📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the snow-dusted forests of Lapland with this traditional Nordic masterpiece. Renksav features thinly shaved reindeer meat quickly seared to tender perfection and simmered in a rich, velvety cream sauce infused with earthy chanterelles and piquant juniper berries. It is a soul-warming dish that celebrates the rugged elegance of Scandinavian game cooking, offering a unique balance of lean, savory meat and luxurious woodland flavors.
🥗 Ingredients
The Game
- 500 grams Reindeer meat (Renskav) (thinly shaved, traditionally while partially frozen)
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for searing)
The Forest Aromatics
- 200 grams Chanterelle mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated, torn into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 large Yellow onion (finely diced)
- 6-8 pieces Juniper berries (crushed with the side of a knife)
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme (leaves removed)
The Sauce Base
- 200 ml Beef or Game Stock (high quality)
- 250 ml Heavy Cream (Vispgrädde) (at least 35-40% fat content)
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce (for depth and color)
- 1 tablespoon Black Currant Jelly (adds a subtle sweetness to balance the game)
- to taste Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
For Serving
- 1/2 cup Lingonberry Jam (essential for tart contrast)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (finely chopped for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
If your reindeer meat is not pre-shaved, place it in the freezer for 45 minutes until firm, then use a very sharp knife to shave off paper-thin slices against the grain.
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2
Place a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or a traditional cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter.
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3
Once the butter stops foaming, add the mushrooms to the dry pan first to cook out their moisture. Sauté until golden brown, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
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4
Add the remaining butter to the same pan. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the reindeer shavings quickly. You want a high heat to get a nice brown crust without overcooking the thin meat.
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5
Once all the meat is browned, return all the shavings to the pan and add the diced onions.
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6
Sauté the onions with the meat for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
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7
Stir in the crushed juniper berries and thyme leaves, tossing them through the meat to release their oils.
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8
Deglaze the pan by pouring in the beef stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the bottom.
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9
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream, soy sauce, and black currant jelly.
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10
Add the sautéed mushrooms back into the pan. Let the mixture simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
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11
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
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12
Remove the pan from the heat and garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley before serving immediately.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the most authentic texture, ensure the meat is shaved while partially frozen; this allows for much thinner slices than room-temperature meat. Do not skip the juniper berries—they provide the signature 'forest' aroma that defines Scandinavian game dishes. If chanterelles are unavailable, use oyster mushrooms or shiitake for a similar earthy profile. Be careful not to boil the sauce too vigorously once the cream is added; a gentle simmer prevents the sauce from breaking or the meat from becoming tough. If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer a few minutes longer; if too thick, splash in a little more stock or milk.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve over a bed of buttery, silky mashed potatoes (Mandelpotatispuré) to soak up the rich cream sauce. Always accompany with a generous dollop of tart lingonberry jam to cut through the richness of the meat and cream. Pair with quick-pickled cucumbers (Pressgurka) for a refreshing, acidic crunch. A glass of medium-bodied red wine like a Pinot Noir or a dark, malty Swedish craft ale complements the gamey notes beautifully. For a rustic touch, serve with warm, buttered 'tunnbröd' (Swedish flatbread) on the side.