I thought this would have been asked before so I went back through previous threads until I started to get dizzy so thought I'd better start afresh!
I was in my local Asian 'Bazaar' and bought some goat meat to try. It's already cubed for a curry. I've had it before in African curries, and seen several Caribbean recipes but nothing Indian. My questions are as follows but please add anything else I should know about.
Can/should I just substitute it for lamb/mutton?
Are there any special tips for goat such as cooking times/methods?
Any particular curry styles especially suited to goat.
Would I be right to think that it is goat rather than kid? It was from your typical Whitechapel Asian butchery, actually priced slightly less than their lamb. It doesn't smell strong or 'goaty.'
Is overnight marinating and slow cooking to be recommended or essential?
Thank you all for you replies and experiences (good or bad!) about goat.
Q. Can/should I just substitute it for lamb/mutton?
Yes
Q. Are there any special tips for goat such as cooking times/methods?
Yes, Goat meat is usually tougher and needs longer cooking time.
Q. Any particular curry styles especially suited to goat.
Slow cooking or cooking in a pressure cooker are the commonly used methods in India for mutton
Q. Would I be right to think that it is goat rather than kid? It was from your typical Whitechapel Asian butchery, actually priced slightly less than their lamb. It doesn't smell strong or 'goaty.'
Well, I was told by a Pakistrani butcher once that in this country, Goat's meat is only older lamb's meat. I am not sure how true this is, but sounds quite plausible, since there aren't that many goats around! Perhaps that is why it does not smell 'goaty'!
Q.Is overnight marinating and slow cooking to be recommended or essential?
Yes, that will work well. Simply add evrthing, except the fresh coriander leaves, to the meat, marinate overnight and pressure or slow cook it.
I bought it once or twice a very long time ago, my family did not like it and I never buy it any more. It used to be a lot cheaper than lamb in old days, but isn't any more.
Mamta
Dear Mamta
Thank you for your speedy & comprehensive replies. Much appreciated.
The goat is now embalmed in your Roghan Josh marinade so I'll let you know how I get on in due course.
Interesting to read the butcher's possible theories of the origins of "the goat." But I would have thought that as a lamb turned into a 'hogget' it would have reached a premium as that. Thanks again.
I'm not sure hogget is a distinction made (or understood) in Asia/ by Asians so marketing older lamb as hogget wouldn't be likely in an Asian butcher, in my experience.
However, I'd expect it to be sold as lamb or mutton.
I'm surprised by the butcher's suggestion that meat sold as goat in the UK is usually just hogget! Maybe it's just him? :)
'mutton' in India is likely to be a euphamism (sp?) for goat, and older recipes and cooking times may reflect this. And 'beef' is water buffalo, except in Kerala.
I've seen on TV that environmental health inspectors have found mutton sold as goat in London, as well as Kosher (Halal) chicken breasts (from Holland)pumped full of water/pork.
Best get your supplies from a well known source (as all food).
Yes, I've heard that goat in India is often described as mutton.
I'd not come across the opposite, that mutton might be described as goat here in the UK. I don't think that's likely to be common.
mutton dressed as goat may not be common in the UK, only less scrupulous butchers, perhaps, may try to get away with it, especially to West Indian customers. I'm not sure I could tell the difference just by a quick look, though!!
Reporting back on the "goat" curry. I slow cooked it as Rogan Josh and it turned out quite nice. I wouldn't say my best ever but made a nice change I'd repeat. I'm fairly sure the goat was goat (it certainly wasn't sheep.) It was a lovely flavour and very tender (cooked on the bone) but the gravy had a slightly odd flavour that I'd not had before when making a lamb rogan josh before.
Scanning the web it does seem common for the terms goat and mutton to be used interchangeably in India and the Caribbean both in recipes and in the market.
Obviously this 'flexibility' is not taken to so kindly by Western EHOs! There have been recent prosecutions in London for mutton being sold as goat; see:
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/news_and_events/mutton_dressed_as_goat.htm and
http://www.iccservices.org.uk/downloads/press_releases/meat_crimes_in_uk.pdf (Dr. Teinaz seems to have had a single handed battle against the practice)
So next time you see a goat or lamb looking confused it's probably mulling over what it will actually end up as and explains the apparent reluctance of some East End butchers to actually label the meat on the counter?