How long should the reindeer leg sit in the brine?

The leg sits in the boiled, cooled brine for 3–4 weeks. Reckon with around a month in total before smoking, as the recipe's time of about 30 days suggests.

What does the brine consist of?

8 liters water, 2 liters salt, 200 g sugar and 30 g saltpeter. The brine is boiled for 10 minutes, skimmed and cooled completely before the meat is placed in it.

Must the meat be pre-treated before it is placed in the brine?

Yes. The leg is first rubbed with a mixture of 3 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 dessert spoon saltpeter. Only the following day is it placed in the cold brine.

What happens after the salting?

The leg is hung up for a couple of days to dry, then it is smoked, and finally it is hung up to cure. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), p. 306.

Smoked Reindeer Meat

A reindeer leg is rubbed with salt, sugar and saltpeter, sits 3-4 weeks in boiled brine, is dried a couple of days, smoked and cured.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 306 (falt i det fri)

Be the first to rate

About the dish

A preservation recipe for reindeer leg: dry-rubbing, brine for several weeks, then smoking and curing. Saltpeter was common as a color-preserving salt in 1914.

How to make it

1
Boil the brine
Boil the water, salt, sugar and saltpeter for 10 minutes, skim off, and pour the brine out to cool.
2
Rub the leg
Rub the leg well with a mixture of 3 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 dessert spoon saltpeter.
3
Place in brine
The next day, place the leg in the boiled, cold brine. It sits in the brine for 3 to 4 weeks.
4
Dry and smoke
Hang the leg up for a couple of days to dry, smoke it and then hang it up to cure.

Changes from the original

Measurements are given in liters and grams. Saltpeter (sodium nitrate) is kept as in the original, but should today be replaced by modern nitrite salt per the manufacturer's instructions. Times are given for the total process (about 4 weeks in brine).

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

To1914 1949 Modernised

Modernised → 1914 (proofread, p. 306)~78% of the text changedremovedadded

~~1 stk reinsdyrlår.~~ Dyrelaar. Lake: 8 ~~l vann (til laken).~~ l. vand 2 l l. salt ~~(til laken).~~ 200 g gr. sukker ~~(til laken).~~ 30 ~~g salpeter (til laken; i dag nitritsalt etter anvisning). 3 ss salt (til innrivning). 1 ss sukker (til innrivning). 1 ts salpeter (1 dessertskje, til innrivning). Kok vann, salt, sukker og salpeter~~ gr. salpeter. Laken kokes i 10 minutter, ~~skum av og hell laken opp til avkjøling.. Gni låret godt inn~~ skummes, opheldes. Laaret gnides ind med en blanding av 3 ~~spiseskjeer~~ spiseskeer salt, 1 ~~spiseskje~~ spiseske sukker og 1 ~~dessertskje salpeter.. Neste~~ dessertske salpeter. Næste dag ~~legges låret~~ lægges det i den kokte, ~~kalde laken. Det ligger~~ kolde lake. Ligger i laken i 3 ~~til~~ à 4 ~~uker.. Heng låret opp~~ uker, hænges op et par ~~dager til tørking, røk det~~ dage, røkes og ~~heng det deretter opp~~ hænges op til spekning.

Note on Modernised

Mål er gjengitt i liter og gram. Salpeter (natriumnitrat) er beholdt som i originalen, men bør i dag erstattes av moderne nitritsalt etter produsentens anvisning. Tidene er oppgitt i minutter for total prosess (ca. 4 uker i lake).

Community interpretations

Be the first to share your own version.

See interpretations →

Frequently asked questions

How long should the reindeer leg sit in the brine?: The leg sits in the boiled, cooled brine for 3–4 weeks. Reckon with around a month in total before smoking, as the recipe's time of about 30 days suggests.
What does the brine consist of?: 8 liters water, 2 liters salt, 200 g sugar and 30 g saltpeter. The brine is boiled for 10 minutes, skimmed and cooled completely before the meat is placed in it.
Must the meat be pre-treated before it is placed in the brine?: Yes. The leg is first rubbed with a mixture of 3 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 dessert spoon saltpeter. Only the following day is it placed in the cold brine.
What happens after the salting?: The leg is hung up for a couple of days to dry, then it is smoked, and finally it is hung up to cure. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), p. 306.

Equipment for this dish

Smoking equipment →Smokers, chips and briquettes – smoke your own fish and meat, as Erken describes.Foodstuff.no

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It does not affect the price.

Related recipes

More dishes in the same category from the archive

Kommentarer

Ingen kommentarer ennå. Bli den første til å dele!