📝 About This Recipe
Suvas is the soul of Sápmi cuisine, a traditional delicacy of the Sámi people of Northern Scandinavia consisting of lightly salted and cold-smoked reindeer haunch. This recipe honors ancient preservation methods, resulting in a lean, tender meat with a delicate balance of wild game earthiness and a gentle kiss of birch smoke. It is a true taste of the Arctic wilderness, offering a sophisticated flavor profile that is both rustic and incredibly refined.
🥗 Ingredients
The Reindeer
- 2 kg Reindeer Roast (Preferably top round or silverside, trimmed of silver skin)
The Dry Cure
- 150 grams Coarse Sea Salt (Non-iodized)
- 50 grams Granulated Sugar (To balance the salt and aid color)
- 1 tablespoon Juniper Berries (Crushed lightly)
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (Toasted and cracked)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme (Optional, for herbal depth)
Smoking Aromatics
- 4-6 cups Birch Wood Chips (Bark removed to avoid bitterness)
- 2-3 pieces Dried Juniper Branches (Small sprigs for traditional aroma)
Traditional Serving Accompaniments
- 4-6 pieces Gáhkku (Sámi flatbread)
- 1/2 cup Lingonberry Jam (Tart and sweet)
- 100 grams Unsalted Butter (High quality, room temperature)
- 200 ml Crème Fraîche (For garnish)
- 2 cm Fresh Horseradish (For grating)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by cleaning the reindeer roast. Remove any excess fat or silver skin with a sharp boning knife to ensure the cure and smoke can penetrate the lean muscle evenly.
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2
In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, sugar, crushed juniper berries, cracked black pepper, and thyme. Mix thoroughly to create your curing rub.
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3
Rub the curing mixture over every inch of the meat, massaging it into the fibers. Place the meat in a non-reactive container or a large vacuum-seal bag.
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4
Allow the meat to cure in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. If using a container, flip the meat every 12 hours to ensure even salt distribution as the brine forms.
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5
After curing, rinse the meat thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess salt. Pat it completely dry with paper towels.
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6
Place the meat on a wire rack in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 4 hours (or overnight). This develops a 'pellicle,' a slightly tacky surface that helps the smoke adhere.
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7
Prepare your cold smoker. You want to maintain a temperature below 25°C (77°F). If the temperature rises too high, the meat will cook rather than smoke-cure.
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8
Add the birch wood chips (without bark) and the juniper sprigs to the smoke generator. Birch provides the authentic, sweet-ish Nordic smoke profile.
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9
Place the reindeer on the racks in the smoker. Smoke the meat for 12 to 18 hours. The duration depends on your preference for smoke intensity and the thickness of the roast.
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10
Once smoking is complete, remove the meat. It should have a beautiful mahogany exterior but remain soft and supple to the touch.
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11
Wrap the Suvas tightly in parchment paper and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. This allows the smoke flavors to mellow and migrate to the center of the meat.
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12
To serve, slice the meat paper-thin against the grain. It is traditionally eaten raw (cold-smoked) or very briefly flashed in a hot pan with a bit of butter.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always remove the bark from birch wood before smoking, as the oils in the bark can create a bitter, acrid soot on the meat. If you cannot find reindeer, high-quality venison or elk is an excellent substitute, though the flavor will be slightly less gamey. Maintain a strictly cold temperature during smoking; if your smoker is too warm, place a tray of ice beneath the meat to keep the ambient temperature down. For the best texture, slice the Suvas while it is partially frozen; this allows for the translucent, wafer-thin slices characteristic of professional charcuterie.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve thinly sliced on warm Gáhkku (Sámi flatbread) with a generous smear of butter and a dollop of lingonberry jam. Pair with a glass of robust, earthy red wine like a Syrah or a traditional Nordic craft ale. Create a modern appetizer by placing a slice of Suvas on a rye cracker with crème fraîche and freshly grated horseradish. For a traditional outdoor experience, sauté the thin slices for 30 seconds in a cast-iron pan over an open flame and serve in a wrap.