Sorry for bringing such an old topic back from the dead... Pemmican requires what I grew up calling "dry meat". Technically speaking... "jerky" I guess, but, not seasoned, not marinated, not salted... only very lightly smoked (the smoke is more to keep flies away while the meat is drying, than it is to flavour anything. But you can smoke it more heavily if you wish).
traditionally, the muscle would be well trimmed, then sliced extremely thin, "unrolled" as it's cut, so one round muscle/roast or whatever cut you're using, for example, would result in a long sheet... cut with the grain, not across. Then it's placed between layers of butchers paper and walked on in moccasins to break the fibers up. If you want to try it, eye of round is a good easy cut to do it with.
Then it's cut smaller, and hung over a wooden frame, with a small smoky fire lit nearby. A windy hot, dry day is best for it, but not necessary. Humidity obviously screws with things. Flipped a few times, dried until brittle-dry, then packaged in paper bags. It's not about heat and it's not about "smoking". It's about dry, without flies blowing on it. At this point, it's what we call "dry meat", and it's eaten as is, usually with fat on it. I prefer using butter... elders prefer lard. It's an acquired taste. I don't know a whole lot of folks that haven't grown up with it, that enjoy it. It's raw, air-dried wild meat.
From there, it's as described. Pound it to powder, mix with rendered fat and dried berries. I grew up eating caribou, but moose is common. I find deer to be a bit... "tallowy" tasting, personally, but that's just me.
