Categorized | Beef, Bits and Bites

The Ultimate Curry Goat Recipe.

jamaica curry goatEver since my Ultimate Curry Chicken recipe I’ve decided to attach the word “Ultimate” to any dish I make for sharing with you all, that goes beyond my expectations. I must say that I’ve never been a fan of curry goat and I’m sure I can count the number of times I’ve had it on my fingers. But I’m so glad that I tried this recipe a couple nights ago, so I now have  a new appreciation for it. For the great cook that my mom is and I guess I can add my sister, aunts and grandmother to the list… I think I’ve trumped them all with this recipe. Just don’t tell them I said that.. that will lead to “confusion”.

For those of you who showed interest in the recipe when I mentioned I was cooking it the other night on the Face Book Fan page, I do apologize for the delay in actually posting it here. Lately I’ve been swamped work with the new website I launched as well as my other web properties, so finding time to blog about cooking is not as easy as before.

You’ll Need

2 lbs goat cut into 1-2 inch pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
1 medium onion sliced
3 cloves garlic crushed or sliced thin
3 sprigs thyme
1 tomato sliced
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (any hot pepper you like)
2 scallions
1/2 teaspoon curry powder for seasoning the meat
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder for cooking
1/4 teaspoon geera powder (cumin)
1/4 teaspoon amchar masala (optional but goes well with this dish)
1 leaf Spanish thyme crushed (optional)
4 leaves shado beni (bhandhanya)
1/2 teaspoon ketchup
3 tablespoon oil (something that can withstand high heat)
3 1/4 cups water

* If you don’t have access to the shado beni you can use 1 table spoon of green seasoning or 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro.

* I used boned goat meat, but feel free to use boneless if you want. If using boned, remember to get the butcher to cut it into pieces for you as the bones are VERY tough and will do damage to your knives.

* If you can’t get goat meat, I’m sure you can use lamb with great results.

Wash and drain the meat, then season with everything listed above except the water, oil, onion, garlic, pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons of curry powder. BTW if you’re wondering what curry powder I use, it’s the Raja Jahan Special Madras curry. Made by Turban Brand Products of Trinidad and Tobago, it’s my absolute favourite. Mix well, cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hrs. Try to seal tight as the smell can easily overwhelm the inside of your fridge. Remember to take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before cooking so it gets back to room temperature.

seasoned goat for curry

trinidad curry goat

Here’s a pic of the geera and amchar masalaI used (my 2 secret ingredients) :

curry for goat recipe

Lets get to cooking now. In a heavy pot put the oil to heat on medium/high, then add the onion and garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes (until they go soft and the garlic releases it’s flavours). Now add the hot pepper and curry powder so it cooks with the onion and garlic. Give this a minute or 2, until it starts to stick or go really thick. Now add a 1/4 cup of water and allow this to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring.

As the water dries off, you’ll notice that the curry will take on a sort of grainy texture and the oil will start being visible again at the bottom of the pot. The colour of the curry will also go darker.. this is an indication that it’s time to add the seasoned meat to the pot.

curry goat recipe

guyana goat curry

goat curry

cooking curry for goat recipe

Turn up the heat and start adding the pieces of seasoned goat a few pieces at a time and stir between each batch you add. This will allow each piece to get coasted with the curry sauce we just created. After you’ve added all the meat, there are 3 steps.

1. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer (it will release it’s own juices).

2. Add the 3 cups of water left from the ingredient list to the bowl that had the seasoned pieces of meat. This will allow the water to pick up any of the seasonings that may be left behind. Set that aside for later.

3. Stir every 5 minutes or so.

jamaican curry goat

currying goat recipe

cooking curry goat

Allow this to cook for about 25 minutes on a gentle simmer, then remove the lid and turn up the heat. We now need to burn off all those natural juices that were released as it simmered. You’ll know when it’s all gone when you stir the pot and can see the bottom of it without any liquid. Now add the 3 cups of water we had transferred to the bowl we seasoned the meat in. Bring that to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and let it do it’s thing. Remember to keep it covered and stir every 15 minutes or so. We’re basically braising the meat so it’s nice and tender with a rich thick gravy. This can take up to 1 1/2 – 2 hours depending on how soft you like your meat and how old the goat was before it was butchered. Older goats will take longer to cook.

TIP: Feel free to use a pressure cooker for the step (when we added the 3 cups of water) to cut back drastically on the cooking time. I’ve also seen my aunt do this step in the oven as well. She puts it in a baking dish covered with tin foil and set at about 375 and it cooks away slowly in there. Since I’ve never used a pressure cooker, I’m afraid I can’t say how long it will take using that cooking option.

cooking trini style curry goat

how to cook curry goat

After 1 1/2 hrs, it’s time to test to see if it’s as tender as you like. Simply take a piece out and allow to cool on a side plate, then press with a fork or bite off a piece to see how tender it is. If you’re happy with it’s texture, it’s time to reduce the gravy to a thickness you like. Usually the gravy will be perfect, but if you find that it’s a bit runny, simply raise the heat and burn off. Pay close attention so you don’t burn it in the final stages of cooking.

jamaica curry goat

curry goat

trini curry goat

So what do you pair this with? This is a classic dish to eat with rice (most people like white rice, but I’m a HUGE fan of brown rice), ground provisions, roti (any type), at Jamaican restaurants you’ll get rice and peas, great for sucking up the gravy with pita bread and if all fails… level it down on it’s own :)

Leave me your comments or different versions of this recipe in the box provided below. It’s really appreciated. BTW, this will easily serve 4-5 people.

Happy cooking

chris…

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

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40 Responses to “The Ultimate Curry Goat Recipe.”

  1. Hi Chris, I just browsed your site and picked up the recipe for the ultimate Curry Goat. I love Curry Goat so I am definitely going to cook this soon.
    I have a couple question – (1)Do you know how to keep fresh Cilantro in the fridge for any length of time? – I buy a batch at a time, store it in a good quality freezer bag in the veg drawers of my fridge,but before I can use it 2-3 times it starts to go limp, soggy and turn black in spots-I keep washing and separating the good from the bad but I lose too much. (sorry to be so long-winded man)
    (2) Where do you purchase your brands of Amchar masala and Geera from? – should most WI food store carry them? – I’m having a bit of trouble locating them. I live in Whitby near Ajax and Pickering. What about the WI markets d’town at St. Lawrence market?

    • admin says:

      Sundayfoodman… thanks again for stopping by.

      re: Cilantro. I have the very same problem. I do 2 things. 1 I run it through a salad spinner to take out as much water as I can. since in the section of the grocery where you get it, they’re always soaked with tons of water. I think all that water it what contributes to it going bad so fast. 2. the other option is to puree it (add a little water and/or lemon juice) and freeze the puree into ice trays. This way when you’re cooking you can dump a cube when needed. However you will loose some of the flavor with this method.

      re: Massala… I usually get stuff brought up to me from Trinidad, but I do know that those West Indian grocery stores in North York and Mississauga does stock. You will be paying a bit more for them there though. Yes, the St Lawrence market should have at least 1 vendor selling that as well. BTW.. you can find these online as well.. I think i saw it on Amazon.com a while back.

      Let me know how you make out. next time I’m in the Toronto area I’ll be sure to check the WI grocery stores to see oif I cna find some for you.

      happy cooking

      chris

    • Tonia says:

      I wash the cilantro and put it in the blender with some thyme, garlic, onions, peppers or whatever I have with a little water and then pour it into ice trays and freeze. then I take them out of the ice trays and put them in ziploc bags labeled with what I have in them. Viola! Homemade seasoning! I love it! I drop a few cubes into whatever I am cooking.

    • Mrs. B says:

      Hi There,

      I wanted to tell you that you can buy Cilantro (and Garlic and Parlsey, etc., etc.) now in tubes in the grocery section of Loblaws and Independent grocery stores (I live in Ontario Canada). You squeeze out what you need – like toothpaste – and it has a shelf life of a few months. Perfect for recipes! I keep a selection of these herbs inside my fridge on the door. No more waste and they taste fresh as cut herbs.

      Mrs. B

    • Naz says:

      The best way to keep Cilantro fresh is to clean it and pull the leaves and Freeze in the freezer. They taste great even when used frozen as they thaw as soon as you put them in the curry. Try it.

  2. Katherine says:

    I have only tasted curry goat once. I loved it, although the meat has a lot of little bones. Your version looks firey hot and delicious. Thanks for sharing
    .-= Katherine´s last blog ..Gruyere Gougeres =-.

    • admin says:

      Katherine, you can ask your butcher for boneless if you’d like to give this recipe a shot. (I like the bones as it adds a nice flavor to the finished dish IMHO)

      happy cooking

      chris..

  3. Hi Chris,
    A Trini lady I knew, put a type of margarine at the end of her curry cooking. She said it’s a special margarine from Trinidad which gives an extra layer of flavor. Do you know what she’s referring to?

    • admin says:

      Tutty, I see Nadia already answered. Here’s a pic of the Golden Ray Butter This is added at the end of MANY of our dishes, but it’s notorious for being bad for our heart (cholesterol)

      happy cooking

      chris

  4. Nadia says:

    i think you are referring to golden ray butter..its the best

  5. Thanks, Nadia & thanks, Chris for the link. If I remember correctly, it does look like that.
    Yeah, I realized that some things are so good that they’re bad for our health :)
    .-= Tuty @ Scentofspice´s last blog ..Aromatic Sticky Rice Cooked in Rice Cooker =-.

  6. Simi Mathew says:

    Thankyou for dropping by my blog. Your blog is very impressive and this particular recipe looks so enticing.
    .-= Simi Mathew´s last blog ..Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting =-.

  7. Chris says:

    Simi, great to have you here and commenting.

    happy cooking

    chris..
    .-= Chris´s last blog ..Salted Pig Tail And Ground Provisions Soup. =-.

  8. Grace says:

    OHHH MY GOSSWSHHH!!!!
    This recipe is the sh#$!!!
    It came out PERFECT!!!

    MUAH MUAH MUAH Chris!!!

    You are a blessing!!!
    Thank you X 100

    How can we submit pictures of how our dishes came out….?
    I definitely want to show you how great of a teacher you are…

    Next Im going to try and my buss-up-shut skin… 1st i need to buy d tawa!!

    Definitely not enough people know of this webiste… cus if so, plenti people would have been swamping here… soon you’ll be discovered for your greatness!!

    You are the bomb Chriss!!!

    thanks!!!

  9. Sabina says:

    I found your recipe while searching for 'curry goat' recipes – so Bajans would say – and, of course the best is made with the bone in. A few ting I thought I'd share: first, for those who'd like to make their own 'amchar massala', here's Madhur Jaffrey's recipe which I gwine try, cuz she one great cook!
    &lthttp://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Indian-Recipes-219/Amchar-Masala-1517.aspx>” target=”_blank”>;http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Indian-Recipes-219/Amchar-Masala-1517.aspx>
    Second, in the 'lingo' dept, 'jeera' is simply cumin seed and you can find it at just about any supermarket nowadays – used a lot in Mexican food, for another one sides West/Indian.

  10. Sabina says:

    Third, my tip for storing cilantro (and parsley, and mint, and most green herbs) is first, as you say, to dry out the leafy tops, whether by spinning or wrapping in a kitchen towel or even just leave it out in the kitchen for a few hours. Then, if the roots have been cut off, trim the stems about a half-inch, or just leave the roots if they're still there, and place the bunch in a glass of water so the stems are submerged, but none of the green leafy bits – they get slimey under water. Lightly cover the green tops with a dry paper towel and wrap the whole works in a plastic bag like the kind you put your veggies in at the grocery store. Stand upright in a safe location in the fridge – so you don't inadvertently knock it over – and it will keep like a dream for even more than a week. If you think of it when you use some, change the water in the glass, just as you would for cut flowers.

    • jumbieg says:

      Lovely tips.. I store asparagus the same way in the fridge (in water). I'll have to remember to do the same with cilantro when I get a bunch next trip to the grocers.

  11. Sabina says:

    Hope dis help some o de folkses out dere. (An if you go to Kensington Market in downtown Toronto, head over to House of Spice on Augusta Avenue, and check out Baldwin and Kensington streets too and you'll find lots o wot yuh lukking for; otherwise, head east on Gerrard to Coxwell and you'll be in Little India for about the next six blocks on Gerrard. Just so much fun and lots of good shopping for all those ingredients and more besides! I'll let you know bout de curry soon! Tanks, mahn!

  12. jumbieg says:

    Sabrina.. your tips and advice is very much appreciated. For the Toronto people.. you must take her advice and check out these places.

  13. ++MIRA++ says:

    chirs- i think goat is so underused and it can be so deliciuos. thanks for sharing and stopping by my site. ur site is really cool! i love it.

    happy cooking
    mira

  14. Jeanne says:

    My husband is from the islands and he loves my curry chicken, can I use this recipe for chicken?

  15. Richi says:

    Just wanted to say thank you for the excellent recipe. I strongly advise everyone to follow this recipe exactly. There was a moment half way where it looked perfect and I wanted to leave it to cook but adding the extra water to the braised meat and then leaving it to cook made perfect sense. Thank you so much.

  16. Michael says:

    Thanks Chris cooking my curry goat as i post here!!LOL

  17. Vanita says:

    Vanita – For all my meat curries I add a pinch of all spice, it's really good for flavor.

  18. olivia charles says:

    I am about to try this recipe today, i have already season my goat meat and i am adding potatoes with it and cooking my brown rice when i am done i will let you know later

  19. eyejammy says:

    just finished cooking this using lamb. this right here is the real deal!

  20. John Murray says:

    Chris – Absolutely *best* goat curry I've had …. we've been using goat in preference to higher calorie lamb so have tried a few recipes! Also the recipe presentation – great on detail and pics and very exact – great! Thanks heaps – John

  21. Sahodari Maharaj says:

    Hi Chris
    Are you related to the De La Rosa's from Guaracara in Trinidad, near the snake people? Do you know Pepe? Let me know because you may be my relative. Anyways that was some good mother-in law. Had it with pong-up yam and saltfish and tomatoes. Keep up the good work.

  22. kelly b!!!!! says:

    This is my second time cookin curry goat, my first attempt was shockingly bad ( but I did use a different receipe), this time its come out puuuurfect!!! Youve got a great way of explaining every step and the pics really help the novice carribean cook!!! we will be trying out some of your other recipes real soon!!!

  23. Shirma says:

    I have already seasoned my goat and included the onion and garlic, is that a problem?

  24. TriniCook says:

    Your curry goat looks GREASY!!! It shouldn't come out looking like that.

  25. Rosey says:

    We had some delicious curry goat in St. Maarten on vacation. But it had vertebrae with the spinal cord still in it… is this common? Did not eat the spinal cord but the rest was yum.

    Here in Maryland everyone hunts so I have a ton of frozen venison on hand. Think I will make some "curry deer."

  26. shaunte r. says:

    I made this recipe twice and it comes out better and better each time! I always thought curry goat was a complicated and "un-doable" recipe but the way you break down your recipes step by step and include pictures make it soo easy! Your website is a gem! Keep up the good work!

  27. zanisha says:

    instead of water you can used coconut milk or u can throw in a pepsito help soften the goat meat it also add more flavor

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