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Blogs / On the Table / March 2009 / Got my goat

Got my goat

 "Do you know where I can get a goat?" was one of the provocative questions asked at a foodie lunch last fall. So a number of people had been dreaming of goat for a long time. Finally, last week, Russ Taylor, of Taylor Made Beef, delivered 37 pounds of goat meat (formerly an 11-month-old Boer goat) to Salt Lake Tribune writer Vanessa Chang, who rallied the goat cooks as well as a group to make some supportive side dishes.

And Friday night was Goat Feast. I attended purely in the spirit of friendship and hunger, so I didn't take notes. It was a personal evening. But when you write about food, everything you eat becomes fodder for words—you want everyone to know about something wonderful to eat. So I've asked a number of Goat Guests to come to my memory aid for the menu. Thanks, all.

Artists Kenvin Lyman and Sofia Angkasa made the Rendang, an Indonesian dish with sticky rice, traditionally served at the end of Ramadan fasting. It involves goat braised in coconut milk with spices, until most of the liquid is gone.
Food stylist Susan Massey rubbed a goat leg with spices and grilled it.
Mikel Covey made a not so traditional Moroccan b'steeya, made with goat instead pigeon, but classically topped with phyllo and powdered sugar. And Vanessa bathed her goat chops and ribs in a "mutt of a marinade" made with molasses, soy, sesame oil, hot chiles, sherry vinegar and grapefruit juice.

Mushroom man Rob combined mushrooms and ribs, and sides included coconut rice from Lesley Christoph, a citrus/radish salad, artichokes from food writer Virginia Rainey and chocolate cheesecake from Farina cakes owner Amber Billingsley.

I made a salad. Vanessa thought we needed some roughage.

In every dish, the goat meat was sweet and tender, coarser-textured than lamb with a similar aroma. I've eaten cabrito in many forms in Texas, but this was the most elegant-tasting goat I've ever had by far. According to Russ, it's because of the breed as well as its age.

I wonder why we don't see goat meat in grocery stores? Is it just because of food xenophobia? Or is there something difficult about the raising and processing of goats? This hungry mind wants to know.