Reindeer Fillet with Celeriac Mash & Red Wine Sauce – a luxurious Nordic dish
Elegant, deeply flavorful and distinctly Nordic – perfect for festive dinners and weekends.
- 4 servings
- 15 ingredients
- 9 steps
Reindeer tenderloin is one of our most exclusive game meats, with a mild game flavor and a very fine texture. Together with a smooth celeriac mash and a rich red wine sauce, it creates a main course that feels both luxurious and balanced. This is a dish for when you want to serve something thoughtful and genuinely Nordic, without it becoming overworked.
The dish is well suited for dinners where you want to impress without stress. Several steps can be prepared in advance, making it fully manageable even when cooking for several guests.
Method
- Peel the celeriac and potatoes. Cut into pieces and boil soft in salted water.
- Drain the water and mash together with butter and cream to a smooth purée. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Finely chop the shallot. Sauté in butter until soft.
- Add the red wine and let it reduce by half.
- Pour in the stock and let the sauce simmer until reduced and rich in flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Salt and pepper the reindeer tenderloin all over.
- Quickly brown the meat in butter over high heat until a nice crust forms.
- Finish cooking in the oven if needed to your desired internal temperature (approx. 54–56°C).
- Let the meat rest for at least 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Tips!
Reindeer tenderloin is very lean and should not be cooked for too long. A quick browning and short rest gives the best result. Always slice the meat across the grain for maximum tenderness. Serve with butter-fried chanterelles and lingonberries if you like.
Want to vary the dish? You can:
• swap celeriac mash for mashed potatoes • add juniper berries to the red wine sauce • serve with roasted root vegetables • add lingonberries or currants
Back to All recipes
Category: Finer main courses
As the previous festive dinner in the list, Beef Fillet with Potato Gratin & Three-Pepper Sauce – a classic festive dinner pairs well before this dish. The next recipe continues in the same style with Cod with Jerusalem Artichoke Purée & Sandefjord Sauce.
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