This Jamaican curry goat has flavor-packed goat meat marinated in homemade green seasoning along with curry powder and is braised til tender with more herbs and vegetables for a filling meal. Worthy of a spot on your table not just on special occasions but on cozy weekends!
Season goat meat with the curry powder, green seasoning and salt. Allow to marinate in a large bowl for a minimum of 30 minutes but preferably overnight.Longer marinating time will mean more tender goat meat and more flavor!
Before cooking, smoke the goat meat. I use a small indoor cocktail smoker to do this easily in the kitchen. Smoke the goat meat for at least 20 minutes for the meat to fully absorb the smoky flavor.
Heat vegetable oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the goat chunks, doing this in batches as necessary to avoid crowding the pot. The goal here isn't to cook to the goat fully - only to brown the outside.
Remove the goat from the dutch oven and add an additional tablespoon of oil as needed to sauté the herbs and spices. Add the thyme bouquet, the remaining tablespoon of curry powder, the minced garlic & minced ginger and the allspice berries. Saute until fragrant.
Add the scallions, tomato paste and a cup of the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan. Stir until the tomato paste is completely incorporated, lightly scraping the bottom of the pan to release the fond (browned bits of food and seasoning).
Return all the seared goat chunks from earlier to the dutch oven along with the rest of the vegetable broth and the scotch bonnet pepper. Stir to evenly incorporate & turn the heat down to low. Cover with lid and allow to braise for 3½ hours. Minimize the amount of times you open the pot, only checking every hour and a half to ensure the braising liquid hasn't dried out. Top up with water as needed.
Three and a half hours into braising the curry goat peel and dice the potatoes and carrots and add them to the dutch oven. Give a quick stir to evenly distribute, cover with lid and allow to braise for an additional 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Using a ladle, skim the excess fat (goat tends to render a lot) from the top of the stew and discard.
Serve hot with your choice of white rice, Jamaican rice & peas or scoop up with flaky roti!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Don’t skip smoking the goat! I use a simple indoor cocktail smoker. It gives the chicken a distinct “cooked-over-open-fire” flavor. This step is truly one of the things that makes this recipe the best Jamaican curry goat!
Where can I get Jamaican curry powder? Your local international store or online. Be sure the label specifies “Jamaican” since there are different types of curries across various cultures. My favorites (linked) are Betapac, Blue Mountain and Grace curry powders (in that order)
Curry stains! Be careful while cooking and when storing leftovers. Protect countertops, nails etc when cooking to avoid staining and store leftovers in a glass container instead of plastic.
If you’re particularly sensitive to spice, use a knife to cut a small slit in the scotch bonnet pepper. This will give the pressure an exit point and prevent the scotch bonnet pepper from bursting as the curry chicken braises.
