Smoking wild meat and fish is an integral part of both historical and contemporary Métis culture. This process cures and dries the meat, which allows the meat to be preserved for extended periods of time without refrigeration. Moose, fish, deer and elk meat are the most often smoked meats in Métis communities. Traditionally, bison was cured this way and mixed with animal fat (usually bison) and berries (usually Saskatoon) creating pemmican, a diet staple for centuries on the plains. High in protein, fat, and vitamins, this super-food helped families through long, frigid winters on the plains. Pemmican was sometimes made with fish in substitute for bison. In order to smoke meat properly and efficiently, smoking structures were constructed. These structures take on a number of forms and have regionally evolved in isolated Métis communities.
Many different variations of the meat smoking structure exist within Métis communities, some more elaborate than others. However, the overall design is similar to all structures. These structures require four main elements: a smoke source, smoking rack(s), structure to hold the smoking racks and a covering to retain the smoke inside of the structure. Each structure is triangular in elevation, which creates a natural funnel to concentrate smoke near the top. The wider base allows for a small smoking fire to be built underneath, or for coals to be shoveled in. The smoking rack is normally above the halfway point which keeps it far enough away from the heat of a fire, and in an area of high smoke levels. This increases the quality of the finished meat. An external skin must be tightly wrapped around the frame to hold the smoke in. This is made of canvas, plastic, wood, or aluminum sheets. The frame is often made from willow or spruce saplings, or dimensional lumber.
Although smoked meat is not as common as in past centuries, it remains a staple in the diets of Métis families and the construction of smoking structures is still present and an important part of the material culture of Métis people. As part of this project, a comprehensive catalog of smoking structures in Métis communities is underway.