Ground / burger

Reindeer and mushroom meatloaf bites

Small, thick patties of ground reindeer bound with sautéed mushrooms, sour cream and egg. Bake them or fry them, whichever suits the evening.

Instructions

Whisk the sour cream, stock, flour and egg together in a large bowl until smooth and set it aside.
In a second bowl, mix the ground reindeer with the diced onion, sautéed mushrooms, thyme, savory, salt and pepper until everything is evenly spread through the meat.
Pour the creamy mixture into the meat.
Fold it in with your hands until you have a cohesive, slightly tacky mixture, and stop there; overworking it makes the bites dense. Divide it into 8 even portions and shape them into small, thick patties.
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment, brushed lightly with oil.
Bake the bites 20–25 minutes, until browned at the edges and cooked through. You can also fry them: 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, 4–5 minutes a side, until deeply browned. Serve them hot.

Tips

A tablespoon of chopped chives mixed into the meat before shaping brightens them up.
They're very good on a bed of creamy mash, or next to roasted root vegetables.

Ground / burger

Reindeer slow-cooked in a cola and cider vinegar barbecue glaze until it shreds, then piled onto soft buns with pickles and mustard.

Ground / burger

Reindeer patties off the grill with melting smoked cheese, slow-cooked red onions and a choice of lingonberry or truffle mayo.

Ground / burger

Soft meatballs of reindeer and pork baked in a tart cranberry cream sauce, spooned over mashed potatoes.