How To Roast A Leg of Goat and Be Awesome!

Do you want to do something exciting? Win friends and influence people? Yes? Have you ever prepared goat? Probably not. Goat is a bit exotic. It always makes you feel exciting to do new things. As for impressing people, exotic always works. So, roast a leg of goat and you'll be awesome. Guaranteed. That's a Forkable promise. When people bite into the moist juicy meat this recipe will easily provide you, everyone's brains will explode. Maybe that should be the title of this instructable. How To Make Everyone's Brains Explode with Goat. Hmmm Anyway...

We developed this recipe for a 5 course Polynesian meal we were hosted. Check out the menu to give ideas for possible side dishes.

Step 1 The Recipe

Roasted Leg of Goat

- 1 4-5 lb leg of goat, bone and all
- seeds from a large mature papaya
- 1-2 Tbs kosher salt
- 2-3 large onions for roasting
For the Marinade
- 20 limes, juiced
- 1 c. rum
- 1 c. white wine
- 2 c. olive oil
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2-3 large beets
For the Spice Rub
- 2 Tbs dry ginger
- 2 Tbs cumin
- 1 Tbs coriander
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. kosher salt
- 1 Tbs sumac
- chopped fresh mint
- head of garlic
- fresh ginger knuckle- 2" or so.

Goat can be a tough meat, so this recipe is designed to ensure a nice tender meat. The goat leg is marinated overnight, brined in a spice rub paste for 3 hours, seared over a hot BBQ and finished off in the oven. The end result is a supple tender meat, and the mild flavor of the young goat is enhanced but not overpowered by the marinade and rub.

Steps 3-5 should be done the day before serving.
Steps 6-13 should be done the day of serving.

If you ever finding yourself asking why for any of the ingredients or techniques, check out how we came up with this recipe.

Comments

[gmcpcs]

I will give this a try on one of my goats I am butchering in November. Sounds really good!

[bobbourne]

What a wonderful recipe. Just finished dinner and loved it! A few comments: you say to reserve the marinade, but don't say what to do with it.. I put it in the pan while roasting, basting the meat with it, and it reduced down to a lovely sauce. I also put the beets in the pan and roasted them with the onions under the meat - they were delicious too as a side dish. I have a gas grill, but we put a few smoke chips in to add flavor, and after we seared the meat, I just turned off the center burner, adjusted the others to get indirect heat at 325, and it worked like a charm - was done in 45 min after the searing - used a big ole black cast iron frying pan an my roaster. No oven heating up the house to worry about. Awesome - thank you.

[mackamitsu]

The charcoal is a must with this recipe. Its good on a gas grill, but it is soooooooooo much more better on a charcoal grill. It makes for great left over "schwarmas" the next day. I grill a pita real quick with a touch olive oil on the pita, and the goat get puts on before obviously so its hot. When grilling the pita, if you have really hot coals or are using a gas grill, keep an eye on the pita, or don't use any olive oil.

[redhawk44]

Goat is nice yes. But I personally would avoid anything halal. Unless of course the idea of slaughtering an animal by cutting its throat and leaving it to bleed to death while still conscious and aware floats your boat.

Halal slaughter requires that the animal is NOT stunned first.

[Coffeebot]

We had a "Goat Roast" this last weekend in celebration of our Ugandan friend recieving his green card. It was done in a traditional (I think) style, and it turned out quite good. The cut of meat wasn't that great (it was equated to passing half a goat through a band saw several times), but that didn't ruin the food! We're talking about doing it again, with a better cut, and this recipe definitely looks like winner! +5 and Fav'd!

[watermelonhead]

Ew. It probably doesn't help that I haven't eaten meat since i was 3, but I'll give you points for creativity :D

[canida]

Wha? Goat is awesome! Don't knock it till you've tried it. And if you're veggie, still not cool to pick on meat recipes just for being meaty.

[Forkable]

I agree. However I have made fun of lots of my veg friends for their tofurkeys and approxi-meat items. Its too easy! But I've tried everything, because I love food. I guess the lesson is have a sense of humor but be nice. Since we're all friends here, no worries!

[watermelonhead]

MOKAY! Yay! She's happy, he's happy,we're all happy!

_{(or so I assume)}

[watermelonhead]

Ok, I'll admit, calamari is yummy. And it's not it's meaty-ness, it looks weird.

[Forkable]

You maybe are talking about its pink color, which is because of the beets in the marinade. I think it looks sort of funny too, but I just think of it being my little faux tandoori goat leg. Ha!

[austin]

Where can you get goat in the USA? Im sure a butcher but are there any other stores you know of, also how pricey is it?

[Forkable]

LIke I said, you can probably special order it from your grocery store butcher, but it may be available at an ethnic butcher, middle eastern, Mediterranean, or Indian for example. Here in Chicago, you can find it also at Mexican markets. I've never paid more then $4 a pound, but often less. It depends on where you get it and what quality it is. Just ask around. Good Luck!

[thewoodcarver]

Look in phone book for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal or small Hispanic or Asian stores ....Cost $2.38 a lb last time I bought it

[Turnpike7a]

wow wish i had this recipe a month ago, i slaughtered my 2 goats and roasted them on a spit for 6 hours and kept them moist with beer....can't wait to try this out

[lemonie]

I like goat, might try this next time. L

[canida]

That looks great! We're huge goat fans.
I usually chop it up and go for Goat Curry or Goat Adobo, but will have to give this a try.