Caribou

Caribou are often confused with elk and moose, but these animals are actually all separate species. Reindeer and caribou, however, are the same animal. Caribou has a taste akin to beef, with a milder gaminess than venison. Like other types of deer, caribou do not have any fat marbling on their meat.

There is often a gamey perception around caribou and other types of venison meat because of rut meat. The bulls (males) tend to taste more like liver during the mating (rut) reason because of the changing hormones. The cows (females) are not known to change taste during this time. Caribou has a texture similar to that of veal. The soft flavour and mild texture are altered through cooking, freezing, or drying. It can be used to make sausages or jerky - which can be preserved for long periods of time. Other caribou parts, such as the tongue, eyes, bone marrow and heart, can be used to make soups, braises and stocks.

Caribou is a game meat, but it's said to have a much lighter taste than other gamey meats. Since caribou farming is all but nonexistent, caribou is naturally organic, free-range and grass-fed. Like bison, it’s incredibly lean with very little fat and although there is no marbling, it’s a very tender meat.