Poronkäristys

Ingredients

• 600g reindeer meat (or substitute venison or beef), partially frozen
• 100g smoked bacon, diced
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup beer or stock
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter (for mash)
• 1/2 cup lingonberries or lingonberry jam, to serve

Before you cook

• While the reindeer meat is still partly frozen, slice it on a mandoline or with a very sharp knife into paper-thin shavings.
• Peel and cube the potatoes for the mash.
• Dice the bacon and slice the onion.

Steps

1. Put the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil.
2. Boil for 15 minutes until tender, then drain.
3. Mash the potatoes with the milk and butter until smooth, then season with salt and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until the fat renders and it turns golden.
5. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
6. Add the shaved reindeer meat in batches, letting each batch brown lightly before adding more.
7. Stir in the butter once all the meat is in the pan.
8. Pour in the beer or stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
9. Reduce the heat to low and let the meat simmer gently, partially covered, for 15 minutes until very tender.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Spoon the mashed potato onto plates.
12. Top with the braised reindeer and its juices.
13. Serve with lingonberries on the side.