Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat (Capra hircus). The common name for goat meat is "goat meat", while meat from young goats can be called "kid meat", capretto (Italian), and cabrito (Spanish and Portuguese). In South Asian cuisine, mutton refers to goat meat.[1]
The culinary name "chevon", a blend of French: chèvre "goat" in French and French: 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,[6] [7] [8] 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.
See also: List of goat dishes. Goat meat is both a staple and a delicacy in the world's cuisines.[9] 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.[10] Cabrito, which is baby goat, is a very typical food of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico;[11] 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.
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.
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; goat dishes are also an Easter staple in the alpine regions of central Europe, often braised (Bavaria) or breaded and fried (Tyrol).
Goat has historically been less commonplace in American, Canadian and Northern European cuisines but has become more popular in some niche markets,[12] including those that serve immigrants from Asia and Africa who prefer goat to other meat.[13] the number of goats slaughtered in the United States has doubled every 10 years for three decades, rising to nearly one million annually.[14] 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, especially in cities such as New York City and San Francisco. Costco stores in the Philadelphia suburbs keep whole frozen goats in a Halal case.[15] Brady, Texas has held its Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off annually since 1973.[16]
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.
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 mangsho 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.
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.[17]
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.
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. 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. Despite being classified as red meat, goat is leaner and contains less cholesterol and fat than both lamb and beef,[18] and less energy than beef and lamb; therefore, it requires low-heat, slow cooking to preserve tenderness and moisture.
Goats consume less forage than beef cattle. A hectare of pasture can sustain 25 goats or more, compared to five cattle. A goat produces 40abbr=onNaNabbr=on of meat, which is much less than that of cattle and pigs, making goats unsuitable for modern meat processors.
| Amount Per 100 grams | |
| Energy : |
| % 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% | |