Blame it on Paxson's mission trip to Jamaica. One evening the youth were served goat for dinner. While the squeamish were daintily pushing their bowls aside, Paxson was busily' two-forking' it with gusto.
When he arrived home, what do you suppose Pax was asked most about? The friends he made?....NO. The people he met?................Huh-uh. The places he went?...............Not even. We were too caught up on the goat issue. "How was it?", everyone wanted to know.
So here's the low-down on goat: Tender, Flavorful, delicious. I wasn't too surprised to learn that goat meat is gaining in popularity in the U.S. The reasons are obvious.
1. Goats are easily kept on smaller acreage and cost less to raise than cows
2. Goat meat (called
Chevon) is lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than beef.
3. The protein content of goat meat is comparable to that of beef.
Still not convinced? Here is a recipe to get you started:
Curry Goat by Veda Nugent and Marrett Green
In the past, this dish was prepared only for grand celebrations and weddings, but as people became more health-conscious they began serving it more frequently. Goat meat is one of the healthier meats because it is so low in fat.
Yield: 4 to 5 servings
Preparation & Cooking Time: 1 to 1½ hours (not including marinating)
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds / 1.5 kg goat, cut into 1-inch / 2.5-cm cubes
- 1 lime
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons / 45 mL)
- 2 teaspoons / 10 mL salt
- 1 teaspoon / 5 mL black pepper
- 1 teaspoon / 5 mL thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon / 1 mL finely chopped Scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 tablespoons / 25 mL canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon / 5 mL sugar
- 5 green onions, chopped (about 1 cup / 250 mL)
- 2 teaspoons / 10 mL curry powder
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch / 1-cm cubes
Method:
Squeeze the lime juice over the goat; let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse with cold water. Drain off excess water. Place the goat in a sealable container and add the onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Wearing rubber gloves, rub the spices into the goat with your hands. Marinate, covered and refrigerated, for 1 to 2 hours.
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and sugar, stirring until the sugar is brown. Add the goat with marinade, green onions, and curry; stir thoroughly. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the goat slowly in its own juices, stirring occasionally, until the goat is nearly tender, about 30 minutes. If the meat is tough, pour ¼ cup / 60 mL of water at a time down the sides of the pot, not directly onto the goat (or you will toughen the meat).
Add the potatoes and ¼ cup / 60 mL water; stir thoroughly. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked but not too soft. Crush some of the potatoes to thicken the sauce, if desired. If there is not enough sauce, add ¼ cup / 60 mL water and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve with rice or roti and a salad.
For those of you wondering how I can offer this recipe as the owner of two goats, please keep calm. I assure you sweet Robin and Lockley are safe from harm. They are pets, not food.
grins,
-EJ
Christmas day, Phil and I took Max and Dante' up into the mountains a bit to play in the snow. The teenage boys didn't want to come (big surprise) in case your wondering why they rarely turn up in our pictures.
