Oh, Deer
Reindeer Meat for Christmas

Turkey's been pretty much nailed down by Thanksgiving.
 
Christmas, however, is a little less obvious, and dare we say, a little more devil-may-care when it comes to your choice of centerpiece game.

So this year, we think you should consider going strong—really strong—with tradition, and inviting a little Dasher, Dancer, Prancer or Vixen over. And we don't mean accompanying Santa for milk and cookies.

Allow us to suggest Reindeer Meat, now available for your holiday dining through Bi-Rite Market.

Now, we can't confirm or deny that the members of this particular herd rolled with the famous team or its bulbous-nosed leader. But we suspect that after you have a taste, you won't care either way. Reindeer is active wild game (part of the elk and venison family, as you're no doubt aware), so you can expect it to taste like a leaner, mineral-rich alternative to pork and beef.

You can get cuts from shoulder or strip to tenderloin, leg or even stew meat, but Bi-Rite will also take special requests. (Hint: don't ask for antler.) All you'll have to do is call and talk to Morgan (the reindeer hatchet man), and wait two business days for him to get the meat in. We recommend prepping it as a slow roast, served rare with the usual suspects like heaping spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.

Oh, and don't let any children read this.