While goat meat may be new to tables here in the States it is far from a newcomer in other countries across the world. Almost 65% of the red meat consumed worldwide is goat meat. Most of the demand for this tasty meat is coming from ethnic groups such as Middle Eastern, Asian, African, Latin American and Caribbean heritage, all of which have growing populations here, but now it is making a splash outside of its traditional markets.It is not just the growing ethnic population that is raising the demand for chevron, but the growing desire of the population to include healthier alternatives to their traditional diets. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 3-ounce serving of goat has 122 calories and 2.6 grams of fat, of which less than 1 gram is from saturated fat. Beef, by contrast, is 179 calories, 7.9 grams of fat, with 3 grams from saturated fat. Even chicken is higher in these components, with 162 calories, 6.3 grams of fat and 1.7 grams of saturated fat. Since chevron is a red meat the consumer also gets the added benefits of iron and B-12.
The growing demand for high quality goat meat has left many ranchers a little behind. Much of the goat meat sold in the United States is imported from New Zealand or Australia. About 1.5 million pounds of goat meat is imported every week, mostly from New Zealand.
Chefs throughout the country are fast discovering goat meat and exposing the mainstream population to this amazing delicacy, which is also fueling its growth. Top chefs, such as Dan Barber of Blue Hills restaurants, have been putting it on the menu and finding great success with the lean, veal-like meat.
Bill Niman of BN Ranch sees the future of goat meat.
While much of the ethnic foods derived from goat meat are taken from older, more mature animals, the prime meat being used in finer dining establishments today is coming from younger animals. One such boutique producer of these gourmet goats, or Chevron, is none other than Bill Niman, formerly of Niman Ranch.
“Everybody’s expectation is a gamy, goaty taste,” says Bill Niman of BN Ranch, who compares the flavor of his own goat to a cross between mild lamb and beef. “It’s very mild in flavor.”
Chez Panisse, Eccolo, Frantoio, and Oliveto, have featured BN Ranch goat meat on their menus. Chef Paul Canales of Oliveto told the San Francisco Chronicle that when he put BN Ranch goat on the menu, “Every night, the goat items were the top sellers.” Canales likens the BN Ranch goat to veal in its tenderness and delicacy. “It’s just spectacular,” echoed Eccolo chef Christopher, our cover chef. “It’s very mild in flavor.”
Bill’s reputation for producing superior quality meats has long been know in the industry, as well as his reputation for natural and kind treatment of his animals. He runs his business on the principle that the better an animal is treated, the better the meat will be.
In August of 2007, Bill Niman left the company that bore his name over disagreements with new management. He felt the beliefs the brand was built on were being compromised, and Bill found that hard to stomach.
Now Bill has started fresh and he hopes goat will be the cornerstone of his comeback. He sees “a wide-open market for pristine, pasture-raised goat meat.”
Bill believes in getting the best genetic mix to produce the highest possible quality goat. As Bill said, “I love a cross between Boar Goat (large framed animals resembling, in many ways, the Nubian goat) and Spanish goats which have a milder flavor.
Leg of Goat Meat Recipe
As goat meat is extremely lean, it does best with moist-heat methods of cooking such as braising and pot-roasting. A Mexican street-food favorite is birria, made by marinating leg of goat with a chile paste and spices, then pot-roasting or stewing until tender; it’s served in tortillas topped with onions and cilantro. Jamaicans make curried goat in dozens of variations, but all with some blend of hot chile, such as a Scotch bonnet, and a mix of warm spices –allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander and black pepper. Greeks and Italians will spit-roast a whole kid in the same way they spit-roast lamb, and many American goat ranchers sell chops, legs and ground meat to use in any recipe in which you’d use lamb or even beef.
Southwest Leg of Goat
1 cup white wine or vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (5- to 7-pound) leg of goat, boned
3 large potatoes, quartered
3 onions, quartered
3 large chiles or peppers, seeded and sliced
2 garlic clovers, skin removed
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine vinegar, oil and seasonings and pour over goat meat in a glass baking dish. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 12 to 24 hours, turning often.
Remove goat, strain marinade and reserve. Place potatoes, onion, chiles and garlic in shallow roasting pan and pour 1/4 cup marinade over vegetables. Place goat on roasting rack over vegetables. Pour 1/4 cup marinade over goat. Roast for approximately 25 minutes per pound.
Serve with vegetables. Use drippings for gravy, if desired.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Goat Facts
With more ranchers raising goat, the fresh meat is increasingly available to chefs and home cooks. Here are some quick tips to purchase that perfect piece of goat meat.
What to look for: Look for younger animals. White bones will be the leading tell tale sign, as bones in older animals start turning yellow. Older animals have a higher meat to bone ratio, however, the better quality and milder-tasting meat is from younger animals.
The growing popularity, topped with price points you can obtain, make this healthy red meat a perfect addition to many menus across the country.
How to cook it: Goat can be substituted for lamb in most recipes. Commercial cuts are similar to lamb cuts (shoulder, leg, loin, etc.).