Love to eat goat meat but are reluctant to process it yourself because you are worried that the texture will not match your expectations? Although the taste is similar to beef, mutton basically has a much lower fat content; In addition, the aroma is stronger and more distinctive. To produce processed goat meat that is tender, delicious, and does not have a strange smell, make sure you cook the meat at a low temperature for a very long time, and season it with a variety of strong-scented spices. Meat must also be cooked or first soaked in liquid so that the texture is more tender. Interested in trying a variety of delicious and appetizing mutton recipes? Read this article carefully! (The entire recipe below will make 6 servings).
Ingredients
Mutton Stew
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 kg. boneless mutton, diced
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 120 ml. canola oil
- 175 ml. tomato paste
- 500 ml. vegetable broth
Roast Goat Meat
- 1 kg. boneless lamb chops
- 250 ml. yogurt
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
- 1 tbsp. mashed coriander
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Step
Method 1 of 3: Choosing Goat
Step 1. Go to a kiosk that sells good quality goat meat at the traditional market or the nearest supermarket
If you're having trouble finding them at butcher shops, you can even buy them online or at specialty stores that sell Middle Eastern ingredients.
- If you are overseas, some vendors use the term "chevon" to refer to aged mutton, "cabrito" to refer to young mutton, or "capretto" to describe mutton.
- You can always ask the seller for an explanation of the parts of the mutton that match your recipe.
Step 2. Choose a piece of fresh mutton
Like beef or pork, mutton also has several parts that you can choose according to your needs; each piece has a different texture and taste, and needs to be processed in a different way. Here are the most popular cuts of mutton and how to process them:
- Goat cheek meat: Made stews.
- Goat ribs: Marinated in spices and grilled.
- Minced or diced mutton: Made stews (with or without bones).
- Lamb leg meat: Marinated in spices and grilled.
- Lamb leg steak: Marinated in spices and grilled.
- Mutton shoulder: Marinated in spices and grilled.
Step 3. Learn how to cook properly to create the best taste of meat
Goat meat has a lean texture; as a result, the texture will be very tough and difficult to chew if cooked at too high a temperature. Therefore, make sure you cook the mutton at low temperatures for a very long time so that the muscles break down. You can also soak the meat in spices to make it more tender when cooked. In addition, also understand that:
- The juices of mutton can evaporate quickly because the fat content is very low. Therefore, cook the mutton on low heat for a long time in a lot of liquid (we recommend using a slow cooker for the best texture and flavour).
- Goat meat should never be served raw! Unlike beef, mutton must be cooked thoroughly to produce the best taste.
- To add to the delicacy, add various herbs and spices that have a strong taste and aroma. Generally, mutton is cooked for a very long time and is served as the main dish in Middle Eastern, Mexican and Indian cuisines; the mixture of various herbs and spices that are absorbed into the meat during the cooking process is effective in making the texture of the meat very soft.
Method 2 of 3: Making Mutton Stew
Step 1. Cut the meat into cubes
Usually, you can directly buy meat that has been cut into pieces at the market or supermarket. If what you have available in your home is whole mutton, cut the meat with a sharp knife into 2x2 cm cubes. for easy ripening and tenderness.
- Basically, all parts of goat meat can be processed into stews. If you can't find diced meat and don't want to cut it yourself, you can even use mutton leg to make stews.
- To make the stew, you need 1 kg. meat (not including bone weight).
Step 2. Marinate the meat and vegetables in the marinade
Place the carrots, celery, onions, and chilies in a bowl with the mutton; season meat and vegetables with tsp. pepper and 1 tsp. salt. Cover the bowl tightly and leave it overnight in the refrigerator. If you have limited time, at least let the meat sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Step 3. Fry the meat and vegetables until they are lightly browned
Heat the oil in a pan on high heat; after that, arrange the meat and vegetables on the surface of the pan (make sure you don't pile them!). Fry the meat until the entire surface is brown.
- There is no need to cook the meat at this stage; most importantly, make sure the entire surface of the meat turns brown and don't cook it for more than 1 or 2 minutes so that the texture is not tough.
- After that, you can transfer the meat and vegetables to a slow cooker if you don't want to cook the stew on the stove.
Step 4. Pour in the stock and tomato paste
Stir well, then cover the pot and reduce the heat. To enrich the flavor of the stew, try practicing the variations below:
- To make goat curry: replace vegetable stock with equal amounts of coconut milk, add 3 tbsp. curry powder into it.
- For a spicy stew: add chopped red chili, cayenne pepper, or cayenne pepper.
Step 5. Cook the stew for 2 hours
Make sure the stew is cooked over very low heat until it is cooked through. Periodically or every 15 minutes, check the stew to make sure the liquid inside is not drained. If the liquid starts to shrink, add a little more water or vegetable stock so the stew doesn't get too dry.
Step 6. Serve the stew when the meat is cooked and tender
After two hours of cooking, the texture of the mutton should be very soft and can be eaten. To check for doneness, try stabbing the meat with a fork; if the fork can penetrate the meat easily, the stew is ready to serve. Delicious mutton stew served with a plate of warm white rice. Anad can even leave it for a day so that the stew spices can seep into the meat.
Method 3 of 3: Making Roast Mutton
Step 1. Choose the right cut of meat
In fact, all kinds of mutton can be cut into cubes, neatly arranged on skewers, then grilled with various herbs and spices. However, you can also roast a whole leg of goat if you wish. To process goats with this method, you need 1 kg. mutton (not including bone weight).
Step 2. Marinate the meat in the spices
In a large bowl, add the yogurt, orange juice, and all the ingredients listed in the recipe. Enter the goat meat into it, stir well so that all parts of the meat are covered with spices. Cover the bowl tightly and let sit overnight or at least 4 hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to infuse.
Step 3. Set the oven to 150°C
A low oven temperature will cook the goat slowly; As a result, the texture will be more tender and delicious to eat.
Step 4. Wrap the meat in aluminum foil
Place the meat in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil, then wrap the meat tightly so that no voids remain. This method is mandatory for trapping meat juices; as a result, the texture of your roast will remain soft even if it is cooked without the help of liquid for a very long time. Place the aluminum foil in the oven pan.
Step 5. Bake the meat for 1 hour
When the grilling time is up, check the meat for doneness with a fork; make sure the meat can be easily pierced or torn with the fork. If the texture is not soft enough, put the meat back in the oven and continue the roasting process for half an hour.
Step 6. Serve the meat with rice and peas
This traditional Caribbean recipe is delicious served with a plate of warm rice and a sprinkling of peas, or another starchy side dish (for example, potatoes).
Tips
- Some types of goat meat have a taste and aroma that is not as strong as other goat meat. Make sure you know the type and quality of the meat you buy if you don't like eating goat meat with a strong taste and aroma.
- In fact, goat meat is considered very environmentally friendly, especially because goat has a less significant impact on the environment. In addition, the type of food they consume is also very wide (even though they do not eat grains) and their health is generally very good.
