Goat is the most commonly eaten red meat on Earth, but not in the U.S. although it is gaining popularity in the past several years.
Goat meat is delicious. especially here in Karystos where the goat feed in fields that are moistened by the sea air. Karistian goat is prized on the mainland.
The meat is sweet and similar to lamb, but milder. And that’s saying something because the lamb here in Karystos is also mild, sweet and delicious.
Goat also has fewer calories and less cholesterol than beef, chicken, pork or lamb.
The majority of goat sold here is very young, probably because the majority of goats are raised for dairy products and a lot of male kids are killed shortly after birth.
Just about any recipe that uses lamb will also work for goat.
Here are two recipes
Arni me Fassolakia: Lamb or Goat Stew with Green Beans
αρνί με φασολάκια, pronounced ahr-NEE meh fah-soh-LAHK-yah
This is a favorite stovetop casserole with leg of lamb or goat (bone in or boneless), stewed with tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans. This recipe can also be made using a pressure cooker.
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds of leg of goat, bone in (or 3 1/3 pounds of boneless leg or shoulder) cut in serving sized pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 7/8 cup of olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons of sea salt
- 2 1/4 pounds of fresh or frozen string beans, ends trimmed
- 3 medium-large tomatoes, pulped in blender
- 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce
- 2 1/4 pounds of potatoes, peeled, cut in large chunks
- 1/2 rounded tablespoon of fresh chopped mint
- 1 rounded tablespoon of fresh chopped dill
- 1 rounded tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
- a pinch of ground cinnamon
Preparation:
In a casserole or stew pot, sauté the onion and meat in olive oil over medium heat until well browned. Add water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, until meat is tender.
Add beans, potatoes, mint,dill, parsley, cinnamon, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Add more water during cooking if necessary.
Yield: Serves 6
Arnaki Kleftiko: Bandit’s Lamb
αρνάκι κλέφτικο, pronounced ahr-NAH-kee KLEF-tee-koh
This recipe is an adaptation of a dish fixed in the mountains by guerillas (bandits) who needed to cook without being seen. They placed the meat on coals in a hole, covered it up, and let it cook for up to 24 hours. No trace of any stolen animal, and no smell of cooking meat to give them away.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 4 pound leg of lamb or goat
- 10-12 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 6 ounces of cheese (kefalotyri, pecorino) cut in cubes
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 4 pounds of roasting or baking potatoes, peeled, cut in half or quarters
- 3 medium carrots, cut in chunks
- sea salt
- paprika to suit
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp of dried rosemary
- 4-5 sheets of parchment cooking paper or 1 large piece
- water
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325F (165C).
Rub the lamb with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika to taste. With a sharp knife, pierce the lamb and insert a clove of garlic and a piece of cheese into each opening.
Drizzle the potatoes and carrots with any remaining oil, season to taste with salt and pepper.
On a clean work surface, spread out the parchment sheets and lay the lamb in the center, with the potatoes, carrots and rosemary.[ref]If you don’t have parchment paper you can use a clay pot or put the meat and vegetables in a baking pan and cover with saran wrap and aluminum foil over the saran wrap. Don’t add water to the pan.[/ref]
If there is any remaining cheese and/or garlic cloves, add as well.
Close the parchment paper and secure well, tucking the sides underneath to make a packet.
Fill a roasting pan 1/3 full of water, add the packet and cook for 2 hours 30 minutes, adding more water to the pan as needed to keep from getting dry.
When done, lift the entire packet onto a serving platter, and cut open at the table to serve.
Yield: serves 4
Alternate preparation: Cut meat into serving size portions and wrap each portion, together with portion-size serving of potatoes and carrots, individually. Set side by side in roasting pan to cook, and serve one packet to each plate.