Jerky and Pemmican

[Janne]

You boys are absolutely correct!

I wonder if there is any difference between Bison Pemican and Beef Pemmican considering the longevity of the product?

Different cow breeds have different fats, both quality and distribution.

 

[Robson Valley]

Like all the rest of the big game animals in North America, the fat-free bison meat may have lent itself to pemmican.
Certainly makes a huge difference when smoke-drying for paleo jerky.

I have not made jerky or pemmican with beef. Those animals had to come with the european invaders.

OTOH, bison cooks in a flash. It is not forgiving like beef with the internal fat content.
I have eaten 6-7 bison since 2001. I have learned to do a really good job of cooking all cuts.
Normally, it is "cut-it-with-a-fork-tender", every time. The dinner fun is to put your knife down. Not needed.

 

[Janne]

You need fat to create the preserving state of the Pemmican product.
I am not familiar with the anatomy of a Bison, maybe the fat surrounding the kidneys is nice?
Lean meat, fat, dried berries. Sounds like a large part of the Food Pyramid!

 

[Robson Valley]

Bison have sub-cutaneous fat. The best fat on them is along the backstrap muscle of the back.
Still tastes terrible to me and I'm pretty much an omnivore.
.
No berries in paleo pemmican. They are often a little damp and with the added fruit sugar,
they go moldy and contaminate the entire bison hide bag of pemmican.
Meat + Fat = done.

More of the bison was sliced and smoke-dried in bulk for the easiest preservation.
The lack of fat and the meat dries very quickly ( even in my dryer or kitchen oven).
Inland, this was supplemented with fish (trout caught in weirs) and a surprising amount of river clams.
I've seen some weirs. Nobody ever takes them apart.

Most summer and winter camps had huge kitchen gardens for each family. Staples and condiments.

 

[Janne]

Thank the Gods we have supermarkets! We live in a 'food luxury world' these days.
Well, some of us do.

Mr Townsend in the videos is an interesting person. Knows quite a bit about the past. I wonder how he lives his 'normal' life? Using his oldie skills, or just scoffs the average N. American diet?

 

[santaman2000]

......Mr Townsend in the videos is an interesting person. Knows quite a bit about the past. I wonder how he lives his 'normal' life? Using his oldie skills, or just scoffs the average N. American diet?

Judging from his apparent good health I’d say he doesn’t follow the average diet.

 

[Janne]

I hope lots of people watch him. And get interested in 'oldfashioned cooking'.
I know this will never happen.
I think I have watched most of his vids.

Interesting how his 'old colonial/early US' cooking is adopted (to the local supplies and environment) European traditional cooking.