[Sca-cooks] dried meats

[UlfR]

Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> [2003.11.03] wrote:
> > Pemmican (ground jerky, fat and fruits formed into small packs for
> > traveling - making stew from, etc.)

There is an NE version that also include corn and maple syrup. No
recipies at hand, but I'll look. But note that there generally were
travelling foods, not used as much on a day to day basis. 

> Hmm. I thought that the meat, fat and fruits were pounded together to 
> make Pemmican. I think starting with ground meat would completely 
> change the texture of the result. Besides, I'm not sure the American 
> Indians, like the Europeans, had a good, easy way to grind meat.

A metate should work fine, in particular if the meat has been dried
until brittle.

> I seem to remember from pervious jerky discussions here, and elsewhere, 
> that you wanted lean meat. That if you used fatty meat, the dried meat 
> would spoil. But Pemmican seems to call for adding additional fat. So, 
> how can both methods be used to preserve meats?

Unrendered fats will go rancid. I've always dried the meat (and
berries) separately, ground them and then added rendered, melted fat to
taste/consistency/caloric content. Or prepare all separately and use in
cooking as needed. I often carry dried meat[1] when backpacking: pemican
is more of an MRE style food, or a convenient to carry calory bomb.

UlfR

[1] Mostly as dried hamburger (fry lean hamburger with
onions/garlic/spices, rinse with boiling water, spread in dryer and dry
until fully dry: toss in water with pasta or rice for a meal) but also
in the more traditional strips and as pemican.

-- 
UlfR Ketilson                               ulfr at hunter-gatherer.org
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