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One of the most surprising reactions our diners have is to their first taste of goat and we are often asked where to source it.
Thompson Meats at the Victoria Market have taken on the role that the now retired market legend Alf Paulet had in supplying great offal, they also sell very fine goat meat grown in Gippsland in all the convenient cuts.
Many of you will be very familiar with the sweet taste and tender texture of young goat meat. Just as many of you will be a little confused and perhaps frightened by the unjust reputation that goat meat has, as having an 
overtly strong flavour and aroma. This is a myth.
Young goat, sometimes called kid or capretto is as tender as young spring lamb with a subtle light aroma that does not intensify during slow cooking. Because goat is leaner than lamb sometimes a little pork fat, bacon or duck fat can help to bring the cooking to a moist conclusion. Most Halal butchers will also have goat meat as it is very popular amongst the Middle Eastern and Asian communities and sold as “mutton”. This can be confusing but Halal goat meat is usually a little older than Kid or Capretto which is under 12 kilo per carcase, more like its two-tooth equivalent in lamb. The older carcass is sometimes also called Chevon . I like them both very much and the flavour of goat meat marries well with both European and Asian herbs and spices. Once we had a wine and food society function with lots of guessing games going on and some of the local farmers were very surprised that goat could taste so good and insisted that it was milk fed lamb.
Vietnamese butchers also stock young goat with the singed skin on.
overtly strong flavour and aroma. This is a myth.Young goat, sometimes called kid or capretto is as tender as young spring lamb with a subtle light aroma that does not intensify during slow cooking. Because goat is leaner than lamb sometimes a little pork fat, bacon or duck fat can help to bring the cooking to a moist conclusion. Most Halal butchers will also have goat meat as it is very popular amongst the Middle Eastern and Asian communities and sold as “mutton”. This can be confusing but Halal goat meat is usually a little older than Kid or Capretto which is under 12 kilo per carcase, more like its two-tooth equivalent in lamb. The older carcass is sometimes also called Chevon . I like them both very much and the flavour of goat meat marries well with both European and Asian herbs and spices. Once we had a wine and food society function with lots of guessing games going on and some of the local farmers were very surprised that goat could taste so good and insisted that it was milk fed lamb.
Vietnamese butchers also stock young goat with the singed skin on.
They like to cook it with the skin on slowly till it attains a gelatinous texture and use it in various traditional ways. Morocco, Italy, Spain all have 
a rich tradition of cooking with goat. Australia is the largest exporter of goat meat in the world.
a rich tradition of cooking with goat. Australia is the largest exporter of goat meat in the world. The cartoon is of course from Michael Leunig from Goatperson And Other Tales
Penguin 1999
7 comments:
George, firstly let me say that it was a good review in the paper today, are you OK about it?
Secondly, have a word on my behalf & prod them why we dont get the whole schlemiel on Saturdays!
Anyways, goat. I'm with you. Flavour 'up to eleven' in the 'Spinal Tap' lexicon. We dont eat enough of the stuff & it shits on lamd as you more delicately & eloquently put it. The rest of the world cant be wrong about the most consumed flesh on the planet? Or can they?
Am I regurgitaing way old data & is the poor old chook now the most heavily consumed flesh globally?
Whatever!
Me Likee goat. Especially wet roasted with preserved lemon, artichoke, little weeny olives & a power punch addition of anchovy mayo! Schwing!
Hi Steve We were very flattered by the review.
Which bits do they leave out of the Sat Age in Tassie? A lot of it is online?
As above - congratulations on the review. Now that the bypass is in it may be too easy for Melburnians to wander down.
You learn something new each time you visit this blog. I never knew the Vietnamese cooked goat with the skin on, dog yes, but that's another story. Still recall the roasted dogs in the market in Hanoi. Don't tell Dianne.
Love it slow cooked and guess that's how it will be done in the wood-fired oven?
Thermo
Yes we saw dog cooked with head on slices cut to order in the markets and I have to admit I was very spooked by the sight. I have to that moment been able to see any animal cooked as food rather than a sentient being still I guess I could quote Richard Thomas who loves Vietnam... he says "Dog yes love em, couldnt eat a whole one though".
Saw the great man today at DeB's - could well imagine him saying that - and I never know when he is serious.
I have never eaten goat but am lighting our woodfire oven tomorrow and keen to try it for the first time. Any advice or hints?
Thanks for lunch last weekend. I didn't try the goat and now I'm disappointed. On the ABC this week I see that Australia exports more goat than any other country. I will have to come back and try the goat. The service, food and wine was excellent, plus we had a beautiful Auguest Day. It was great to have someone else cooking for a change. Thanks.
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