Barbecue is good for us.

Team BBQ is in Finland on business this week, but we’re taking a break from professional festivities to report a new meat experience: reindeer cooked (or uncooked) many ways at Lasipalatsi in Helsinki, which has a special reindeer menu this time of year. We began with reindeer carpaccio topped with arugula, cheese, and big, crunchy crystals of salt. The dish was oversalted, but the meat was tender and delicious — dark and gamy, earthier than raw beef. The arugula provided a pleasantly bitter contrast to the salty meat and cheese. As Judd said, it was definitely worth experiencing once. Next came the cooked reindeer: tenderloin, neck, sausage, kebab meat, and ribs. The tenderloin was disappointing, overcooked and a bit dry, but the sausage was well-spiced and savory. The kebab meat was fatty and flavorful; the ribs were falling-apart tender and tasty, and the neck, cooked rare, had a fine smooth texture and gentler flavor than the other cuts.

The verdict? Delicious. Now if only the Finns were into slow smoking — reindeer barbecue would be a real treat.

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