Pemmican: History's Power Bar

Tasting History with Max Miller・2 minutes read

Pemmican, a dried meat treat with a long shelf life, is a traditional survival food made by Native American tribes using various meats like buffalo, and has a rich history in North America. It was relied upon by explorers for sustenance, and conflicts arose over its availability leading to tensions and battles.

Insights

  • Pemmican, a dried meat treat with a long shelf life, has been a crucial survival food made by Native American tribes using various meats like buffalo, elk, and fish.
  • The history of pemmican reveals its significance in North American exploration, with figures like Sir Alexander MacKenzie relying on it during expeditions, and its role in trade leading to conflicts like the Pemmican Proclamation, showcasing its cultural and economic importance.

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Recent questions

  • What is pemmican?

    Dried meat treat with long shelf life.

  • How is pemmican made?

    Meat dried, ground, mixed with fat.

  • What meats can be used for pemmican?

    Various meats like buffalo, venison, fish.

  • How is pemmican traditionally stored?

    In bags or tin cans for preservation.

  • What is the historical significance of pemmican?

    Staple food for explorers and indigenous tribes.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Pemmican: Native American Survival Food History"

  • Pemmican is a dried meat treat that has a long shelf life and is considered a survival food.
  • The word "pemmican" is derived from the Cree word for processed fat, and it is made by Native American tribes with variations in ingredients.
  • Pemmican can be made from various meats like venison, beaver, elk, duck, rabbit, fish, and buffalo.
  • The most common version of pemmican was made from buffalo, as noted in historical accounts like Lewis and Clark's journey.
  • The American buffalo is actually a bison, but the terms have been used interchangeably for centuries.
  • To make pemmican, you need about two pounds or one kilogram of lean meat, sliced thinly and dried in an oven at the lowest temperature.
  • The meat was traditionally dried by Native Americans using the sun and fire, while a more industrial method was developed in the 19th century.
  • Once the meat is dried, it needs to be ground into a coarse powder, mixed with fat, and possibly sweetened with sugar or dried berries.
  • The mixture is then shaped into a compact form, traditionally sewn into a bag of undressed hide, or placed in a tin can or mold to cool and firm up.
  • Pemmican has a long history in North America, being relied upon by explorers like Sir Alexander MacKenzie during expeditions for its sustenance and long shelf life.

11:55

"Pemmican: Bison-based staple of Métis trade"

  • Pemmican is typically stored in 90-pound bags, with one bison cow providing enough meat and fat for a bag.
  • MacKenzie, a traveler, experimented with enhancing pemmican by boiling it with parsnips and wild onions.
  • Pemmican was a staple food for the Métis people, who hunted bison and produced large quantities for trade.
  • The Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company were major players in the fur trade, with the Métis supplying pemmican.
  • Conflict arose over pemmican availability, leading to the Pemmican Proclamation and subsequent tensions and battles.
  • Pemmican could be consumed plain or cooked in various ways, such as in a stew called 'rubaboo' or fried with onions and potatoes.
  • The narrator plans to age pemmican for a year before preparing a dish like rubaboo, as historical accounts suggest.
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