Uses: This should serve 6 people depending on what you are serving before.

Reindeer is really delicious and subtle in flavor. It is one of the most healthy of all meats containing almost no fat at all in it's flesh. It is much used and appreciated here and often served for special occasions.

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1- 1.3 to 1.5 kilo or
1- 2 to 3 lbs

Assembling the recipe:

Preheat your oven to 275C or 400F degrees.

Take your tied up roast that you have gotten prepared by your butcher. See photo 1

Cut up all your vegetables including the parsely and place in roasting pan just large enough to hold them and the roast Take the olive oil and toss the vegetables with it to coat them.

Hold back the garlic and bay leave for after the vegetables have been roasted.

Take the pan of vegetables and place in the oven for 10 minutes, remove stir and put back into the oven for another 10 minutes to brown a little.See photo 2

While the vegetables are browning take the roast and brown it in a very hot non stick pan on all sides. When browned set aside to cool for a couple of minutes so you can handle it.

Make the spice mix and sprinkle it out on the counter and roll the roast in it covering completely the outside of the roast. See photo 3

Take your bacon or your sliced pork fat and cover the roast completely with it. You can use some kitchen string to secure it so it keeps the roast protected while roasting. see photo 5

To your roasted vegatables add the slightly crushed garlic clove and the bay leave.

Place the roast on the bed of browned vegetables and place in the hot oven 275C or 400F degrees. Place in the middle part of your oven.

Roast for 15 minutes and turn down the heat to 200C or 350F.

Cook for approx 1 hour more. The internal temperature should be 60C or 140F.

Remove from the oven and wrap in a piece of aluminum foil and let rest for 20 to 25 minutes.

Take the roasting pan and on a high heat add the veal stock or veal bullion, red wine and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Strain the liquid and return to a high heat in a wide sauce pan and boil with 1/2 tsk or 1/2 teas thyme until 1/2 the liquid has evaporated. Add the cream and boil for 5 minutes more.

Reduce the heat. In a small glass mix the corn starch or Arrowroot with a little cold water (about 1-2 msk or tbls).

Whisk in half the corn starch and see if it is thick enough if not add a bit more.

Whisk in the red currant jelly and let melt, correct for salt and pepper

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See more photos for details.

The main thing to remember with all kinds of wild meats Elk, Deer, Reindeer and such, is that they contain almost no fat at all and that cooking them too much is just going to kill there mild beautiful flavors and make them dry. It is in my opinion important to protect them while roasting them, so a layer of pork fat thinly sliced will not change the flavor of roast but will baste the roast for you as it cooks and keep it moist.

In this recipe I used bacon because that is all that I had on this day, normally I would make the effort to get the butcher for some pork fat. Reindeer is too subtle in it's flavor and I think that bacon is just too heavy but it is often used here.

It is best practice here to use an internal thermometer of some kind and really keep an eye on your roast. When it's internal temperature hits 60C or 140F get it out of the oven and out of the pan. It is best served rare which some people do have a problem with so serve them the ends. After all they don't really understand what a properly cooked piece of meat is anyway. (Rude? Aren't I?).

We eat a lot of wild meats here in Sweden and it is served much like our Sunday dinner as something really special we save for special days. Quality really varies a good deal so my suggestion is to always go to a specialist butcher for it. He will be happy to clean and tie it up for you. Even the cheap pieces you find in the super markets are expensive and not really very good, so spend a few kronor more and get it from a butcher you trust.

As for the sauce this is an easy one that should take only 20 minutes which is all the time you have while the roast rests. It is only a suggestion and feel free to flavor it as you would would like. Do the same with the spice mix, perhaps add a big pinch of sage or oregano. You can also use fresh herbs which is absolutely better if you have them in the house. Remember cut back a bit on the amounts if you use fresh herbs as they are stronger in flavor than dried herbs.

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