source used should be the best cuts 
available, stripped to be about one inch by 1/4 inch, and as long as possible. 
When properly prepared for pemmican, the jerky strips should be *very hard and 
brittle*, more brittle than needed for regular jerky. The strips are than 
pounded (clean rocks, a cleaned anvil and single jack, whatever) to powder the 
meat fibers, leaving the tendons, nerve fibers, etc, to feed to your animals.

The fat (or suet) used for pemmican is rendered (melted slowly without 
overheating) in a large kettle. The kettle is then taken from heat and allowed 
to cool. Then the fat is examined, and only the hardest, purest fat is put aside 
for use in the pemmican. The very soft fat can be fed to animals that are 
working, and/or used with wood ashes (preferably hardwood) to make soap.

Everything is then ready to make pemmican. You will need to make fist sized 
balls composed of 50% powdered meat (with a touch of salt added, if available, 
to stop salt craving), and 50% suet with a small amount of dry, powdered berries 
and/or nuts. The components are then thoroughly mixed (the suet can be softened 
with heat) and formed into fist-sized balls.

The pemmican balls must then be preserved and protected against moisture. This 
can be accomplished in a number of ways.

1. Wrapping the pemmican in waxed paper and dipping in wax. This is the easiest 
way, but may not be possible under primitive conditions.

2. Wrapping in cheesecloth, and dipping in suet. This is the "classical" method 
used by early expeditions to the west, the old U.S. Calvary, and mountain men.

3. Just dipping the balls of pemmican in melted suet. This is the least 
desirable method, but works.

4. Stuffing the pemmican into cleaned, washed intestinal material from the meat 
source animal, then dip in suet. This method works well, but is more time 
consuming than the others.

USING PEMMICAN

Pemmican prepared properly will last for many years and is a highly nutritious 
food source. It can be used in stews with tubers and corn meal added, cooked by 
itself, or eaten raw. If a mold forms on the pemmican ball, it is merely washed 
or scraped off, and the rest of the pemmican used. By itself, pemmican will keep 
people fit on long hikes or in other strenuous activity (because of the high fat 
content), and if used in conjunction with corn meal provides almost all of the 
nutritional needs required for continuous living and working. Only fresh greens 
need to be added to make a complete, well rounded meal!


 
 
 
