Reinsdyrpølse
Cured, lightly smoked reindeer sausage — dense, wild and faintly sweet — sliced for the mountain table.
Cultural Context & History
Every part of the reindeer is honoured in the north, and the sausage is where trimmings meet spice. Cured and gently smoked, reinsdyrpølse is the pocketable provision of herders and skiers.
Ingredients
- 600 g reindeer meat, well chilled
- 200 g pork fat
- 200 g beef or mutton
- 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
- Hog casings, rinsed
Recommended Tools
- Meat grinder with fine plateCuts the lean reindeer and fat to an even, bindable grind.
- Sausage stuffing hornFills the casings evenly without trapping air.
- Instant-read thermometerHolds the poach at 80°C so the fat stays put.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Grind the well-chilled reindeer, pork fat and mutton through the fine plate of a meat grinder.
- 2
Work in the salt, pepper and crushed juniper, then knead in about 100 ml ice-cold water until the mixture turns sticky and emulsified.
- 3
Stuff into the rinsed hog casings and twist off into even sausages.
- 4
Poach in water held at 80°C for 15–20 minutes, never letting it boil, or the fat will render straight out.
- 5
Finish in butter or over the grill until the casings turn crisp and golden.
Chef's Tip
Keep the meat, fat and water near-frozen throughout — a warm mix smears the fat and the sausages cook up dry and crumbly rather than juicy.
Chef's Tip
Poach a day ahead and chill; a quick fry to order gives crisp casings without overcooking the lean reindeer.
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