Got Goat?

Here’s something nobody ever says: “Goat? Why, it tastes like chicken.”

On the contrary, goat meat has a rep for rankness. It’s the last thing a lot of people would ever consider eating.

But Jamaican restaurants have softened us up with their goat curries, and a lot of non-Latinos now relish the spicy, gamy goat stew birria. People who like food to have punch and character seem to be outgrowing the traditional American distaste for goat. We don’t even bother to call it “kid” anymore, though kid--the milder, more tender young animal--is the only form of goat that is eaten.

At the same time, a lot of people still find lamb too wild, and they’re going to be hard to convince. The goat, with its straight horns, up-pointing tail and hairy fleece, is nowhere near as domesticated-looking as a sheep.

And it definitely isn’t sheepish. It will butt anything it takes a mind to, and in the rutting season a billygoat has an overpoweringly rank smell. To medieval Christians, the goat seemed a grotesque parody of the peaceable lamb, and the goat provided the image of Satan, from the hooves, horns, tail and chin beard to the ferocity and sulfurous odor.

Wild though they seem, goats are actually old companions of ours. They were domesticated 9,000 years ago, well ahead of pigs, cattle and horses, much earlier than any other animals but dogs and possibly sheep.

Why? Well, they may not be as docile as sheep, but they’re much less trouble to herd. They don’t have to be led to pasture; they’ll go out and actively forage for their own food. With their unique mouth structure (instead of upper incisors they have a bony palate against which the lower teeth grind the food), they can chew dry, tough plants, even tree bark, though they prefer leaves.

Because goats can survive where sheep can’t, they tend to be raised in poor areas. Unfortunately, they tend to keep those areas poor, because goats will chew plants right down to the ground, preventing regrowth. Laws now restrict the number of goats per country in Europe, because they are blamed for ancient erosion and environmental degradation in the Mediterranean countries.

Originally they were raised for meat, but some varieties have useful fleece. Angora and cashmere are woven from goat fleece. Above all, nanny goats are prodigious milkers, typically producing eight to 15 times their body weight in milk every year. It’s rich milk, too, 4.3% butterfat.

In this country, goat meat is really a byproduct of the dairy industry. Like veal, it comes from young male animals, which are worthless as milk producers and would have to be disposed of anyway. Around the world there are a number of goat breeds raised just for meat, such as Assam Hill, Bengal and West African Pygmy, but they’re unknown in this country because there’s so little demand for goat meat, except at Easter and in communities where there is a goat-eating tradition.

If you like goat cheese, you shouldn’t have any trouble with the flavor of goat meat, but it’s somewhat hard to describe. I find it quite like lamb, but more sinewy and with a pleasant brassy funkiness. To well-known food writer Colman Andrews, the flavor is like lamb crossed with pork. In “Seasons of the Italian Kitchen,” Diane Darrow and Tom Maresca compare it to veal with a gamy edge. Interestingly, the Filipino dish caldereta, which is braised goat in liver sauce, is usually made with beef in this country.

There are an estimated 375 million goats in the world. Goat meat is relished in all the warmer climates of Africa, the Americas and Asia, and the Mediterranean.

Wherever you go, goat is likely to be roasted (particularly when very young) or stewed. Not many people fry up goat chops.

The ancient Romans often oven-roasted goat, though, and served it with a sauce of milk sweetened with fruits or honey and flavored with fish sauce. They also boiled kid in milk, making a dish explicitly forbidden by Jewish dietary law.

Nearly all the Roman goat recipes were also recipes for lamb, and this is the general pattern around the world. In France and Italy, goat is likely to be stewed or roasted with potatoes, just as lamb is. In parts of India where goats are raised, rather than sheep, “mutton” means goat meat. In the Middle East, sometimes your shish kebab will not exactly taste like lamb; it’ll be goat meat, no extra charge. The city of Ehden in Lebanon is famous for goat dishes; it makes a specialty of raw goat meat puree, what you might call a really red-blooded sort of sushi.

Goat, like lamb, calls for wild seasonings. Garlic and herbs are practically universal. For the Sicilian dish agnello alla griglia con ammyghiu, the meat is marinated in oil, lemon juice and oregano and served with a garlicky tomato salsa.

But goat has next to no role in traditional American cooking. There are no goat recipes in Fanny Farmer or “The Joy of Cooking,” though in “The Kentucky Housewife” (1839), Lettice Bryan did give a Southern recipe for roast goat. It was pretty much the same as her roast turkey with herbed bread-crumb stuffing, except that it was basted with rich cream toward the end.

Fortunately for us, Southern California is one of those exceptions. In larger Latino markets, such as Economy Meats at the Grand Central Market in downtown L.A., kid may be available year-round. And in many neighborhoods, you may see a sign reading “Se venden chivos,” indicating that somebody is raising goat for sale.

On the other hand, if you see a sign reading “Chiva y que!” (goat, and how!), it just indicates a fan of the Guadalajara soccer team, Las Chivas Rayadas--the striped goats. So you may not be able to buy any goat there. But in my experience, Chivas fans are generally good for a recommendation on where you can get a bowl of birria.

Provencal Roast Kid With Potatoes and Garlic

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Recipe from “The Foods and Flavors of Haute Provence” by Georgeanne Brennan (Chronicle Books, 1997).

8 to 10 sprigs thyme

8 to 10 sprigs winter savory

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper

12 to 15 boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

36 cloves garlic, peeled

Extra-virgin olive oil

5 to 6 pounds young goat meat, bone in, cut into serving pieces

* Remove leaves from thyme and savory. Reserve stems and mince leaves. Combine thyme and savory leaves with salt and pepper.

* Put potatoes, 24 garlic cloves and 1/2 herb mixture in bowl. Turn several times to coat potatoes. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and mix. Spread potatoes on baking sheet covered with thin film of oil. Sprinkle thyme and savory stems over potatoes. Set aside.

* Rub meat with remaining herb mixture. Cut remaining 12 cloves garlic into slivers. Make slits all over meat and insert slivers.

* Arrange meat on potatoes. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and roast at 400 degrees 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to roast, turning potatoes from time to time, until potatoes are golden brown and meat juices run clear when pierced near bone with tip of knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on age of goat.

* Remove meat to platter and surround with some of potatoes. Serve remainder of potatoes separately.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings: 401 calories; 1,071 mg sodium; 121 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 47 grams protein; 0.76 gram fiber.

Birria

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 4 hours 40 minutes plus 4 hours marinating

Recipe from “Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” by Rick Bayless (William Morrow, 1987).

1 (5-pound) piece young goat, preferably hindquarter, or 1 (3-pound) bone-in lamb shoulder or butt end of leg

12 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and deveined

6 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tomato, peeled and cored, or 3/4 (15-ounce) can tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon oregano

Salt

1 onion, cut in 1/8-inch dice

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

2 limes, quartered

* Trim most of fat from meat. If using goat hindquarter, cut in 2 pieces with cleaver, severing joint at top of leg.

* Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Tear chiles into flat pieces and toast, few at a time, pressing them against hot surface with metal spatula, until they crackle and blister, about 5 minutes per side. Place in bowl and cover with boiling water, weighted with plate to keep submerged. Soak 30 minutes.

* Roast garlic in same skillet until peel blackens and cloves are soft inside, 2-3 minutes. Cool and peel.

* Drain chiles and puree in blender or food processor with garlic and vinegar. Add cumin, pepper, salt and 3/4 cup water and puree until smooth. Press through sieve. Remove 1/2 cup and stir in sugar; set aside for glazing. Spread rest of chile paste over meat, cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

* Set roasting rack in deep, wide pot at least 1 inch above bottom of pot. Add 3 cups water. Lay marinated meat on rack, spreading any extra marinade on top. Cover pot with tight-sealing lid. Bake at 325 degrees 3 hours.

* Carefully remove meat from rack. Remove rack from pot and spoon fat from surface of broth. Measure out broth, adding water if necessary to make 1 quart, into saucepan. Puree tomato with oregano, add to broth and simmer over medium-low heat 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

* Shortly before serving, remove bones, large pieces of gristle and excess fat from meat, keeping pieces of meat as large as possible. Set meat on baking sheet, brush lightly with reserved chile paste and bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes.

* To serve, present meat on large platter and pass warm broth separately, or slice meat across grain and serve it in broth soup plates. Pass onion, cilantro and limes.

6 servings. Each serving: 371 calories; 716 mg sodium; 162 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 61 grams protein; 3 grams fiber.

Puerto Rican Kid Stew

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 50 minutes plus 1 hour marinating

Recipe from “The Complete Book of Caribbean Cookery” by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz (Evans/Lippincott, 1973). She recommends 3 pounds if kid is meaty, 4 if bony.

3 to 4 pounds kid, cut into serving pieces

Juice of 1 bitter orange, or 1/4 cup orange and lemon juice mixture (roughly 2/3 orange, 1/3 lemon)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/4 pound ham, coarsely chopped

1 (2-ounce) jar pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained

1 tablespoon capers

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3 pimientos, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup red wine

12 small white onions, peeled

* Put meat in large casserole with cover. Add orange juice and turn meat to coat; leave 5 minutes, then drain. Mix garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and vinegar and rub into meat. Marinate at room temperature 1 to 2 hours.

* Add bay leaf, ham, olives, capers, tomatoes, pimientos, oil and wine. Bring to simmer, cover and cook gently until kid is tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Add onions 30 minutes before serving.

6 servings. Each serving: 422 calories; 914 mg sodium; 106 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 5grams carbohydrates; 39 grams protein; 0.31 gram fiber.

Jamaican Curried Goat

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 20 minutes plus 2 hours marinating

Recipe from “Jamaican Cooking: 140 Roadside and Homestyle Recipes,” by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Macmillan, 1997).

2 pounds goat meat or boneless beef chuck, cubed

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chile, seeded and minced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 green onions, sliced crosswise

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup oil

3 tomatoes, diced

7 cups water

1/2 cup coconut milk, optional

* Rinse meat in water and rub all over with 1/2 lime juice. Put in large bowl and add salt, pepper, habanero, thyme, allspice, curry powder, green onions, sliced onion and garlic. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

* Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer meat to skillet, reserving seasoning mixture, and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add reserved seasoning mixture to skillet and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until everything is well combined, about 3 more minutes.

* Add water and optional coconut milk, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours. When done, sir in remaining lime juice. Serve with rice.

6 servings. Each serving: 233 calories; 424 mg sodium; 65 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.68 gram fiber.

Chivo Enchilado

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours plus 24 hours marinating

Because goat fat has such a strong gamy taste, it is essential to remove all visible fat from the meat before cooking. Never add water to the cooking liquid in this Cuban recipe. If the pot starts to run a little dry, add more wine.

ADOBO

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup white wine

2 1/2 pounds goat meat, cut into chunks

* Place garlic, onion, cumin, salt, pepper and wine in food processor and pulse to form paste. Rub goat with Adobo and marinate 24 hours in refrigerator.

STEW

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1 cup white wine

Salt, pepper

* Remove goat meat from marinade and set aside. Discard marinade.

* Heat oil in pot. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute over medium heat until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.

* Add tomatoes, wine and goat meat to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until goat is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

4 servings. Each serving: 420 calories; 867 mg sodium; 121 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 47 grams protein; 1.90 grams fiber.

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Get the Goat Out

The rankness sometimes noticed in goat meat is concentrated in the fat, so careful trimming will reduce it. As with lamb, the gamy-smelling fat is concentrated inside the animal, rather than near the skin, and it has a distinctive texture, dry and chalky rather than smooth and shiny. There’s not a lot of it to remove; kid is basically a lean meat.

Goat Net

Goat meat is available on the Internet at https://www.ippi.com/golden--egg.html, the site of the Golden Egg, a purveyor of exotic foods. You can get whole kid, 16 to 20 pounds, for $8 a pound, shipped by overnight carrier. Order two days before delivery (three for Saturday delivery). No delivery on Sunday or Monday, because the meat is not frozen but refrigerated with gel packs.