Jeff Johnson of Homegrown Market slices reindeer meat.
Locally grown reindeer meat is available for purchase in Fairbanks, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences and the Homegrown Market.
Reindeer Research Program Manager Greg Finstad said, “Nobody knows the market value or demand for these good cuts of meat. I say there is a demand but that is based on third party, anecdotal information.”
Finstad should have more hard facts to rely on soon. He provided three reindeer to Jeff Johnson, owner of Homegrown Market. The animals were slaughtered this week and the meat is being cut and packaged today.
“We hope to establish the market for prime cuts like steak, roasts, and ground meat,” Johnson said. His goals are to find out what cuts people like best and to educate the public on the benefits of reindeer meat.
High in protein and low in fat, reindeer is known for its many health benefits, Finstad stated. He is working with a culinary school in Hawaii to develop gourmet reindeer recipes. He advised cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. “You cannot cook by appearance,” he said. “You need a meat thermometer.”
Johnson recommend this method of preparing reindeer steak: Heat a small amount of virgin olive oil in a pan and sear the steak at a high temperature for three minutes, turn it over and cook three minutes more, then let it sit for five minutes before removing it from the heat.
The meat will sell for $25 to $30 per pound, and Johnson will carefully track sales information and records to share with the university. The results will eventually be published.
“We’re going to establish a price matrix,” Johnson said, “and see what the market can bear. We want everyone along the chain to make a profit, from the producer to the retailer.”
Further reading:
Reindeer goes gourmet, Frontiers magazine, Summer 2010, by Nancy Tarnai
Will Reindeer Take Off -- In the Meat Aisle?, AOL News, Aug. 25, 2010, by Steve Freiss
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