Previous | Next

Goat meat is classified as a "red meat." It has a taste similar to mutton

It is the primary meat source in the Middle East and in northern Africa. Goat meat in North America, Australia and the UK is mostly only sold in specialty or ethnic stores. In these English speaking countries, there is an attempt by marketers to call it "chevron" now, in an effort perhaps to make it more appealing there. Some English speakers say they find the meat too stringy and greasy without enough of a compensating good taste to bother with it.

A goat's body is similar to a lamb's body, but much leaner. There is no marbling in goat meat. The fat tends to accumulate in their body cavity rather than in the muscle. Because of this, though, the meat can dry out and toughen easily. Consequently, much goat meat is usually cooked with slow, moist cooking methods.

The meat colour varies from pink to bright red.

Male goats are slaughtered for eating when very young, because as they age the meat gets so tough you have to stew it for hours. Kids are goats under 1 year old; they are usually slaughtered when 3 to 5 months old. Meat from young goats can be cooked as you would lamb, and meat from young male goats won't have a goaty smell if they were slaughtered (or at least neutered) before they had a chance to develop musk glands. Older meat is best cooked through slow, moist cooking. Adult goat meat almost always stewed in one way or another. Fans say that meat from older goats has more flavour.

Any goat meat sold in America must be slaughtered under government inspection, and the meat must be inspected. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications for fresh goat in October 2001. The document is here. (link valid as of Dec. 2008.)

The carcass of a goat will usually weigh about 50 pounds (22 1/2 kg) after being dressed. The main cuts are leg, loin, rack and shoulder. Leg refers to the rear leg; shoulder to the front leg.

The rear legs are about 1/3 of the carcass weight; the rump and sirloin are usually left attached to the rear legs. The second largest cut is the shoulder.

The loin is the most expensive cut. It may be left as a rack or cut into chops.

Female goat meat considered better for steaks and chops

Some goat breeds are more docile than others; some are more mischievous than others. Both male and female goats grow horns and beards, though the beards on male goats are longer. They are sometimes shaved off for shows.

Some goats have small, hair-covered fleshy appendages on the neck just under the jaw. These are called either waddles, wattles, toggles, tassels or waggles. Whatever purpose they served in the evolutionary past of a goat, they have no known purpose now.

Goats will only produce milk if they have children. Breeds from tropical areas tend to kid all year round, though.

Good milk breeds include British Saanen, British Toggenburg, British Alpine, Anglo Nubians, French Alpine, Oberhasli, and La Mancha.

Good meat goats are Spanish Meat Goat, Tennessee Meat Goat, South African Boer Goat, and New Zealand Kiko Goat.

Angora and Cashmere goats are raised for their wool.

Cooking Tips
The USDA gives these cooking guidelines:

• Cook ground goat meat to a minimum of 160 F (71 C);
• For chops, roasts and steaks: rare (145 F / 63 C), medium (160 F / 71 C) or well done (170 F / 77 C);
• All other meat: stewing or braising

Nutrition
Per 100g, cooked: 145 calories, 27g protein, 3g fat, 75mg cholesterol.

Storage
Use or freeze within 3 to 5 days.

History
Goats are native to south Asia. They were probably first domesticated somewhere in the area of Iran.

The South African Boer Goat was introduced into the United States via New Zealand in 1993.

Language Notes
The French word for a butcher shop, "boucherie", comes from the French word "bouc", for a male goat.

Acknowlegements

Also called:

Other entries for: Goat

Goat, Rove Goats

Other entries for:

Meat
Affettati, Beef, Buffalo, Cap On / Cap Off, Game, Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications, Minced Meat, Offal, Paillards, Pork, Potted Meats, Poultry, Roasts, Sausages, Sheep, Steak, Veal, Venison, Yak