Reindeer Meat Is A Common Pizza Topping In This Country

Experiencing international cuisine can be one of the great joys of travel, even when choosing a known dish like pizza. Should you find yourself craving a pizza pie in Finland, you may be met with a unique option. Though pizzas topped with reindeer may not be something you are likely to come across in the United States, the gamey ingredient is a reasonable order for those looking to chow down on cheesy slices for dinner. 

One Finnish restaurant was inspired to sprinkle smoked reindeer on top of pizza after an Italian prime minister commented on the presence of marinated reindeer on Finnish menus. The reindeer-topped pizza was named in honor of the offending minister and won accolades at an international pizza contest held in New York City. Since 2008, Pizza Berlusconi, as the reindeer-topped pizza came to be known, has remained a firm fixture on the menu at Kotipizza and one of the most well-known chains in the Nordic region. Joke or not, reindeer meat packs vitamins and micronutrients and isn't as fatty as pork and beef. The taste can be rich and gamey, and depending on the size of the pieces, lends an extra chewy addition to slices of pizza.

The original recipe for reindeer-topped pizza was built on top of a crust made from rye, but pizza lovers can now customize their pies with keto and gluten-free pizza crusts. Kotipizza has since changed the name of the pizza order to "Poro," which means "reindeer." Along with the standard tomato sauce and cheese, an order of Poro pizza also includes chanterelles mushrooms and slices of red onion. Modifications include different sauces like barbecue or chili mayo and extra ingredients like bleu or feta cheese, air-fried pork neck, garlic, toasted bacon, paprika, and arugula sprouts. Some chefs choose to add cloudberry jam to bring a fresh, tart taste to pizzas that are truly unique to the Arctic. 

If an international flight isn't in your future, you can hunt to find smoked reindeer meat from specialty online stores to sprinkle pieces onto pre-made pizzas or the next pie you make from scratch. Prepare yourself to shell out for the delicacy, however, as reindeer and caribou meat can be limited and priced accordingly: One pound of sausage can cost around $50, and one pound of hamburger meat will take at least $100 out of your bank account.