Which reindeer parts should I buy?

[taxlady]

I found a place in Canada that sells reindeer meat from a semi-domestic herd of reindeer. I might buy some. I have to order within a few days. What would you suggest I get from this list (copied from their FB page)?

KRDC 'Canadian Reindeer
Reindeer Meat Prices $ / lb
NAME OF MEAT CUT OR $/bag
Mixed 'soup-cuts' -budget pack $5.00
Ground - ($8.00/lb) PER BAG COST = $15.00
Stew - ($7.50/lb) PER BAG COST = $15.00
Quick fry - ($9.00/lb) PER BAG COST= $20.00
Steaks – middle $7.50
Steaks – best $8.50
Saddle roast $7.50
Boneless Rib-eye steaks $9.50
Strip-loin / backstrap (~2-3 lb ea) $12.00
Tenderloin (~ 3/4 lb ea) $18.00
Sm boneless HQ roast $10.00
Bone-in HQ roast $8.00
Osso bucco cut =steaks w marrow $8.00
Whole hind 1/4 -usually 10 lbs or more $15.00
Whole shoulder w leg $4.00
Whole neck $5.00
Spare ribs $4.00
Rib rack – full ribs $7.50
French rack ribs w full loin $11.00
Brisket pieces $5.50
Tongue $10.00
Heart $5.00
Liver $4.00
Kidneys – 5 per bag $10.00
Tripe, bibles, veil fat, stomachs $4.00
Head w tongue – not cut-up $20.00
Carcass- bulls – by weight $550.00
Carcass front half $125.00

[Aunt Bea]

I would go with a pound or two of the top quality items to see if I really liked the taste of the meat. I think the taste of the budget cuts might get lost in a more complicated recipe.

The other day I saw Jacques Pépin making these venison steaks. The sauce caught my eye, it reminded me of a quick Cumberland sauce. Tenderloin or Rib-eye is kind of pricey but it might make a nice treat for two!

Venison Steaks in Sweet-Sour Sauce | Essential Pepin

Good luck!

[GotGarlic]

Sounds interesting. I would try the osso bucco cut, the whole shoulder and some spare ribs.

We have a friend who hunts deer. He made pastrami and summer sausage from part of it.

[Farmer Jon]

I would go for the back straps personally. Most tender part. Then the ground or stew meat.

[Aunt Bea]

It is a good day, I learned something!

When I looked at the list I saw: Tripe, bibles, veil fat, stomachs $4.00.

I had never seen bibles used to describe a cut of meat. According to my friend Google it is the omasum or third and smallest compartment of the forestomachs of the ruminant. Called also the bible because of its many, tightly packed leaves.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by Farmer Jon

I would go for the back straps personally. Most tender part. Then the ground or stew meat.

Pirate had worked in restaurants that served reindeer meat along with other exotic meat such as kangaroo. When I read the question to him, he said exactly what you said without even thinking.

[Dawgluver]

I'm partial to tenderloin myself. Fewer ookies. Have not had reindeer, but have had elk, venison, and moose.

Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?

[Andy M.]

Other than steaks on the grill, what kind of reindeer recipes do you have? Buy to make those recipes.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

I'm partial to tenderloin myself. Fewer ookies. Have not had reindeer, but have had elk, venison, and moose.
Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?

"

"Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?" - Or worse - it might be Donner and Blitzen's babies!

It has a following in the UK as well. There was a bit of a kerfuffle the Christmas before last when Lidl (cheap German Supermarket on a par with Aldi) stocked reindeer in the UK. The animal rights mob got their knickers in a twist about it. Mind you, I'd say that reindeer farming seems a damned sight more humane than a lot of turkey rearing!

[Addie]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

I'm partial to tenderloin myself. Fewer ookies. Have not had reindeer, but have had elk, venison, and moose.

Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?

It's all right Dawg. What most folks don't know is that Santa's reindeer are all females. The males drop their antlers right after the Rut is over. The females keep their antlers so they can protect the fawns until they can run with the herd. Then they drop them and grow new ones. And if you look at every picture of Santa's reindeer, they all have antlers in the middle of December. They won't be losing them until the end of winter or start of spring. So we all know that the females will just pick up the slack. Don't they always?

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by Mad Cook

"



"Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?" - Or worse - it might be Donner and Blitzen's babies!



It has a following in the UK as well. There was a bit of a kerfuffle the Christmas before last when Lidl (cheap German Supermarket on a par with Aldi) stocked reindeer in the UK. The animal rights mob got their knickers in a twist about it. Mind you, I'd say that reindeer farming seems a damned sight more humane than a lot of turkey rearing!

Apparently Santa's reindeer were all girls! The males shed their antlers before December, the females keep their antlers to protect their young.

Heh. Just saw that Addie posted at the same time I did!

My dad always had deer sausage made at the local locker plant. We always had a bunch of it in the freezer. Reindeer sausage made from ground might be nice.

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Originally Posted by Mad Cook

"

The animal rights mob got their knickers in a twist about it.

You know what you get when your knickers are in a twist? Pretzel buns!

[Zagut]

Originally Posted by taxlady

I found a place in Canada that sells reindeer meat from a semi-domestic herd of reindeer. I might buy some. I have to order within a few days. What would you suggest I get from this list (copied from their FB page)?

KRDC 'Canadian Reindeer
Reindeer Meat Prices $ / lb
NAME OF MEAT CUT OR $/bag
Mixed 'soup-cuts' -budget pack $5.00
Ground - ($8.00/lb) PER BAG COST = $15.00
Stew - ($7.50/lb) PER BAG COST = $15.00
Quick fry - ($9.00/lb) PER BAG COST= $20.00
Steaks – middle $7.50
Steaks – best $8.50
Saddle roast $7.50
Boneless Rib-eye steaks $9.50
Strip-loin / backstrap (~2-3 lb ea) $12.00
Tenderloin (~ 3/4 lb ea) $18.00
Sm boneless HQ roast $10.00
Bone-in HQ roast $8.00
Osso bucco cut =steaks w marrow $8.00
Whole hind 1/4 -usually 10 lbs or more $15.00
Whole shoulder w leg $4.00
Whole neck $5.00
Spare ribs $4.00
Rib rack – full ribs $7.50
French rack ribs w full loin $11.00
Brisket pieces $5.50
Tongue $10.00
Heart $5.00
Liver $4.00
Kidneys – 5 per bag $10.00
Tripe, bibles, veil fat, stomachs $4.00
Head w tongue – not cut-up $20.00
Carcass- bulls – by weight $550.00
Carcass front half $125.00

I'd go for these cuts if you want to have steaks.

Go for the Saddle roast, Whole shoulder, or Whole hind 1/4 if you want ground or stew meat.

JMHO.

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?

Don't worry about Donner or Blitzen.

As long as Randolph is safe we're good to go.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Mad Cook

"

"Now what is Santa going to do without Donner or Blitzen?" - Or worse - it might be Donner and Blitzen's babies!

It has a following in the UK as well. There was a bit of a kerfuffle the Christmas before last when Lidl (cheap German Supermarket on a par with Aldi) stocked reindeer in the UK. The animal rights mob got their knickers in a twist about it. Mind you, I'd say that reindeer farming seems a damned sight more humane than a lot of turkey rearing!

These reindeer are herded, not farmed. That means that they live pretty much like wild reindeer. The owner is part Sámi, so his family has been herding reindeer for a very long time. I prefer free range meat, and this is definitely free range. I also like the fact that it is in the Sámi tradition. I'm part Sámi and there are reindeer herders in my family tree.

[taxlady]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will have to postpone ordering until Fall, when they start slaughtering reindeer again. I'm just too sick to deal with ordering it and arranging how to get it from Inuvik, NWT to Montreal, QC.