Pemmican – Canadian Arctic / First Nations

Introduction

Pemmican is an ancestral food designed to be highly energetic and shelf-stable—ideal for long winter expeditions and times of scarcity. The fish-based version is typical of Indigenous peoples living near rivers and coastal areas of the Canadian Arctic, where fish is a vital resource. This preparation requires no cooking and can last for several months—or even years—under proper storage conditions.

Ingredients

• Dried fish (or dried meat): 500 g
  Local fish such as whitefish, Arctic char, salmon, or lake trout
  Must be dried until hard and brittle in texture

• Rendered animal fat (tallow): approx. 500 g
  Extracted from animal fat, typically caribou, beef, or seal

• Dried berries (optional): 50 g
  Lingonberries, blueberries, crowberries, or cranberries, crushed or powdered

Required Equipment

• Clean work surface (table or board)

• Mortar and pestle or manual grinder/coffee grinder

• Pot for rendering fat

• Bowls or trays for shaping into balls, bars, or patties

Preparation

1. Drying the fish

Clean the fish thoroughly—remove skin, bones, and innards.
Cut into thin strips or small pieces.
Spread out in a dry, well-ventilated, shaded area or use a traditional smokehouse.
Let dry for several days to weeks until very hard, brittle, and almost crumbly.
The fish must be completely dehydrated for long-term preservation.

2. Grinding into powder

Once dried, grind the fish into a very fine powder or small flakes using a mortar and pestle or manual grinder.
A uniform powder ensures better mixing with the fat.

3. Rendering the fat

Slowly melt the animal fat over low heat.
Remove any impurities and avoid burning the fat—it should remain liquid, not brown.
Let cool slightly before mixing to avoid cooking the ingredients.

4. Final mixing

In a large bowl, mix the powdered dried fish with the rendered fat in roughly equal weight proportions (1:1).
Add the crushed dried berries if desired for a sweet, nutritious touch.
Mix thoroughly by hand or with a spatula until you achieve a firm but pliable paste.

5. Shaping and storing

Shape the pemmican into compact balls, rectangular bars, or flat patties, according to preference.
Let cool completely.
Store in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator to extend shelf life.
Pemmican can last for several months—or even years—under proper conditions.

Tips & Notes

• Pemmican is a high-calorie concentrate, perfect for providing energy over long periods.

• Its dense texture makes it a convenient snack for travel or winter hunting.

• Rendered fat provides essential fatty acids and enables preservation.

• Adding berries is optional and more common in modern recipes or for added flavor variety.

• Dried fish must be fully dehydrated—if not, the pemmican can spoil quickly.

• Traditionally, this recipe was made without any final cooking, staying true to ancestral methods.

Historical Notes

Pemmican was a dietary staple for Indigenous peoples, including the Cree, Dene, Inuit, and Métis, and was later adopted by European explorers.
Its long shelf life and high energy content made it a vital resource for survival and exploration in extreme environments.
Fish-based pemmican allowed river and coastal communities to make full use of their most abundant food source—fish.