Subject: Jerky vs Pemmican 1

From: [email-masked] (Jim Weller)
Date: 25 Feb 2000 15:23:47 EST

-=> Quoting ldamien to All <=-

 ld> Maybe all of you could help solve a debate between my nephew and
 ld> myself.  He is very interested in Native American culture, and insists
 ld> that pemmican and beef jerky are actually one and the same.  I beg to
 ld> differ that while they are indeed similar in nature, pemmican is a
 ld> mixture of meat and berries, while jerky is merely dried meat and
 ld> seasonings.  I would appreciate clarification on this matter, and
 ld> also, if anyone has good recipes for making either, please pass them
 ld> on. Thanks,
 ld> Denise

You are right.

Jerky is seasoned dried meat and not particularly Native. "Dry meat" is
Native; this is air dried meat augmented by cold smoking. There is no
brining, marinading or seasoning though.

When dry meat is dried to a brittle rather than chewy state, it can then
be pounded into a powder. "Pound meat" makes a good soup and gravy base.

Pemmican is a combination of pound meat and rendered fat, often with
fruit added.

The Dene [Indians in northern Canada] preserve caribou both as dry meat
and pound meat. They dry/cold smoke fresh, uncured meat over a smoky
willow or birch fire. There are no hardwoods up here to give the
traditional [and IMNSHO better] smoke taste of jerky. Caribou dry meat
is basically preserved by sun drying with the smoke as a minor
ingredient in the process.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Hudson Bay Company Pemmican
 Categories: Canadian, Info, Camping, Preserving
      Yield: 1 Info file
 
      1    Text file
 
  "There is little object in travelling tough just for the sake of being
  tough."- The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading
  into Hudson's Bay, an early employee manual.
  
  Pemmican: pound a quantity of jerky until shredded. Cut fresh fat into
  walnut sized hunks and try out over a slow fire or in an oven. Pour
  the hot fat over the shredded jerky and mix into a sausage meat like
  consistency [a 50/50 mix]. Pack mixture into waterproof bags. Add dry
  berries if desired; do not salt. It takes 5 lb of meat to make 1 lb
  jerky so pemmican isn't overly fatty, just concentrated.
  
  From Wilderness Cookery by Bradford Angier of Hudson Hope, B.C.,
  published by Stackpole Books, 1961
  
  Also:
  
  Preserving game meat, not jerky: Cut meat into large strips, make a
  rub of 3 pounds salt, 4 tb allspice and 5 tb pepper. Drape over wire
  and air dry one month. Slice thin and eat raw or use in stews.
  
  From Wilderness Cookery by Bradford Angier of Hudson Hope, B.C.,
  published by Stackpole Books, 1961
  
  Pemmican: try adding dried apricots, ground walnuts, allspice or
  orange peel to the mix. Small seasoned pemmican balls make
  interesting appetizers.
  
  From The Complete Hunter Venison Cookery, Cowles Creative Publishing
  
  Jim Weller

MMMMM

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Wasna/pemmican
 Categories: Native, Preserving, Venison, Fruits
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      1    Part dried and ground deer
           Or buffalo
      1    Part dried and ground
           Berries (chokecherries are
           Best)
      1    To 3 parts melted suet
 
  Grind the dried meat and berries to a coarse texture, I use an old
  hand crank grinder (if using chokecherries, grind the seeds as well).
  Mix meat and berries together and set aside. Cook down the suet,
  removing any pieces left, as you only want the melted fat. Drizzle
  the hot fat over the meat/berry mix , stirring the mix while you do
  this. Add as much or as little fat as you desire (If you're going for
  the patties, you'll add more). If you plan to make the patties,
  you'll want the consistancy of hamburger. Form into patties and place
  on a cookie sheet, and refrigerate until the fat has once again
  congealed. Afterward, you and wrap individually and store in a cool
  place.
  
  Personally, I like more berries than meat. I also like to add a little
  something sweet, like honey.
  
  Rebecca Bear [email-masked] <[email-masked]>
 
MMMMM