Pemmican

Pemmican. This was originally a North American Indian preparation only, but it was introduced into the British navy victualling-yards in order to supply arctic expeditions with an easily-preserved food, containing the largest amount of nutriment in the smallest space. As made by the Indians, it consists of the lean portions of venison dried in the sun, or wind, and then pounded into a paste and tightly pressed into cakes; sometimes a few fruits of Amelanchier ovata are added to improve the flavour. It will keep for a very long time uninjured. That made for the arctic voyagers was chiefly of beef. In making pemmican it is necessary to remove the fat completely.