From Where People Feast: An Indigenous People’s Cookbook, published by Arsenal Pulp Press in 2007.

Pemmican consists of smoked and dried meat (usually venison) that has been pounded into a powder and mixed with hot fat and dried fruits or berries, then pressed into either a loaf or small cakes or balls. Traditionally, bags of pemmican were stored inside rawhide and placed in the stomachs of wild game (with its fur left on) that are sewn up tightly then buried in the ground at strategic points on the hunting trail. This method kept the pemmican fresh during the winter; in fact, it could be edible for years. Pemmican can be made from other meats such as buffalo, moose, or beef.

2½ lbs (1.25 kg) venison (hind-quarters or shoulders are best)

2 cups rendered fat from venison, liquefied

5 cups wild berries, dried and ground to powder (may substitute with conventional raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, or strawberries)

Cut venison into strips and skewer onto cedar skewers. In a smokehouse, place skewers above a slow-burning alder wood fire overnight, turning occasionally to smoke meat evenly. When meat feels hard to the touch, remove it from smokehouse and place the skewers on poles so meat can hang outdoors in sunny weather with a fire nearby to dry-smoke for an additional 4 days. In a food processor, grind meat until it has the consistency of powder. In a bowl, combine meat, fat, and berries and mix well. Form pemmican into balls (1 in/2.5 cm in diameter) and store in sealed containers in the freezer. Makes 40 balls.