Roast Goat Shoulder with Indian Spices
December 26, 2010
The ready availability of goat in a halal market close to where I live brought on this particular fit. Goat meat is very lean, and so it can be tricky to keep moist while roasting; I overcame that particular problem by covering the roast with bacon strips. The spice marinade I used is typical for roasts in the western coast of India.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 dried red chilies
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1-2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 shoulder of goat ( about 3.5 lbs or so, bone in)
- 5-6 strips of bacon
- 1 large onion (optional, to hold up the roast in the pan)
Preparation
MARINATING the goat
- Grind the ingredients of the marinade together to form a paste. I use a mortar and pestle to get a nice smooth paste.
- Clean the roast. With a sharp knife, prick the roast all over. Apply the marinade all over the roast, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours.
ROASTING
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Using a large pan set over high heat, or a very hot grill, brown the roast about 5 minutes on each side. I prefer the grill method.
- Set the roast in a roasting pan with a rack, bone side down. Layer the strips of bacon over it, and set it to roast for about 90 minutes or so. Baste with the juices and check the temperature every 20 minutes or so, till it has reached the level of doneness you desire. I aim for about 140F to get it medium-rare.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest, tented with foil for about 15 minutes or so. Carve and serve.
Notes
- I usually use a bed of onions or potatoes to hold up the roast instead of a rack. To do this, cut the vegetables into chunks and put into the roasting pan, setting the roast over them. Even if you use a rack, it is a good idea to use vegetables in the roasting pan to soak up the juices - not only do they taste great, they prevent excessive smoking which is very handy in a small kitchen.