Pemmican is a high-energy, highly nutritious food, and also very easy to carry. It has been the ideal food for Native American scouts, 18th Century fur traders and polar explorers.
Traditionally, pemmican is a combination of dried meat, dried fruit and fat (typically from a cow or bison). In recent years, vegetarian and non-fat based variations have been developed.
The amounts have been listed in proportions, so you can make the amount you need, depending on whether you are heading out into the wild or just want to have a small taste.
Activity steps
- Put the jerky in a blender until it is a coarse powder. You could also use a mortar and pestle. If the jerky is not dry enough, place it in an oven at 80°C / 180°F for an hour or more to dry it out further.
- Render the fat by melting it in a pan over a very low heat. When the fat stops bubbling, it is ready.
- Strain the rendered fat into an oven dish and add the powdered jerky and chopped or powdered berries. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Leave the mixture to firm up, and then cut into bars or roll into small balls.
- Wrap in grease proof paper and keep dry. Nibble at will for an energy boost.
Reflection
- Thinking about what you know about different food types and their uses, why do you think pemmican uses the types of ingredients listed above?
- Why might pemmican have become less popular over the years?
- Would you use pemmican on a polar expedition or would you change it for something else?
- What replacement might you use?
Further Ideas
If you would like to try an alternative Arctic meal, or you are having trouble sourcing some of the ingredients for pemmican, you can try a polar sandwich. Simply take two hard biscuits, between which spread a 2cm thick layer of peanut butter and a 1cm thick layer of butter or similar spread. This will provide plenty of energy for your expeditions.
To learn more about food on polar expeditions, try the full lesson for ages 7-11, How do you eat like an Arctic Explorer?
Safety guidance
- Check for any medical issues.
- Check with parents of other children before performing this activity.
- Young people with noted allergies should not consume the pemmican and may need to handle it with polythene gloves.
- Prepare the pemmican in a sterile environment.
- Children should wash their hands before handling their piece of pemmican.
Cultural awareness
- Be aware of dietary practices particularly surrounding meat and meat products for religious or cultural reasons, and use suggested alternatives.
Activity materials
- 2 portions jerky / dried meat (e.g. beef, bison, caribou, tofu)
- 1 portion rendered fat (e.g. tallow, suet, vegetarian suet) or use molasses* to bind the mixture
- 1.5 portions dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries)
*If using molasses, there is no need to heat it. Just add enough to the jerky/berry mix to bind it together.
Polar diet
The diet while on a polar expedition must be high in calories but light to carry. A polar diet is generally high in fat, as fat is high in calories. If you are going to eat the same food for 50 or 60 days, you had better like it! A phenomenon of polar travel is that after a couple of weeks’ food starts to taste bland, so strong tasting food is important, and should contain as little water as possible. The best way to gauge this, is to freeze the food and try to eat it.
Food with a high water content will freeze and will not be very tasty. The best foods for polar travel are strong tasting, high in fat and low in water content.
Aside from pemmican, expeditions may include some of the following specialist foods...
Polar Pâté
Polar Pâté, made from meat, suet, vegetable fats and grains, is a good base for a polar diet. It is high in calories, about 700 per 100 grams. When mixed with noodles or rice it makes a thick gravy, and can be a morning or evening staple.
Chocolate Truffles
These are special high-calorie truffles made with chocolate, butter and macadamia nuts. They come in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate flavours. These provide long lasting energy as they contain about 700 calories per 100 grams.
Expedition Cake
This cake is made mostly from dry fruit and nuts, and contains very little water, so it tastes good at low temperatures, and does not freeze. Expedition cake is a bit contrary to most polar food, as it is not as high in calories. However, we find it is a very effective trail food, because it provides a lot of energy very quickly.
Freeze Dried Cheese
Freeze-dried cheddar cheese makes a good snack. It is made from old cheddar and contains 637 calories per 100 grams.
Deep Fried Double Smoked Bacon
Bacon contains more calories than any other type of pork meat. This is old-fashioned ‘farmer’s type’ smoked bacon. Unlike commercially processed bacon, the result is a product that is more flavourful and contains less water. We have experimented with many different ways to prepare the bacon for expeditions, and have found that deep frying removes most of the water, without losing too much fat.
