Meat

Finns are very conscious about good animal health and high quality production conditions, hence the fresh taste of Finnish meat.

Game

Thanks to our clean and wild nature, game is particularly delicious. Elk meat is pure and natural, and has a distinctive taste of game. Hare, bear, willow grouse, wild duck and pheasant offer highly appreciated gastronomic experiences as well. Finland’s hunting season is in the fall, and you can recognize this from the dishes higher-end restaurants offer: wild duck, pheasant, hare and elk find their ways into several restaurant kitchens between September and January.

For more information, please visit:

Food from Finland: Game and Pioneering animal production

Reindeer

There are over 500,000 reindeer in the forests and mountains of Northern Finland. Because of its delicious meat, wild reindeer is a true treasure in Finnish gastronomy. The meat is low in fat, healthy and flavorful. Sautéed reindeer accompanied by mashed potatoes and lingonberries gives you a true taste of Northern Finland. You might also want to try some cold-smoked reindeer served with baked turnips.

For more information about reindeer, please visit:

Eat and Joy: Eat&Joy Poro = Wild Reindeer

Eat and Joy: Hard Facts about Poro

Food from Finland: Reindeer

Inarin Paliskunnat: Reindeer products

Native breed of cow

Three different native breeds of cow exist in Finland: Eastern Finland, Western Finland and Lapland each have their own varieties. All of these breeds are well adapted to the particular conditions of Finland. In the 1960s, Finnish breeds of cow were near extinction, but a national movement was established to save them.

The milk of Finnish breeds is protein rich and is particularly suitable for making delicious cheese. The meat is delicate and highly appreciated in many of the finest restaurants in our country.

Native breed of sheep

The meat of the Finnish breed of sheep has a wonderful flavor. Sheep born and raised at organic farms are treated well, which is clearly evident in the taste. The breed of sheep from the Åland Islands is also famous for its delicious meat, which you can buy at market halls in Helsinki.

The traditional Finnish method of cooking lamb is in a fire pit. Organic lamb makes a delicious roast too, or how about some lamb chops with roasted root vegetables ?