Maelie-goerve
There are several different methods that can be used to make blood sausages. One method is to use the thick red blood from a reindeer. The second method is to use the clear thin blood that you get by pouring the blood into a large bucket and letting it stand overnight. The blood sausage is made from pure blood and the belly fat of the reindeer. A little wheat flour or barley flour is also mixed in. In the absence of flour, it is possible to use a little Icelandic lichen. The batter should be “as thick as pancake batter.” Salt and the fat from around the kidneys of the reindeer are also added. The blood sausage batter is then distributed evenly into intestines which have been previously cleaned and prepared. Once the intestines are filled, a wooden stick can be thread through the open end of the intestines so that the blood batter does not drip out, or the blood sausage can be tied together with a cotton thread or the opening of the intestines can be sewn together with a thread. It is important to only fill the intestines to two thirds capacity so that they do not burst when they are boiled. The blood sausage is put in a pot that has broth in it, the blood sausage is left to simmer until it floats to the top. Before the sausages are put into the pot, they are kneaded by hand so that the batter sticks everywhere inside of the skin, otherwise it will break during boiling. The same thing happens if the sausage skin is not pierced with a needle, this important step allows the air trapped inside the sausage to come out. It is possible to dry the reindeer blood by filling a reindeer stomach with the fresh blood and letting it dry outdoors. Interest in blood and intestinal food products has increased in recent years among consumers and there are some stores that sell reindeer blood and reindeer liver.
The reindeer blood sausage is not commercialized yet. But there is one Sámi slaughterhouse which sells blood, and another Sámi slaughterhouse that has installed blood tanks that are about to get approval from the National Food Administration to sell it. Reindeer blood and blood from other animals is now sold in well stocked grocery stores. It takes a fair amount of money to invest in blood tanks, approval etc. therefore Slow Food Sàpmi believes that if reindeer sausages could become an Ark of taste or Premium product then it could increase the demand for the blood and therefore increase sales. A lot of money needs to be invested therefore awareness must be raised about blood and its very high nutrient content as well as its high Fe+ (iron) content. Recipes of reindeer sausages can be offered up in order to gradually and successfully build the market.
The reindeer blood sausage is eaten boiled.
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