Whether you’ve never cooked goat meat before, or it’s something that you cook all the time, you’ll be sure to enjoy this chivo guisado recipe. Chivo guisado is a hearty stew made with braised goat. This recipe originates in the Dominican Republic, so it incorporates tropical spices and fresh citrus flavors, similar to some Jamaican curry recipes. This was also one of the first meals that we learned to make when we started raising meat goats, and it has remained a family favorite ever since.
You’ll need quite a few ingredients to make this recipe: 2-4 pounds of goat meat, a lime, an orange, a red onion, 2-3 mild peppers (such as cubanelles), 4 roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, dried oregano, whole peppercorns, allspice, salt, brown sugar, chicken broth, tomato paste, and some sort of oil.
To Make Chivo Guisado:
1. Start by patting the meat dry and placing it into a large bowl or container. You can use stew meat that has already been chopped into cubes, or you can use a cut such as shank or a shoulder. If you are using stew meat, you’ll need about two pounds. If you are using a cut that contains bone, you’ll need closer to four pounds. Squeeze the juice of the lime and half of the orange over the meat.
2. Next, you’ll use a mortar and pestle to create a paste. Peel the garlic and place it into the mortar, along with 1 generous tablespoon of dried oregano, 4 peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Grind these ingredients together until they form a fine green paste, then rub this into the meat.
3. Thinly slice half of the red onion, and chop the peppers. Toss the onion and pepper into the bowl with the meat, and then cover it and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
4. The next day, heat your chosen cooking oil in a Dutch oven on the stovetop until it shimmers. Add about a tablespoon of brown sugar to the Dutch oven, and then add the meat. Use tongs to turn the meat so that it gets browned on all sides (you may find it easiest to do this in small batches).
5. Remove the meat and set it aside temporarily. Cut the roma tomatoes into quarters. Add 1.5 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the pot, stirring to combine them. Add the tomato and return the meat to the pot along with the peppers, onion, and any excess liquid from the marinade.
6. Cover the Dutch oven and place it into the oven at 300°. Cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Cooking time may vary depending on the cut and quality of goat meat you have chosen. As a rule of thumb, goat should be cooked low and slow.
7. Remove the pot from the oven. Use tongs to transfer the meat to another dish, covering it to keep it warm. Bring the contents of the Dutch oven to a simmer. Keep simmering until thickened. (If you’re impatient like I am, you can whisk a pinch of corn starch into a small amount of water, and then stir this into the sauce to make it thicken more quickly.) If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can use an immersion blender to purée the onion and peppers into the stew.
8. Return the meat to the stew, tossing it to ensure that all pieces are thoroughly coated in delicious red sauce.
9. Ladle the stew over a bed of white rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro. If you want to go the extra mile to have a truly authentic Caribbean meal, make some tostones to serve on the side. Enjoy!
If you live nearby, you can order pasture raised goat meat directly from us. Otherwise, it may be a bit difficult to find, but we can assure you that it’s worth it to do your research and source directly from a farmer or rancher. This recipe has been adapted from one developed by Kent at Cooking 4 One. The original can be found here.