Smoked Reindeer Heart

While visiting Sweden, there are many foods that everybody tells you to try: meatballs, lingonberries, and of course reindeer meat. Since early hunters made use of every part of the animal, reindeer meat comes in a multitude of forms, from dried, jerky-like strips to nicely roasted fillets to hearty, offal-based stews. Perhaps most unique among these dishes is smoked reindeer heart.

In Sweden, particularly in the North, smoked reindeer heart is a delicacy. You can find it sliced for sandwiches or meat platters, simmered in stews, baked in pies, or served with fruit jelly or sauce as an appetizer. The flavor tends to be very rich and gamey, but also slightly chewy depending on how thick you slice it.

You can find smoked reindeer heart in restaurants or, if you’d like to save some money, you can buy it directly from some butcher shops.