Guest post: Digged moose

You’re probably familiar with gravlaks, but have you heard of gravelg? In my family there is moose on the menu all year round, and the favorite is the bit of dug outer fillet of moose. The dug moose tastes celestial with a little sour cream, red onion and flatbread. Now I have had Dad to share the family recipe so that more people can discover this unique delicacy. Perfect as an appetizer or as part of a Norwegian tapas table.

Digging is an old preservation way that provides a wonderfully tasty and tender game meat. It is neither time consuming nor difficult to obtain. It requires good hygiene and availability so that you can turn the meat twice a day.

For digging, I would like to use the outer fillet which is tender and big. The meat should have an even thickness of 2 – 4 cm and must be deep-frozen. Start cooking to lengthen the meat in the refrigerator, preferably 1-2 days.

A variety of herbs and spices can be chosen for flavoring. My favorite is Spice from Hildurs Utrerarium.  In addition, I use dried juniper berries and finely chopped shallots.

ingredients

    • 500 grams (outer) fillet of moose
    • 2 ss salt
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Finely chopped onion
  • juniper
  • Viltkrydder
  • Hel pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of cognac or akevitt
  • Fresh cranberries

Approach

  1. Find a plastic bag – preferably a little thick and with a latch to keep it as air tight as possible.
  2. Crush juniper berries, pepper and spices / herbs in a mortar. Mix sugar and salt and put everything in the bag together with the meat. Make sure the meat is rubbed well with the mixture. Some spoons of cognac and fresh cranberries are also included.
  3. Press out the air from the bag and place it on a dish in the refrigerator or in a cold storage room (Max 10 – 12 C). Here it should be turned twice a day. I have done this for about four days, a little depending on the temperature and the thickness of the meat.
  4. The fillet is removed and dried off. Cut into thin slices before serving. I usually divide the fillet into fitting portions and then put them in the freezer. When thawing, it is easy to cut thin slices when the fillet is ‘semi frozen’. S

Serve on lefse or flatbread, preferably with a little cream or mustard sauce.
This is a powerful diet and is suitable for an appetizer or a small meal with good drinks.
GOOD LUCK!