10, 000 years ago, in the settlement of TappehGanjDareh, ancient Iranians came upon a herd of goats and correctly deduced their value to the human palate. Today, goats are a dietary staple across Asia and Africa, and the meat of choice for preparing biryani. But how much do you know about the animal that feeds South Asia?
500 Grams of Capretto, Please!
In Western markets, where only meat of adult sheep is labelled mutton, “goat meat” does not lend itself to phonetic delight. It is often marketed as chevon, when from an adult, and capretto, when from a kid. With the influx of immigrants, though, goats are slowly gaining popularity in the West.
Healthy Alternatives
Compared to most red meats, goat meat is nutritious, high on iron and low on calories. Its fat content is below that of beef, pork and even the humble chicken, which has 50 per cent more fat in the same serving. Farming goats is relatively sustainable, too. Whilst an acre of land can only support two bovines, the same pasture can sustain 10 far more interesting goats. They aren’t picky eaters either, so they’ll browse through weeds and vegetation where cattle will graze a land into oblivion.
Odorsand Aromas
The meat of sheep has a strong smell distinctive of game. The older the animal, stronger the odour – to a point where you may wonder if your meat is even fresh. Goat meat lacks this gamey smell, and quickly loses its raw aroma on cooking.
The Quick Goat Guide
A good goat has a pink flush; the darker the meat, the older it is, and more lacking in taste and tenderness. When having your meat butchered, make sure the joints have a pink or mauve hue, not white. As an animal ages, its bones synthesize less blood, and that reflects in your cuts.
When it comes to butchery, the Indian market is yet to embrace the art and science of dressing goat meat. Normally, there are seven basic cuts of a goat: The neck; the backstrap, with its ribs and chops; the loin, which constitutes the central mass of the animal from the sides and back; the breast, or the underside; the forequarter, this includes the shoulders, the forelimb and foreshank; the leg, including the rump; and the tenderloin. At Licious’ online meat store, we specialize in meat. This means paying extra attention to deliver fine cuts for fine cookery.
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