The Goat Topic: Tips & Techniques

[nasi goreng]

Goat meat is populair in Africa.

In fact, every time you order mutton curry, you most likely get goat.

I like goat ....

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I believe I have had goat only once, at an Indian restaurant buffet.  I was a little squeamish but it was very good.

 

 

[liuzhou]

7 hours ago, nasi goreng said:

In fact, every time you order mutton curry, you most likely get goat.

I like goat ....

 

That's true in many parts of the world. In fact, in many languages there is no differentiation between the two. Here in China both mutton/lamb and goat are referred to as 羊 yáng meaning 'sheep'. Only if you are a zoologist or the like then goat is 山羊shān yáng, meaning 'mountain sheep'. Every twelve years there is an argument as to whether it's the Year of the Sheep or Goat in English translation.

 

I like goat, too. It works with most lamb recipes, but is a bit gamier. Particularly good in curries. I at it a lot in Jamaica and in Caribbean restaurants in London. Also in India and often here in China.

Edited April 17, 2018 by liuzhou (log)

[kayb]

6 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

That's true in many parts of the world. In fact, in many languages there is no differentiation between the two. Here in China both meat/lamb and goat are referred to as 羊 yáng meaning 'sheep'. Only if you are a zoologist or the like then goat is 山羊shān yáng, meaning 'mountain sheep'. Every twelve years there is an argument as to whether it's the Year of the Sheep or Goat in English translation.

 

I like goat, too. It works with most lamb recipes, but is a bit gamier. Particularly good in curries. I at it a lot in Jamaica and in Caribbean restaurants in London. Also in India and often here in China.

 

There is a Caribbean restaurant in Memphis that periodically does goat curry. It's outstanding.

 

A lot of small, generally African American, barbecue establishments around this part of the world will barbecue goat, too, and that isn't half bad.

 

[Anna N]

 Goat is readily available in most supermarkets here in the freezer section. I have bought it occasionally. The problem is it is only available as bone-in stewing meat.  I can deal with the bones but my family find them objectionable.

[liuzhou]

12 minutes ago, Anna N said:

The problem is it is only available as bone-in stewing meat.  I can deal with the bones but my family find them objectionable.

 

I am totally bone tolerant*, too. But have occasionally bought a leg or other joint and boned it myself for more sensitive souls.

 

*Even prefer it that way

[Anna N]

7 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I am totally bone tolerant*, too. But have occasionally bought a leg or other joint and boned it myself for more sensitive souls.

 

*Even prefer it that way

We are talking bite-size pieces of meat almost all with a piece of bone in them. A joint I will tackle but a bag full of little bones with some flesh on them not so much. 

[liuzhou]

1 minute ago, Anna N said:

We are talking bite-size pieces of meat almost all with a piece of bone in them.

 

Ah. I see They don't sell it that way in the markets here, but it's what you'll find in restaurant dishes. I often cut all sorts meats into that format.

 

We like a good gnaw round these parts!

[blue_dolphin]

I've never cooked goat but enjoyed delicious roast kid shoulder several times in Barcelona.  We were told it was a traditional Catalan preparation.

As far as bones go, I recall that it came to the table complete with the humerus!

 

[Alex]

Just by serendipity -- or was it fate? -- I just ran across this Guardian article from 2012.

 

Quote

But there is a dark side to the dairy goat industry. Most male kids are killed at birth and their carcasses burned, or they are sold to the local hunt as meat for the hounds...And that's a terrible waste. Goat meat is damned tasty, but when was the last time you saw it at the high-street butcher, let alone supermarket? Unless you're part of an immigrant community, the closest many in the UK get is walking past a Caribbean cafe with goat curry on the menu.

 

[Martin Fisher]

3 hours ago, Anna N said:

We are talking bite-size pieces of meat almost all with a piece of bone in them. A joint I will tackle but a bag full of little bones with some flesh on them not so much. 

 

Yeah, Wegmans carries it here.

2 pounds for $9.99

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[Martin Fisher]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

We were told it was a traditional Catalan preparation.

 

Popular on the Costa del Sol too.

And probably all of Spain.

[Martin Fisher]

Now I've got a hankerin' for Caprine Stew! 

Edited April 17, 2018 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[gulfporter]

Goat birria is very popular in Jalisco.  There is a neighborhood in Guadalajara Centro called Nueve Esquinas (Nine Corners) with about a dozen goat birria places.  Makes for a fun tasting day.  Guadalajara is about an hour from our home in Ajijic (Lake Chapala). 

 

All things being local here in Mexico, here in Ajijic almost all the birria is beef (sometimes pork).  However, a 25 minute drive from our home to the small city of Jocotopec, the birria is goat again.  Jocotopec's main plaza is lined with about a half-dozen birria de chiva joints.  Without fail we take our first-time visitors to Joco for goat birria and without fail all have loved it. 

 

Birria is stew-like, but is made in a recipe-specific contraption in which the seasoned  and marinated raw meat cooks over the water, not in the water.  As the meat steams and breaks down, its drippings fall into the water which becomes a super flavorful broth.  This is a multi-hour process.  When it is served, the vendor ladles the broth into the bowl then shreds some goat meat into it.  It is topped with raw onion, cilantro and a very vinegary salsa, all of which you add at the table.  Served with fresh hot corn tortillas.

 

When you go to these birria joints you will see local women arrive with large empty pots to buy only the broth to take with them to use in other recipes.  

 

I tried twice to make it at home and was not happy with the results.  Recipes recommended using a rack to separate the meat from the water/broth but I don't think that equaled what the professionals use.  I am happy to eat at the friendly birria joints.

 

 

[Fernwood]

6 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I've never cooked goat but enjoyed delicious roast kid shoulder several times in Barcelona.  We were told it was a traditional Catalan preparation.

As far as bones go, I recall that it came to the table complete with the humerus!

 

 

My first goat meal was roast cabrito in Barcelona in the mid 1980s.  I have the idea it was at Els 4 Gats, though their menu today looks very different from what I (very vaguely) remember.  It was great; why is goat such a rarity in the US?  Judging by what I see in our local markets, I have to think that many people in my area never eat lamb, either.  

 

[MelissaH]

13 hours ago, Fernwood said:

 

My first goat meal was roast cabrito in Barcelona in the mid 1980s.  I have the idea it was at Els 4 Gats, though their menu today looks very different from what I (very vaguely) remember.  It was great; why is goat such a rarity in the US?  Judging by what I see in our local markets, I have to think that many people in my area never eat lamb, either.  

 

Lamb is definitely not common in my area. It's not easy to find in supermarkets: Wegmans will carry specific cuts of organic Australian lamb, but anything other than that, good luck unless it's the week leading up to Easter. And even the non-organic lamb is exorbitantly expensive, compared to either beef or pork (or even chicken, which is <ahem!> a bird of a different feather completely). There is a small local grocery store that started out as a butcher and later expanded to carry other foods, but is still best known as a butcher; I can get frozen ground lamb in 1-pound packages there any time, and other stuff by placing an order. But even from them, lamb is still expensive.

 

One year, we got together with friends and purchased a lamb from a local farmer. It was delicious. But those friends moved away across the country, so sharing animals is no longer practical. We have another friend, but need to wait till she gets back from her year-long sabbatical in Sweden before we can discuss meat and sharing.

 

As far as goat: I've only seen it at some (but not all) of the Wegmans stores. But next time I'm in the Price Rite in Syracuse, I'll take a look there. They're definitely not catering to an affluent population, but they have things that nobody else (not even Wegmans) has. They're currently my go-to for all purchases Caribbean, so they may have goat available.

[kayb]

I never had lamb growing up. We raised beef, pork, chicken, and knew people who had goats, but raised them for milk. I don't remember ever seeing lamb in the grocery until maybe the last 10 years in this part of the world. (Although not too far from home, in Kentucky, was the home base of mutton barbecue, which I always thought was pretty horrible.)

 

I guess maybe because I never had it growing up, I am not a huge lamb fan now. It has a flavor I don't like. I can deal with it when it's highly spiced, as in an Indian or Middle Eastern dish. I will buy ground lamb for something specific -- moussaka, kibbe, shashlik -- maybe once a year.

[KennethT]

I had an amazing goat biryani in Singapore... the meat was tender, but yes, there were lots of small bones.

[Beebs]

Our family hosted a party with a whole goat on a rotisserie a bunch of years ago, catered by a Greek restaurant. It was excellent! Not too gamey at all.

 

We might be doing it again this year, for my brother's wedding. Either goat or lamb. 

[liuzhou]

Goat on Sticks - Zhongshan Road, Nanning night market, China. About an.hour ago.

 

 

To demonstrate their provenance, they hang the unbutchered half of the beast on the side of the stall.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by liuzhou (log)

[Anna N]

14 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

Goat on Sticks - Zhongshan Road, Nanning night market, China. About an.hour ago.

 We definitely need an “envy” emoji!

[Ann_T]

I've never found goat to be gamey.   But usually when I buy goat it is baby goat. 

 

Twice now I have bought a whole baby goat from a local farmer. 

To me, it is just like lamb but milder.   Same cuts.  So I use it anyway I would lamb.

[rotuts]

Ive had Goat,

 

in Jamaica Curried Goat is common and popular and delicious

 

at least the few times ive tried it.

 

I went to an ethnic market in and ethic area of Boston , and looked for goat.

 

they had so many interring things in their meat section.

 

I asked for goat , and the manager took me back and opened a Fz box of goat , and band sawed me

 

some ribs and shoulders  hunks.   I BBQed the ribs and the shoulder.

 

it was very full flavored .  my labrador at the time , Ridge 

 

kept a full vigil at the Weber for quite some time.

 

it was too intense for me , at that time.

 

the neighborhood in question , no longer has that very large ethnic market

 

a crying shame , w Parking !

 

its been gentrified and has a plain vanilla very large 

 

WhileFoods.

 

 

My sister used to live in Tx.

 

there  Goat , very young , < 1 year 

 

perhaps cabritto

 

is a delicacy for those who appreciated.

 

that  Id love to try

[Martin Fisher]

12 hours ago, Ann_T said:

...from a local farmer. 

That's the way I buy lamb, or goat—if I can find it.

[heidih]

I had my goat interest piqued today by a Pakistani cabbie. No clue how it came up. He said is his favorite meat - could eat daily. He goes to Fontana (approx 70 miles eastish of LAX) to a ranch where you select and do own slaughter. They provide full set up. I had no idea. His preps sound mostly South Asian stews versus roasting. Lots of goat dairy product out there as well. Oh that list grows longer and longer. Any goat dishes of interest lately?