I've been eating goat for a few years so I never thought about mentioning it here. It's really delish! The flavor is milder than lamb, so if you think lamb is just a little too strong, goat is a nice alternative.
You can get goat from local farmers who raise them, but I've been getting mine from an Islamic butcher. The meat is always high quality there.
I live in the south, so goat is really not off limits here, just a little out of the ordinary for some. I personally think it is good.
Goat is one of my favorite meat as well (curry goat.. yum!). I'd eat it a lot more if it wasn't so pricey where I live.
Never thought of it, I was wondering if you meant goat cheese or milk.
I'll have to check it out, thanks for the idea.
Goat meat, actually. If I recall correctly, it's much less fatty than lamb and beef.
I have eaten goat a few times. It was really good.
First time I ate it was years ago in Houston at Papacitos. Cabrito with a garlic butter dipping sauce. Oh my lord! One of the most memorable meals in my life!
Haven't had it since I was in the hills of Calabria on a tour. I must check to see if it's available here because I do remember it was delicious! It's about 1/2 the calories of beef and only 1/4 of the fat, per Fitday.
Often there's a "goat underground" in places where goat isn't popular.
In the midwestern cities that I've lived, you had to "know someone" to get reasonably priced goat meat. It was only sold in specialty ethnic and health-food markets at premium prices, but if you knew someone (or someone who knew someone) who happened to raise goats (sometimes for the milk or wool) they also sold meat animals at more reasonable prices.
If you wanted a specific cut last minute you might not be able to find it or would have to pay the high premium price from a specialty shop, but if you were willing to wait (or take a drive out to a farm) you could get the meat at a much better price.
Knitting, weaving and other fiber-arts groups can actually be a great way to find folks who know folks who raise goats and sheep for meat (Because often those folks are also or primarily selling wool and/or roving/yarn).
Often the meat is a byproduct of the fiber (they're not raising the animals FOR meat, but they will sell or give away some of the meat). I think some laws are involved because I've been told that in many areas if you're not raising the animals "for meat" that you can only use the meat yourself or give it away, you can't sell it. Some people get around this by bartering/trading (though I've been told that is a gray area of the law).
Goat meat is really popular where I live and I've eaten it since I was a child as an alternative to beef and a much cheaper alternative to lamb. My mother says the intensity in gamey (for want of a better description) flavor depends on the sex of the goat. We eat the entire animal, nothing is off limits, except that I'm personally a little squeamish about some of the googlier bits.
Goat is great stewed, curried, grilled, cut into chunks and barbecued on skewers, roasted, souped... pretty much anything you'd do with beef or lamb. Goat ribs are also more tender than beef ones and have less calories. They kind of are reminiscent of pork ribs in taste strangely enough.
In America, we always got goat from ethnic supermarkets (African, Latin or Middle Eastern). They either sold it or new how you could get it.
