Goat meat

Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat (Capra hircus). The term 'goat meat' denotes meat of older animals, while meat from young goats is called 'kid meat'. In South Asian cuisine, goat meat is called mutton, along with sheep meat.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

The culinary name "chevon", a blend of chèvre "goat" in French and mouton "sheep" in French, was coined in 1922 and selected by a trade association; it was adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1928,^[7]^[8]^[9]^: 19 however the term never caught on and is not encountered in the United States. "Cabrito", a word in Spanish and Portuguese, is the meat of a young, milk-fed goat. It is also known as chivo meat.

In cuisine

Goat meat is both a staple and a delicacy in the world's cuisines.^[10] The cuisines best known for their use of goat include African cuisine, Middle Eastern, Indian, Indonesian, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Abruzzese, Mexican, Caribbean (Jamaica), Haitian cuisine, Dominican cuisine and Ecuadorian.^[11] Cabrito, which is baby goat, is a very typical food of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico;^[12] in Italy it is called "capretto". Goat meat can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as being stewed, curried, baked, grilled, barbecued, minced, canned, fried, or made into sausage. Goat jerky is also another popular variety.

Africa

Goat meat is used in a great number of traditional ceremonies in many parts of Africa. In Kenya, for instance, you are more likely to find a goat slaughtered in many a household, as opposed to a cow or even chicken. A lot of "choma" or barbecued meat is made with goat meat and is a great delicacy in many parts of the country. Among the Chaga people of Tanzania, a ceremonial goat (locally called ndafu) is gutted and roasted whole as part of a centuries-old tradition. The ceremonial goat is the preferred replacement to the wedding cake used in many weddings around the world.^[13]

Europe

Italian, Greek, Serbian, and Portuguese cuisines are also known for serving roast goat in celebration of Easter (in Italian cuisines, goat is used in spaghetti bolognese and lasagna as an alternative for lamb or beef), with the North of Portugal serving it as well on Christmas Day;^[11] goat dishes are also an Easter staple in the alpine regions of central Europe, often braised (Bavaria) or breaded and fried (Tyrol).

North America

Goat has historically been less commonplace in American, Canadian and Northern European cuisines but has become more popular in some niche markets,^[14] including those that serve immigrants from Asia and Africa who prefer goat to other meat.^[15] As of 2011^[update] the number of goats slaughtered in the United States has doubled every 10 years for three decades, rising to nearly one million annually.^[16] While in the past goat meat in the West was confined to ethnic markets, it can now be found in a few upscale restaurants and purveyors,^[10] especially in cities such as New York City and San Francisco.^[11] Costco stores in the Philadelphia suburbs keep whole frozen goats in a Halal case.^[17] Brady, Texas has held its Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off annually since 1973.^[18]

Roasted kid

Latin America

Cabrito, a specialty especially common in Latin American cuisine such as Mexican, Peruvian, Brazilian, and Argentine, is usually slow roasted. In Mexican cuisine, there are a variety of dishes including Birria (a spicy goat stew) and cabrito entomatado which means it is boiled in a tomato and spices sauce.

Asia

In Okinawa (Japan), goat meat is served raw in thin slices as yagisashi.

On the Indian subcontinent, Mutton biryani and mutton curry are prepared in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar, use goat meat as a primary ingredient to produce a rich taste. Goat curry is a common traditional Indo-Caribbean dish. In Bangladesh, West Bengal, traditional meat dishes like kosha gosht and rezala are prepared using meat from goats with meat that has rich taste and a gamey flavour.

Goat meat is also a major delicacy in Nepal, and goats are sacrificed during Dashain, the largest annual celebrations in the country, as well as on other festive occasions. There are many separate dishes, which together include all edible parts of the animal. Bhutun is made from the intestines and stomach, rakhti from the blood, karji-marji from the liver and lungs, and the feet – khutti – are often made into soup. Sukuti is a kind of jerky, while sekuwa is made from roasted meat and often eaten with alcoholic beverages. In addition to these dishes, goat meat is often eaten as part of momos, thukpa, chow mein and other dishes in various parts of the country. Taasa is another popular fried goat meat dish in Nepal, particularly popular in districts of the central region.

In Indonesia, goat meat is popularly skewered and grilled as sate kambing, or curried in soups such as sup kambing and Gulai kambing.

In Filipino cuisine, goat meat, or in Filipino kambing, was cooked in multiple varieties. From sinampalukan, papaitan, caldereta, kilawin and others. It was commonly seen and used in Ilocano cuisine.

Oceania

As of the early 2020s, Australia was responsible for only 0.4% of worldwide goat meat production, and its domestic market was small; only 9% of locally produced goat meat was consumed there. However, the country was also the world's largest exporter of the product: 35% of all of its exports, accounting for 44% of its global export value. Most of Australia's goat meat exports were in the form of frozen whole carcasses. The country's biggest market for the product was the United States, with an average 60% volume share in the first half of the decade.^[19]

According to Meat & Livestock Australia, 2,364,307 goats were slaughtered there in 2023. The bulk of them were feral rangeland goats, captured and gathered through goat depots, and then sent to an abattoir. Feral goats range all over Australia, but are most prevalent in western New South Wales, where the population was estimated in 2020 at 4.9 million.^[19]

Characteristics

A tajine of goat meat

Goat has a reputation for having a strong, gamey flavor, but the taste can also be mild, depending on how it is raised and prepared.^[10] Caribbean cultures often prefer meat from mature goats, which tends to be more pungent, while some other cultures prefer meat that comes from younger goats that are six to nine months old. Ribs, loins, and tenderloin goat meat are suitable for quick cooking, while other cuts are best for long braising.^[16] Despite being classified as red meat, goat is leaner and contains less cholesterol and fat than both lamb and beef,^[20] and less energy than beef and lamb;^[16] therefore, it requires low-heat, slow cooking to preserve tenderness and moisture.

Production

Goats consume less forage than beef cattle. A hectare of pasture can sustain 25 goats or more, compared to five cattle. A goat produces 18 kg (40 lb) of meat, which is much less than that of cattle and pigs, making goats unsuitable for modern meat processors.^[16]

Nutrition information

Amount Per 100 grams
Energy : 600 kJ (143 kcal)

% Daily Value
Total Fat 3 g	4%
Saturated fat 0.9 g	4%
Cholesterol 75 mg	25%
Sodium 86 mg	3%
Potassium 405 mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 0 g	0%
Dietary fiber 0 g	0%
Sugar 0 g	–
Protein 27 g	54%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	1%
Vitamin D	0%
Iron	20%
Magnesium	0%
Cobalamin	20%
Vitamin B6	0%

References

^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition, June 2003, [https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/124371 s.v., definition 1b
^ "Whose Goat is it Anyway?". Hindustan Times. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
^ O'Brien, Charmaine (2013). The Penguin food guide to India. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-341456-8. OCLC 874690463.
^ Madhur Jaffrey, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, ISBN 0375712119, p. 49
^ Jaffrey, Madhur (2011). An invitation to Indian cooking (1st ed.). New York: Knopf. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-375-71211-1. OCLC 713022617. Archived from the original on 2023-07-19. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
^ Groene, Janet (1999). U.S. Caribbean Guide: Be a Traveler, Not a Tourist!. Gordon Groene (1st ed.). Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Open Road Pub. ISBN 1-883323-87-8. OCLC 40394137.
^ Brianna Dyan Farber, Ruminating on Ruminants: Goats and the People Who Raise Them in South Carolina, thesis, Master of Arts, College of Charleston, 2013, p. 19 full text Archived 2023-07-18 at the Wayback Machine
^ Ball, Carleton R. (1928). "Comment on Dr. Kellerman's Criticism of the Committee Report on 'Median Terms'". Agronomy Journal. 20 (5): 523–526. doi:10.2134/agronj1928.00021962002000050014x. The term 'chevon,' as a name for goat meat was created by 'dismembering' chevre (French for goat) and mouton (French for sheep) and 'using certain of the letters.' It was devised by commercial agencies and appears in a recent publication of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Farmers' Bulletin 1203:19, revised 1926).
^ Williams, G. P. (1926). "The angora goat". The Farmers' Journal. 1203. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
^ ^a ^b ^c Alford, Henry (March 31, 2009). "How I Learned to Love Goat Meat". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Fletcher, Janet (July 30, 2008). "Fresh goat meat finding favor on upscale menus". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 23, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
^ "Traditional food of Nuevo León". Gobierno del Estado de Nuevo León. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
^ What the Chaga Tribe Eats in a Day!! EXTREME African Food in Tanzania!!, 4 May 2022, archived from the original on 2022-07-07, retrieved 2022-06-28
^ Severson, Kim (October 14, 2008). "With Goat, a Rancher Breaks Away From the Herd". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
^ "New Americans turn to goats to address food demand". My FOX DC. Associated Press. 2014-04-18. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Scarbrough, Mark; Weinstein, Bruce (2011-04-05). "Goat meat, the final frontier". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
^ "Whole Frozen Goat Carcass, 11 kg average weight*". Costco. Archived from the original on 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
^ McSpadden, Wyatt (July 2011). "Brady... Get Your Goat!". Texas Highways. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^ ^a ^b McKeesick, Mandy (14 July 2024). "Goats of gold: Australia's feral goat problem has become a $235m export trade". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
^ Kunkle, Fredrick; Dwyer, Timothy (November 13, 2004). "Long an Ethnic Delicacy, Goat Goes Mainstream". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2010.