Finnbiff

Finnbiff is made from reindeer meat shaved into thin slices while partly frozen, fried quickly in butter with bacon and mushrooms, then finished with cream, brown cheese for depth and juniper, and served with mashed potato and lingonberry preserve. The name reflects an older Norwegian usage for Sami, and it is now often called reinsdyrgryte instead. Reindeer meat is lean, dark and mild rather than gamey, and it comes from herds managed by Sami families under a system of ownership marks; slaughter takes place mainly in autumn, so the meat is freshest then, though frozen sliced reindeer is sold year-round across the country and it is the standard northern dish on restaurant menus.

What you actually see

• The shaved meat - reindeer sliced thin while partly frozen.
• The cream sauce - finished with mushrooms, brown cheese and juniper.
• The lingonberries - the sharp preserve served alongside.
• The autumn slaughter - the season when the meat is freshest.

When to go

Year-round on menus across the north; autumn, after the slaughter, is when the meat is at its best. Christmas menus include it, and Sami cultural events often serve reindeer in other forms such as bidos.

Honest expectations

Reindeer is expensive, and restaurant portions are small relative to the price. Some visitors are uncomfortable eating it after a reindeer sledding trip. Quality varies, and frozen supermarket versions are much less good than fresh.

Nearby

Tromso, Alta, Karasjok and Kautokeino restaurants serve it; the meat comes from herds across Finnmark and Troms.