You are aware of moronga and cecina? My paternal grandfather, born in 1880, a decendent of Basque ranchers in the State of Durango, related how he made both from cattle he sacrificed. He would tan the hides and make saddlery and harnesses. The many indigenous and early New World colonial crafts you depict are found today in rural Mexico. When the crafts and skills are forgotten so too are the people. Thank you for your thoughtful commentarys.
Peter, "Pemmican" That immediately brought to mind one of my favorite Western history/cook books: "Eating Up the Santa Fe Trail" by Sam'l P. Arnold. Its a grand complilation of the why's and how's of food stuffs and preparation, complete with historic and modern anecdotes....along with Arnold's wry humor. Many of the recipes harken back to the late seventeen, early eighteen hundred pioneer preparations as they were modified fit the indigenous recipes and foodstuffs available. Thank's again for your wonder work....and wee bits of history!
Love your channel love the history and how your keeping it alive through this platform, recently went to fort Henry in thunder Bay for rendezvous week and the governor General was there! Knowing our history of hunting fishing trading and living off the land is essential to our identity as Canadians
Hi, I made one of those a few years ago. I did cheese one the top shelf, pre cooked sausage on the second shelf and jerky on the bottom. I put hickory chips in a big cast iron pot and smoked all day in the winter. I loved it.❤
I made a bit of jerky myself, but never, as you have made it here, there is something so fascinating in watching it being made in the matter in which it was made centuries ago. Thank you two very much for the video.
Good evening my friend. The jerky looks good. Im interested in seeing you make pemmican. Ive heard of it but have never tried it. Have a great weekend and God bless my friend. Thanks for sharing
Had me hankerin' 4 a taste! What a very instructive and informative 'wee bit' of a video! WELL DONE Emperor Peter and Empress Catherine 4 your artistic capturings! I wonder if the beasts of the woods (meaning animals here LOL) would find their sniffer well pleased with the scent of curing venison? And if so...good that U keep your trusty 'Jenny 2' on hand. U got me soOOOOoo interested in pemmican, that I ordered; 'Bison original and Saskatoon berry and bison pemmican from 'SaskMade. So if the mail is dependable, I should have my 'first tastes' soon! I shall also be 'shooing' away any moose from our very own; Mont d'orignal'. Too bad U R not driving...as most of us C them when driving at night along the highway! LOL! U live your life so fully Peter, U remind me of this quote of Mark Twain; "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Take care dear ones...Health and God Bless! :)
This brought back some great memories. 😊👍When I went back to volunteer for the "Standard" Primitive Survival Skills course at Tom Brown, Jr's Tracker School in New Jersey, I was put in charge of smoking the jerky for our end-of-the-week feast. From what I learned, there's a bit of an art to keeping a slow fire burning over a long period of time! I did not have to tend it as long as you did yours, and all that effort was quickly consumed by many hungry students! 😉
That story told much in a short time. Many of our ancestors were smart, knew what matters in life and often ate very well. Another top shelf video. Thanks!
Thanks for reminding me to get out my old deer meat, and make some jerky. Good luck hunting this year. Hope to break in my new flintlock this year too.
Delightful to watch you make fire with flint and steel with hardly any more fuss than using a lighter. I've finally gotten a flint and steel set for myself and am eagerly waiting for fire season here in Eastern Washington to be over so I can play with it!
Thank you. Lots of practice, lol. I used to go out to the woods in the worst downpours with the sole purpose of practicing. Lots of failed endeavour, with time one gets pretty darn handy at it.
Always my problem! To much Pie in my Cann! Didn’t notice if Salt is added? Fun to see the right way of doing it. Always wondered how it was really done.
Well done and excellent presentation. In South Africa we have a similar dried meat called Biltong. Usually salted, spiced and sun dried. Still extremely popular snack.
Good deer love deer love and i heve to cagehave been makin pemmican for many years as a trail food. Use elderberry as the fruit which i grow and the local deer love lol
Nice, and it really looks tasty! I would love to have several pieces of that wonderful venison jerky. Also, I was wondering if you might be able to do another video on how to make it Pemican, as you didn’t elaborate much about the process…?
Hi Peter Great subject to cover. You spoke of drying the meat and not cooking it. The recommended temperature is between 150 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, I didn't notice your 18th century thermometer 😊! What wood did you use and is it wheted for smoking or did you apply some greenery to the fire? You said you slept out overnight. It was a good opportunity to put those bison robes to use for bedding. Hope to see you next month before the hunt. Best Regards
I did indeed sleep on a Buffalo robe. No green wood as it makes the meat bitter. Mostly ash, keep it small and smoky. Fruit wood is a great choice if one has it.
I love deer jerky. Nothing else like it. Yours looks great. I worked with someone who made it each year. Would bring me some. What a great to get it. Yours looks fantastic.
I dry it often in the sun here in south sask...have a video on that...the importance is to cut it thinner then a 1/4 inch then the flies lay no eggs ..they are all over it but do not do any harm to the meat..
I've done exactly that to make jerky, I only smoked for around 8hrs, it was good, but got moldy after awhile, didn't go long enough..thanks for the video!
Another good video. In your previous videos with the arrival of your new Kibler rifle you refer to it as a musket. I’ve always understood that a smooth barrel was a musket and anything rifled was just that a rifle. Is there a reason why you call it a musket.
I enjoy making jerky. I use a more modern dehydrator, and I often marinate it some but good is good no matter how you dry it! I have never made pemican, I am simply not active enough to burn off the calories I would be taking in. I have heard it is not the most appetizing thing from some folks to others saying it's darned good. Maybe one day I'll have to "overcook" the jerky so I can find out!
Great video Peter that meat looks rock hard😂 it will definitely grind up to powder for your pemican now you need to go gathering for nuts and fruit to dry lol😂 I make Larry's version of pemican there is no meat or rendered Bear fat LOL hope your having a good time Quebec City. You and Cathy be safe out there. IIByrds
Howdy Peter Now that looks good ... especially it is right before supper time for me and I have pork on the grill .... I have had real jerky and it is so much better than " store bought " stuff .... Friend of mind moved to Montana and said he was " tripping " over the deer , so many . You did not put any salt on the meat .... is that " original" way ? No salt ?
Good luck on your moose hunt Peter. Putting together my first flintlock, a plain simple southern mountain rifle without nose piece, only 2 ramrod pipes and Im debating about even putting a buttplate on it. But after inletting that long breech plug i doubt I'll have it ready before season. Guess I'll go back to the caplock ive used for years. Looking forward to the pemmican making.
Yum, yum! Looks great Peter. Does it pickup the flavour of the smoke at all? What type of wood gives the best flavoured smoke? Good luck on your upcoming hunt! Cheers.
I tried to make jerky once and it was so bad that I would not have fed it to a dog ( don't think the dog would have ate it anyway). God it was horrible! Now I just buy it at the store. Great to take fishing and hunting. Yours actually looked good. Can't wait for the video on pemmican. Keep your powder dry
That is a wonderful offer, Lance . However, we really struggle with people who gift us things. We simply create our content for the love of it. I sincerely thank you though for your fine offer.
I believe mostly ash. Fruit woods or hickory are great choices as they’ll add a nicer flavour to the meat but, any wood will work. Keep the fire small and smoky is the key.
Fingers crossed, Kathy. We count on getting wild game for our protein. I have the luxury of having every day to hunt and so far, we’ve always filled the freezer.
Absolutely well done. How are you liking the Kibler Longrifle. I put my order in for a new one I had a 50cal but wanted a 54. I've actually made pemmican out of beef and I made 250 lb of it it took about 3 to 4 days and I'm sitting I'm sitting here laughing about it I'm still eating off the stuff I love it taking the bars of pemmican put them into a pot with some vegetables and you got soup our friend keep on going with your doing is great watch your channel and what you're doing I've learned so much I've actually gleaned so much information and what you're doing close eye on your building techniques I'm trying very hard to emulate them Kibler informed me that they soon will have a English Fowler and I'm working on a custom-made 54 caliber smooth bore with a 44 inch barrel off of the killdeer...
Having been to Peru I am sure you know that our word for jerky is a derivative of Quechua pronounced charkie not sure how they spell it. The only Quechua word used in English.
Taste awful less filling. 😀 When I was kid, my granddad and I made lots of this. We used an old wrecked ford van as a smoker that was lying in the woods. Any game will work even pork even you get it dry enough.
Another way that smoking helps to preserve is that it keeps the insects off the meat while it is drying, thereby avoiding infestation by all sorts of creepycrawlies.
Trying to imagine how pioneers with 18th century teeth and dental care would chew that jerky. Perhaps slowly and carefully if they were over 40. Or by breaking it into pieces and rehydrating it in their mouths rather than biting off those hard pieces.
Well done my friend, if you hold a piece of jerky up to the sun and see light the jerky is finished, if not it needs more smoke time.
Right on!
You are aware of moronga and cecina? My paternal grandfather, born in 1880, a decendent of Basque ranchers in the State of Durango, related how he made both from cattle he sacrificed. He would tan the hides and make saddlery and harnesses.
The many indigenous and early New World colonial crafts you depict are found today in rural Mexico.
When the crafts and skills are forgotten so too are the people. Thank you for your thoughtful commentarys.
Yours was crunchy.
Peter,
"Pemmican" That immediately brought to mind one of my favorite Western history/cook books:
"Eating Up the Santa Fe Trail" by Sam'l P. Arnold.
Its a grand complilation of the why's and how's of food stuffs and preparation, complete with historic and modern anecdotes....along with Arnold's wry humor.
Many of the recipes harken back to the late seventeen, early eighteen hundred pioneer preparations as they were modified fit the indigenous recipes and foodstuffs available.
Thank's again for your wonder work....and wee bits of history!
Thanks for sharing , I’m might just have to find that there book.
Very interesting, Peter. You are always planning ahead for your activities, good for you! Blessings to you and Cathy.
Thanks, you too!
Peter, glad to see another great video. You are living a life I envy. Blessings to you and yours...
Thanks, you too!
Very interesting. I will be looking forward to the day you make pemmican. Thank you for another great piece of history!
Thanks for watching!
Love your channel love the history and how your keeping it alive through this platform, recently went to fort Henry in thunder Bay for rendezvous week and the governor General was there! Knowing our history of hunting fishing trading and living off the land is essential to our identity as Canadians
Thank you for the kind words. We did an episode at Fort William, you can find it in our playlist.
Hi, I made one of those a few years ago. I did cheese one the top shelf, pre cooked sausage on the second shelf and jerky on the bottom. I put hickory chips in a big cast iron pot and smoked all day in the winter. I loved it.❤
Sounds great!
This is fascinating content, including the origin of out word Pemmican.
Thanks , James.
Another great video, and I can’t wait for the pemmican video, as well. It’s one of my favorite foods to bring along on my own camping/hunting trips.
Thank you.
I love the way you live sir! Thank you for sharing!
So nice of you, we do enjoy the simplicity of it!
I made a bit of jerky myself, but never, as you have made it here, there is something so fascinating in watching it being made in the matter in which it was made centuries ago. Thank you two very much for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Good evening my friend. The jerky looks good. Im interested in seeing you make pemmican. Ive heard of it but have never tried it. Have a great weekend and God bless my friend. Thanks for sharing
Once the wild game is replenished we’ll do an episode on it.
Great Content! Can’t wait for the fort and hunting with the Kibler
Thanks and on the other items, you and me both.
Good job as always my friend.......
Thanks again!
The history you present is the best.
I’m flattered, Mark.
Had me hankerin' 4 a taste! What a very instructive and informative 'wee bit' of a video! WELL DONE Emperor Peter and Empress Catherine 4 your artistic capturings! I wonder if the beasts of the woods (meaning animals here LOL) would find their sniffer well pleased with the scent of curing venison? And if so...good that U keep your trusty 'Jenny 2' on hand. U got me soOOOOoo interested in pemmican, that I ordered; 'Bison original and Saskatoon berry and bison pemmican from 'SaskMade. So if the mail is dependable, I should have my 'first tastes' soon! I shall also be 'shooing' away any moose from our very own; Mont d'orignal'. Too bad U R not driving...as most of us C them when driving at night along the highway! LOL! U live your life so fully Peter, U remind me of this quote of Mark Twain; "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Take care dear ones...Health and God Bless! :)
Love the quote… definitely have to use that one! I’m just leaving for your fine province. Off to the event at the Plains of Abraham.
I shall pray 4 your safety and enjoyment! Bon Voyage!!@@TheWoodlandEscape
Visual and vocal poetry of the simplest yet most desireable kind, thank you Peter.
Thank you for the lovely comment.
Great video. I see that most excellent rifle standing guard. Mine's on the way.😁
Thank you. Bet your a we bit excited about your new gun.
Good job good luck on your hunts
Thank you.
This brought back some great memories. 😊👍When I went back to volunteer for the "Standard" Primitive Survival Skills course at Tom Brown, Jr's Tracker School in New Jersey, I was put in charge of smoking the jerky for our end-of-the-week feast. From what I learned, there's a bit of an art to keeping a slow fire burning over a long period of time! I did not have to tend it as long as you did yours, and all that effort was quickly consumed by many hungry students! 😉
It is pretty darn tasty.
That story told much in a short time. Many of our ancestors were smart, knew what matters in life and often ate very well. Another top shelf video. Thanks!
Thanks, Kurt and you’re spot on about our ancestors.
👏👏👏
Pemmican is ny hunting trek food.ive made it gor many many years with elderberry
Have made my own jerky many times for canoe trips . Once with deer meat . Very tasty and convenient .
Venison is one of my favourite meats for jerky for that very reason.
@@TheWoodlandEscape Chewing on a piece of jerky as you paddle is the only way to canoe .Also nice as I troll for Algonquin's brook trout .
Thanks for sharing 👍
Please make a video on making pemmican 😊
Will do soon
Awesome Peter thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
I enjoy all the history you tell us thanks
Our pleasure!
Appreciate your efforts and dedication! Pounded meat also good in soups and stews. Thanks again and keep your powder dry!
Thanks, Ashley … watch yer top knot!
Great video! I'm going to try it at home! We just had some Elk pepperetts last weekend! They were fantastic!
Elk is one of my favourite meats, well, next to moose.
I do so love your videos my old friend
We’ll that pleases me, sir.
Thank you.
You're welcome, sir.
Thanks for reminding me to get out my old deer meat, and make some jerky. Good luck hunting this year. Hope to break in my new flintlock this year too.
And good luck to you as well, Jack.
Delightful to watch you make fire with flint and steel with hardly any more fuss than using a lighter. I've finally gotten a flint and steel set for myself and am eagerly waiting for fire season here in Eastern Washington to be over so I can play with it!
Thank you. Lots of practice, lol. I used to go out to the woods in the worst downpours with the sole purpose of practicing. Lots of failed endeavour, with time one gets pretty darn handy at it.
Good morning from Syracuse NY USA brother and everyone else thank you for sharing this live history videos
Good morning, Earl, thank you.
I really love your live history videos which I shared with my friends
Always my problem! To much Pie in my Cann! Didn’t notice if Salt is added? Fun to see the right way of doing it. Always wondered how it was really done.
I don’t add salt, Roger but, do add it to pemmican.
Nothing better than venison jerky in my opinion. Great video and I would love to see your take on pemmican? Possible video?
I agree and we will be doing a pemmican video once I resupply with meat in the fall hunt.
For what you do Thanks!
Kind words and we appreciate your interest and support.
Fantastic video as usual. very educational. Well done my friend. God bless
Glad you enjoyed it
🍻🏹
Great Episode
Thank you.
If it's very very dry I grind and chop it up and add to soup or chili😊
It can make for a hardy meal in a hurry!
Great video Peter!
Many thanks!
I’m very much looking forward to your pemmican video!
Coming soon!
Well done and excellent presentation. In South Africa we have a similar dried meat called Biltong. Usually salted, spiced and sun dried. Still extremely popular snack.
Sounds delicious!
That was a very nice video, it really takes me back to the old days. It was also very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good deer love deer love and i heve to cagehave been makin pemmican for many years as a trail food. Use elderberry as the fruit which i grow and the local deer love lol
Thanks for the tips!
❤😊😊
Another great video- thanks
Glad you enjoyed it, Caleb.
Nice, and it really looks tasty! I would love to have several pieces of that wonderful venison jerky.
Also, I was wondering if you might be able to do another video on how to make it Pemican, as you didn’t elaborate much about the process…?
We are planning to do an episode on pemmican making after I replenish to meat … hopefully with a moose.
Hi Peter
Great subject to cover.
You spoke of drying the meat and not cooking it. The recommended temperature is between 150 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, I didn't notice your 18th century thermometer 😊!
What wood did you use and is it wheted for smoking or did you apply some greenery to the fire?
You said you slept out overnight. It was a good opportunity to put those bison robes to use for bedding.
Hope to see you next month before the hunt.
Best Regards
I did indeed sleep on a Buffalo robe. No green wood as it makes the meat bitter. Mostly ash, keep it small and smoky. Fruit wood is a great choice if one has it.
Hope to see you soon. I’m just leaving for Quebec.
Great video ..
Onward and Upward is Still the Watchword ..
It sure is
I like this one. Hurry up i want to see how you do the pemmican. You really sparked my interest with the nothing on it.
I do add salt to the pemmican.
Very good
Thanks
Enjoyed the video very much...well I did get a bit hungry also
Glad you enjoyed
I love deer jerky. Nothing else like it. Yours looks great. I worked with someone who made it each year. Would bring me some. What a great to get it. Yours looks fantastic.
Thank you.
Greetings from victoria bc!!!
Top of the morning to you from Ontario. Appreciate your interest.
I dry it often in the sun here in south sask...have a video on that...the importance is to cut it thinner then a 1/4 inch then the flies lay no eggs ..they are all over it but do not do any harm to the meat..
I did not know that about the flies, thanks for sharing and your interest.
@@TheWoodlandEscape welcome..I learned that from a Cree
I've done exactly that to make jerky, I only smoked for around 8hrs, it was good, but got moldy after awhile, didn't go long enough..thanks for the video!
Got to hate it when it goes fuzz, lol. 8 hours will keep it eatable for about a week.
Excellent video
Thank you very much!
Another good video.
In your previous videos with the arrival of your new Kibler rifle you refer to it as a musket. I’ve always understood that a smooth barrel was a musket and anything rifled was just that a rifle. Is there a reason why you call it a musket.
Brain dead perhaps and I’m always calling a horses bridle a halter and the other way around. You are absolutely right.
I enjoy making jerky. I use a more modern dehydrator, and I often marinate it some but good is good no matter how you dry it! I have never made pemican, I am simply not active enough to burn off the calories I would be taking in. I have heard it is not the most appetizing thing from some folks to others saying it's darned good. Maybe one day I'll have to "overcook" the jerky so I can find out!
It can be palatable if salt is added, lol.
And..., what else is there to fight about, if it's not for Our Women or Our necessary food?
Pemmican Proclamation indeed!
🙂
Rick Bonner Pennsyltucky
Crazy, indeed!
Great video Peter that meat looks rock hard😂 it will definitely grind up to powder for your pemican now you need to go gathering for nuts and fruit to dry lol😂 I make Larry's version of pemican there is no meat or rendered Bear fat LOL hope your having a good time Quebec City. You and Cathy be safe out there. IIByrds
Howdy Peter
Now that looks good ... especially it is right before supper time for me and I have pork on the grill ....
I have had real jerky and it is so much better than " store bought " stuff .... Friend of mind moved to Montana and said he was " tripping " over the deer , so many .
You did not put any salt on the meat .... is that " original" way ? No salt ?
It was according to my research and salt was often added when they made pemmican.
Good luck on your moose hunt Peter. Putting together my first flintlock, a plain simple southern mountain rifle without nose piece, only 2 ramrod pipes and Im debating about even putting a buttplate on it. But after inletting that long breech plug i doubt I'll have it ready before season. Guess I'll go back to the caplock ive used for years. Looking forward to the pemmican making.
Good luck on your hunt.
Hey Peter! We should try this at the next 1812 event in Dunvegan!
It is an easy presentation and people seem to enjoy. Great idea.
WoodLan'!
Are the gasses within the woodsmoke mebbe..., "tannin"? Or "tannic acid" gasses?
🤔
Rick Bonner Pennsyltucky
I believe you are right, Rick.
@@TheWoodlandEscape I jes' LOVES it when 'at 'appens!
When I'm Right fer a change.
🙂
Rick
Yum, yum! Looks great Peter. Does it pickup the flavour of the smoke at all? What type of wood gives the best flavoured smoke? Good luck on your upcoming hunt! Cheers.
Yes it does and fruit woods or hickory will add a pleasant flavour.
Thanks for the video. Did you Not put any seasoning on the meat?
One can but, I prefer not to.
I tried to make jerky once and it was so bad that I would not have fed it to a dog ( don't think the dog would have ate it anyway). God it was horrible! Now I just buy it at the store. Great to take fishing and hunting. Yours actually looked good. Can't wait for the video on pemmican. Keep your powder dry
Don’t throw it out, lol, simply add it to the pemmican. Watch yer top knot.
@@TheWoodlandEscape to late was years ago, looking forward to the pemmican video
Do you and Kathy read books, would like to make some beaded bookmarks for you both
That is a wonderful offer, Lance . However, we really struggle with people who gift us things. We simply create our content for the love of it. I sincerely thank you though for your fine offer.
@@TheWoodlandEscape your very welcome Peter, I will continue to enjoy your videos and look forward to the next ones. Keep your powder dry
Thanks for sharing I have a question what type of wood did you use to smoke the meat with
I believe mostly ash. Fruit woods or hickory are great choices as they’ll add a nicer flavour to the meat but, any wood will work. Keep the fire small and smoky is the key.
@@TheWoodlandEscape thanks for the information
Great video! What kind of cloth did you use to wrap the frame? Ordinary, untreated canvas?
Thanks, Carol. I use untreated canvas.
Another good video. Protein will get you through the day. I'm hoping I get a deer this year or maybe 2😊
Fingers crossed, Kathy. We count on getting wild game for our protein. I have the luxury of having every day to hunt and so far, we’ve always filled the freezer.
Absolutely well done. How are you liking the Kibler Longrifle. I put my order in for a new one I had a 50cal but wanted a 54. I've actually made pemmican out of beef and I made 250 lb of it it took about 3 to 4 days and I'm sitting I'm sitting here laughing about it I'm still eating off the stuff I love it taking the bars of pemmican put them into a pot with some vegetables and you got soup our friend keep on going with your doing is great watch your channel and what you're doing I've learned so much I've actually gleaned so much information and what you're doing close eye on your building techniques I'm trying very hard to emulate them Kibler informed me that they soon will have a English Fowler and I'm working on a custom-made 54 caliber smooth bore with a 44 inch barrel off of the killdeer...
Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you with the builds but with 4 days in pemmican I suspect you have a good work ethic.
Was there any seasoning???
No but, I do add salt to the pemmican
Peter what type of wood did you use to smoke the venison?
Just hard wood but, using fruit woods or hickory adds a nice flavour … really doesn’t matter, just keep it small and smoky .
If pemmican was the mainstay of the diet for the traders, where was the fiber in their diet? Were the berries enough to keep them from constipation?
The brigades were issued, course flour, rice, beans and tea on all trips.
Great video, you didn't show how to make pemmican..?
It’s in the works for later this year, hopefully fall.
Dear Peter, Is there any danger of a parasites eating dehydrated venison?
If it is totally dehydrated, I can’t imagine. It needs to be totally hard not like modern store bought jerky.
Now that's real Jerry not stor bought how long does it last
Years, literally years.
Having been to Peru I am sure you know that our word for jerky is a derivative of Quechua pronounced charkie not sure how they spell it. The only Quechua word used in English.
I have been to Peru but, I did not know the origins of Jerry. Interesting, thanks for sharing.
How did it turn out
Really good … ready for the trail.
Taste awful less filling. 😀 When I was kid, my granddad and I made lots of this. We used an old wrecked ford van as a smoker that was lying in the woods. Any game will work even pork even you get it dry enough.
Now that would be one big smoker … great idea.
@@TheWoodlandEscape An old Edsel would be ideal.😎
Pirate pesslol make😊😊
Another way that smoking helps to preserve is that it keeps the insects off the meat while it is drying, thereby avoiding infestation by all sorts of creepycrawlies.
Very true, particularly blow flys whose larvae is the common maggot.
🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹 Ples 😊😊
No spices?
No but, I add salt when I make pemmican.
Anytime I eat jerky it’s rubbery and hard on my bite.
Trying to imagine how pioneers with 18th century teeth and dental care would chew that jerky. Perhaps slowly and carefully if they were over 40. Or by breaking it into pieces and rehydrating it in their mouths rather than biting off those hard pieces.
It was often rehydrated in the stew pot.