Pemmican (Carnivore, Dried Beef + Tallow)
By Tomás Reyes · Texas Rancher · Updated 2026-05-08
Traditional Plains-Indian preserved food: dried beef ground fine, mixed 1:1 with melted beef tallow. Lasts 6+ months unrefrigerated. The original carnivore travel food.
Carnivore pemmican is the original Plains-Indian preserved food — dried beef pulverized to coarse powder, mixed at a 1:1 ratio by weight with melted beef tallow, then pressed into bars or balls and cooled. Salt is added to taste. Pemmican has no carbs, no perishable ingredients, and stores at room temperature for 6 months or longer in vacuum bags (years if frozen). A 2-ounce serving delivers 16g protein, 30g fat, and 340 calories — high-density travel food at roughly $4 per serving in raw cost. To make pemmican: dehydrate 1 pound of lean beef into 6 ounces of dried meat, grind to powder in a food processor, render 6 ounces of beef tallow until liquid, mix until the powder absorbs all the fat (it looks crumbly when ready), press into a parchment-lined pan and cool. Cut into bars. The total active time is 30 minutes if you start with already-dehydrated meat and rendered tallow — both are listed in this recipe's related links.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 oz pemmican (per serving) | 16g | 28g | 320 |
| 1 tbsp tallow contribution (per serving) | 0g | 2g | 20 |
| Coarse salt | 0g | 0g | 0 |
| Per serving | 16g | 30g | 340 |
Macros per serving (after cooking and any fat draining). Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Instructions
- 1
Start with 6 oz of fully dehydrated beef (no soft spots — should snap when bent). See the homemade-beef-jerky-no-sugar recipe for the dehydration step.
- 2
Pulse the dried beef in a food processor until reduced to a coarse powder, about the texture of breadcrumbs. Don't over-process to dust.
- 3
Mix in 1 tsp coarse salt with the meat powder.
- 4
Render 6 oz of beef tallow in a small saucepan over low heat until completely liquid (skip if using already-rendered tallow).
- 5
Pour the warm liquid tallow over the meat powder, stirring with a fork until all the powder is coated and the mixture looks crumbly but holds together when pressed.
- 6
Line a small loaf pan or 8x8 dish with parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly into the pan until compact.
- 7
Refrigerate 2 hours or until completely solid.
- 8
Lift out by the parchment and slice into 2-ounce bars. Vacuum-seal individually or wrap in parchment + foil. Stores 6 months at room temperature, 12+ months frozen.
Nutrition per Serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is pemmican shelf-stable?
The meat is fully dehydrated (under 10% moisture content), and the rendered fat seals the dried meat from oxygen. Together they create an environment where bacteria, mold, and rancidity all fail to develop at any meaningful rate. Plains-Indians historians documented pemmican lasting through 5-year fur-trading expeditions without spoilage. Modern vacuum sealing extends this further. Refrigeration is unnecessary; freezing extends shelf life past a decade.
What's the right meat-to-fat ratio?
Traditional pemmican is 1:1 by weight (6 oz dried meat to 6 oz tallow). Variations of 60:40 meat-to-fat hold together but feel drier; 40:60 (more fat) tastes richer but breaks apart easily. The 1:1 ratio is the sweet spot for binding, calorie density, and shelf stability. Equal weight matters more than equal volume — meat powder has lower density than rendered fat, so the volumes look unequal.
Can I add berries or honey?
Traditional pemmican often included dried berries (saskatoon, chokecherry) for flavor — but those are excluded under strict carnivore framing. Honey wasn't a Plains-Indian addition; it appears in modern recipes targeting paleo audiences. Berries change the shelf life: pemmican with fruit goes rancid in 2 to 3 months instead of 6+. The pure meat-and-fat version is the carnivore-strict and longest-lasting version. If you allow some plants, dried wild berries are the classic pairing.
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