The demand for reindeer meat is strong, but the quantity has collapsed

Kitchen manager Ari Ruohon you don’t have to think about the answer when you ask him what the restaurant Noka’s best-selling dishes are. It’s a reindeer.

Helsinki-based Nokka specializes specifically in Finnish raw materials. Poro has been one of the restaurant’s best-selling dishes for 20 years.

– Reindeer has been liked a lot. It is popular with customers and one of our best ingredients, says Noka’s restaurateur Ruoho.

Noka’s restaurant manager Terhi Vitikka says that there is no need to encourage customers to choose reindeer.

But there is one exception: the British don’t want to eat reindeer. They associate it too much with Santa Claus and Petteri Punakuono.

Although Ruoho wonders why Donald Duck doesn’t evoke the same reaction, but for some reason only the reindeer gets this dubious honor.

Nowadays, customers are very aware of the origin of raw materials. In Noka, people often ask where the reindeer come from. If the customer doesn’t ask, the staff will surely tell you.

Great demand

This year the price of reindeer has increased. The reason is probably the lack of supply and the increase in demand.

– No one buys reindeer from Russia anymore. The demand is stronger than ever, but there is no supply, Ruoho says.

According to him, there are many differences in the quality of reindeer meat. That is why it is important that the meat supplier is reliable. Ruoho reminds us that good reindeer meat has a tasty taste and is very tender, it is also a very delicate raw material.

Sallan Villiporo entrepreneur Hannu Lahtela has supplied reindeer to restaurant Nokka throughout its 20-year history. Lahtela grew up in a family of reindeer entrepreneurs, so she has been familiar with reindeer husbandry and marketing since childhood.

This year’s price increase is due to the fact that no more reindeer are imported from Russia to Finland. In addition, the general price increase also affects reindeer herders.

The number collapsed

According to Lahtela, very few reindeer are also produced in Finland these days. Their number has collapsed compared to 25 years ago, when Lahtela entered the industry. Then there were 120,000 slaughtered, now it is estimated at 60,000-70,000. This number has been for several years.

– Every year there is less reindeer slaughter. For some reason, the number of reindeer is decreasing, Lahtela says.

According to him, a clarification project and research are needed, so that you don’t just rely on your own guesses.

– Campfires have a lot of wise people, but scientific research should be done on the matter.

Lahtela lists a few things that, according to his guesses, could be the reason for the decrease in the reindeer population: The number of animals has remained pretty much the same, but there is a phenomenon on the eastern border where the animals spend the winter on the Russian side and in the summer move to the Finnish side to feed. Not much remains of the fawn if the bear goes to the reindeer herder.

In recent years, there have been several difficult winters, when the ground has become moldy or there has been more snow than usual. There is a drastic change in natural conditions in one direction or another, it is cold, dry or wet. It follows that there is not enough food for the reindeer.

Other types of land use have also increased, as tourist centers are expanding and the living space of forest reindeer is getting smaller all the time. Deer hunting can also play its part, as noise and dogs can disturb the reindeer’s rut ​​and break up the reindeer herd.

– The facts must be acknowledged. In the final games, the reindeer man bears responsibility for his actions. Now is the time to do something. It’s also good to remember that some of the clubs are still doing really well. Utsjoki and Yli-Ii have different conditions, Lahtela reflects.

Everything is used

This year, Ruoho has bought about 250 reindeer for the restaurant Nokka. Ruoho calculates that they will get 14 different parts of the reindeer: tongue, neck, shoulders, flanks, entrecote, sirloin, sirloin, roasts, front and back kick, liver, heart, penis (it is dried in salt and grated over the dish) and reindeer fat, i.e. Moon.

Everything that comes into Noka’s kitchen is also used.

As a rule, reindeer is eaten raw, lightly cooked, raw or overcooked.

– Reindeer forgives a lot because it is such a good and easy raw material, thanks Ruoho.

Noka’s menu has a reindeer portion as the main course, but it can also be ordered separately from the menu, as well as the grilled reindeer heart as an appetizer. Ruoho has made a tataki dish out of it.

Reindeer is simple to prepare, because you don’t have to fiddle with spices. Pepper and salt are enough. Ruoho emphasizes that the different parts of the reindeer are prepared for each part of the carcass in the best possible way: raw, grilled, smoked, fried, stewed, salted and dried. Blood is also used.

However, reindeer is a much more sensitive raw material than cattle. If the roast is cooked too low for too long, it will cost you.

– A hot pan and foaming butter will give you a good result, advises Lahtela.

Fry the surface of the reindeer in plenty of frothy butter, with spices and herbs. For example, rosemary or juniper berries are good.

Then put the fillet in the oven for a while until the internal temperature of the meat is 39-40 degrees, and then let it rest in peace for three times as long as the reindeer was in the oven.

If you want to prepare reindeer at home, you should take a look at the online direct sales offer.