How to Cook Goat Meat: 6 Classic Dishes Featuring Goat Meat

Goat meat, also known as a kid (young goat) or chevon (adult goat), is a type of red meat from the domestic goat. Goats are one of the earliest domesticated animals that efficiently produce both milk and meat. Goat is one of the most popular red meats globally and is a mainstay in Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin, and Caribbean cuisines. Goat meat is naturally lean, containing less saturated fat and cholesterol than beef or chicken. Due to its leanness, goat tends to dry out during the cooking process, so it is often cooked in a marinade or stew to retain its moisture. Braising or stewing goat meat low and slow with liquid (or using a slow cooker or pressure cooker) can yield succulent results. In the United States, goat meat is available from halal butchers and Latin American grocery stores, where it may be labeled as cabrito (young goat).

Goat meat has a bold, gamey flavor. Marinating the meat or pairing it with other strong flavors can tone down this gaminess. Compared to other red meats, goat is sweeter than lamb but less sweet than beef and is leaner than both options.

Goat meat is a staple food in many cuisines. Here are some of the most popular international dishes that feature goat meat:

1. 1. Jamaican curried goat: This classic stew features goat meat seasoned with thyme, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and Scotch bonnet peppers, served atop rice and beans.
2. 2. Mexican goat barbacoa tacos: This Mexican barbacoa dish features goat wrapped in banana or agave leaves and slow-cooked over an open flame or in an underground oven lined with hot coals.
3. 3. Biryani: Indian goat biryani is a dish of rice, caramelized onions, and goat meat marinated in yogurt, biryani masala, and turmeric.
4. 4. Birria: Birria is a goat-based soup that hails from the state of Jalisco in Mexico. To make birria, goat meat is typically marinated in a paste made from dried chile peppers, then braised until tender, and served with tortillas, toppings, and salsas.
5. 5. Goat shawarma: In this Middle Eastern dish, goat meat is covered in a spice mix then roasted on a rotating spit. The caramelized outer layer of meat is shaved off and served over rice or in a flatbread sandwich. Learn how to make beef shawarma using our simple recipe.
6. 6. Yeomso Tang: Yeomso Tang is a Korean goat meat stew seasoned with perilla seed, doenjang (soybean paste), and sesame oil.