Thinly sliced reindeer meat sautéed in butter until tender and rich — the quintessential Lappish dish, always served with creamy mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.
Allergen Warning
Contains: dairy
Equipment needed
stovetop, pan, pot
Place the frozen shaved reindeer meat directly into a hot, buttered pan
Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring often, as the meat thaws and browns
Once browned, add water or beer to the pan a little at a time
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes until meat is very tender
Season with salt and pepper, the sauce should be rich and slightly thick
Meanwhile, boil and mash potatoes with butter and milk until creamy
Serve the sautéed reindeer alongside a generous mound of mashed potatoes
Top with lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber slices
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Freezes well for 3 months. The meat and sauce reheat beautifully. Store mashed potatoes separately.
Cultural Context
The signature dish of Finnish Lapland, poronkaristys uses paper-thin frozen shavings of reindeer meat that are cooked directly from frozen. Reindeer herding is an ancient Sami tradition, and this dish connects modern Finns to their Arctic heritage.