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Jamaican curry goat
Bone-in goat slow-cooked in Jamaican curry powder, pimento and scotch bonnet until it falls off the bone
No Jamaican wedding, nine-night or big Sunday family lunch is complete without a pot of curry goat, often cooked outdoors in a huge pot by whoever has the steadiest hand with the seasoning. It came to the island with Indian indentured workers in the 1800s and became fully Jamaican with scotch bonnet, pimento and thyme. The bone-in pieces are seasoned overnight, browned with the curry powder until it darkens, then simmered for a couple of hours into a rich, brick-yellow gravy with soft potatoes that thicken it. Serve with white rice or rice and peas and a little fried plantain. If you can't find goat, bone-in mutton or lamb shoulder works the same way. Chef's tip: 'burn' the curry first; fry the curry powder in hot oil for a minute until it darkens and smells toasty before the meat goes in, and the gravy will never taste raw or chalky.
- Total time
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the seasoning
For the pot
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rinse 3 ⅓ lb bone-in goat and pat dry. In a large bowl, rub it with 2 tbsp Jamaican curry powder, 1 onion, 4 spring onions (escallion), 6 cloves garlic, 1 ⅛ in fresh ginger, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, 8 pimento (allspice) berries, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Add the rest of the 4 tbsp Jamaican curry powder and stir for 1 minute, until it darkens a shade and smells toasty. Don't let it go black.
1 minStep 3: Lift the goat out of the marinade (keep the onions and herbs in the bowl) and add it to the pot. Brown for 8–10 minutes, turning, until the pieces are coated and sealed on all sides.
10 minStep 4: Add the reserved onions and herbs from the bowl and the whole 1 scotch bonnet pepper, and stir for 2 minutes.
2 minStep 5: Pour in 4 ¼ cups hot water to just cover the meat, bring to the boil, then cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes and topping up with a splash of hot water if it gets dry. Common mistake: boiling it hard; a rolling boil makes goat stringy and tough, so keep it at a lazy bubble.
90 minStep 6: Add 3 potatoes and simmer, uncovered, for 30–40 minutes more, until the meat pulls easily from the bone and the potatoes start to break down and thicken the gravy.
35 minStep 7: Fish out the scotch bonnet (carefully, so it doesn't burst) and the thyme stalks. Taste and adjust the salt.
2 minStep 8: Let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then serve with rice and 1 lime wedges. Curry goat tastes even better the next day; cool quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheating until piping hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jamaican curry goat take?
- About 160 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 140 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of spring onions (escallion)?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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