One of the most popular meats to eat in northern Norway is reindeer. To many foreigners, eating reindeer is a bit odd, but as our tour guide described it: "It's Norway's chicken". It's a common and delicious meat that pairs well with so many other food items, some familiar, and some exotic.
I had reindeer three times in two days when I visited Tromso, and each time it was incredibly tasty. To those of you who can't, or don't want to try reindeer for yourself, it tastes like a cross between beef and venison, with a slightly gamier flavor. This gamey flavor is only heightened when it's eaten cured, rather than completely cooked (such as in a stew). I found this out the first time I ate reindeer (pictured above). It was cured and then served cold with a dill cream sauce, lingonberries (which are slightly sweeter and smaller cranberries found in arctic climates), and fresh chanterelle mushrooms. Surprisingly, the fruit pairs really well with the cured meat and the "cool" and fresh flavor of the sauce. The earthiness of the mushrooms ground it and provide a really nice chewy texture to the dish. If all of these components are eaten together in one bite, the balance of sweet and savory, chewy and the fresh "pop" of the berries, combines to make an absolutely incredible taste.
The second time I ate reindeer was in a stew served over potatoes. The reindeer in a stew was delicious. Once it was cooked, it lost a lot of it's gamey flavor and could be more compared to the texture of beef rather than venison. Once again, it was served with the lingonberries, and again, it was delicious. The meat combined with carrots, onions, and spices in a thick broth made for a hearty stew. This was only added to with the addition to the potatoes. This is the reindeer dish that I would most recommend, especially for inexperienced "adventurous" eaters, as it tasted the most familiar.
The last time I ate reindeer was when it was in a MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), and it had to be rehydrated. I know it may sound weird, but this was when we were on our Northern Lights chase and did not have the luxury of a microwave or traditional foods. I had a reindeer soup, which was much thinner than the stew. Surprisingly, the rehydration of the food did not alter the texture or the taste all that much. All of the flavor was there, it was just somewhat less of the flavor. While this was my least favorite reindeer dish, it was still really good and it added to the experience of the Northern Lights trip, which was already spectacular.
If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend trying reindeer, and try hard not to think about whether you just ate Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, or Rudolph.
