Reindeer meat

Reindeer meat is meat from reindeer, Rangifer tarandus, and it is sometimes classed with venison. It is notably lean, with a low fat content, dark colour, rich protein, and a distinctive game flavour prized in Nordic cuisines. In farmed or harvested reindeer, stress from gathering, herding, selection, feeding, road transport, and lairage can deplete muscle glycogen, leading to dark, firm, dry meat with poor keeping quality. Prompt chilling after slaughter and careful handling therefore matter greatly for tenderness, colour, flavour, and shelf life of this traditional northern food.