>>It appears that the North American Indians dried the meat for
their pemmican in the sun or over a fire. But as I read 
Stefansson quoting Peary, they combined this dried meat with
fresh, un-rendered fat by pounding the two together - probably
using something like a pestle and mortar. In the absence of a 
metal pot I guess that's what they'd have to do. However such 
a process does not enable the removal of moisture - which we 
do to inhibit bacteria-caused decay.

Any comments?

Keith<<

Non-nomadic Native American tribes did have pottery, some of it glazed.  
Pottery can't be used for cooking over hot fires, but it can be used in 
situations of slow even heat such as for rendering.  The fat would not 
have been heated to smoking temperature and would not have come in 
contact with hot coals, so no HCAs.  It would have had a slight
ash content.  I don't know whether this was actually done; I'm guessing
based on my knowledge of pottery and its uses.  Once all the fat was
rendered, the water would have separated and sunk to the bottom  and
the fat could be poured off.

~ Joan