-
1
Season the Goat
10 Mins + 30 Mins Rest
No heat
Put the goat in a large bowl and rub it all over with half the curry powder, the allspice, salt and black pepper. Leave it to season for at least 30 minutes at room temperature while you chop the onion, garlic, ginger, scallions and tomato, and peel and chunk the potatoes.
Seasoning ahead lets the spices sink into the meat instead of just coating the sauce.
Done when: Every piece dusted yellow with curry powder, resting in the bowl.
-
2
Brown the Meat Hard
15 Mins
High heat, ~200°C (400°F)
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown the goat in batches, 3–4 minutes a side, until deeply browned on all sides. Do not crowd the pot — browned meat makes a brown sauce, crowded meat makes grey soup. Set the meat aside as it browns.
Leave each piece alone until it releases from the pot on its own; that is when the crust has formed.
Done when: Deep brown, crusty pieces with dark, sticky bits left in the pot.
-
3
Build the Curry Base
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Lower the heat, add the onion, garlic, ginger and scallions to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the rest of the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes until it smells fragrant, then add the tomato and scotch bonnet and cook for 3 minutes more.
Frying the curry powder in oil — blooming it — is what gives Jamaican curry its deep colour and flavour.
Done when: A thick, dark yellow paste that smells warm and spicy.
-
4
Braise Low & Slow
120 Mins
Low heat, gentle simmer ~95°C (200°F)
Return the goat to the pot, add the thyme and pour in 750 ml of water, just enough to cover the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the meat is nearly tender and a fork slides in easily.
Keep the simmer lazy — a rolling boil toughens goat and clouds the sauce.
Done when: Meat giving easily to a fork, sauce thickening and darkening.
-
5
Add Potato & Finish
30 Mins
Low heat, gentle simmer ~95°C (200°F)
Add the potato chunks and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt. The goat is done when it slips off the bone with a gentle pull.
Adding the potatoes late keeps them from dissolving completely — they should be soft but still hold their shape.
Done when: Tender meat falling from the bone, soft potato, thick glossy sauce.
-
6
Rest & Serve
10 Mins
No heat
Take the pot off the heat, rest for 10 minutes, and skim any fat from the surface. Serve in deep bowls with rice and peas and roti, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.
The rest lets the sauce settle and the flavours come together, so do not skip it.
Done when: A rich, fragrant curry with meat so tender it falls apart.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Rest the pot for 10 minutes off the heat, skim any fat from the surface, and serve with rice and peas and roti for scooping up the sauce.
Jamaica
55m
France
Vietnam