Cabrito: Impulse power Captain....the Mad Chef crosses the Neutral Zone

 

      

      The Mad Chef is at it again.  Several years ago, when visiting San Antonio we dined at Mia Tierra, a very good Mexican Restaurant/Bakery in the downtown World Market.  I tried the Cabrito and found it very tasty.  On the sweeter side of lamb, but flavorful.  This meat is very popular in Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, and Spain.  Ever since I have wanted to try making it myself.  It is a very healthy meat.  You can roast or smoke this with proper preparation.  For this recipe I used smoke. 

      It took me a bit to find a half of goat meat for purchase.  There are several sources in this part of Texas that deal in it but had none on hand at this time.  I put out 'feelers' here in Leakey and was turned on to a local rancher that butchers a few times a year.  I discovered he would butcher in January and sold halves or whole goats.  He raises these mostly for the agricultural tax exemption and butchers young goats 18-24 months old.  I ordered a half and had it cut into front shoulder, backstraps, and rear quarter.  There isn't very much meat on the ribs.  This cost me $125.  I froze the front quarter and other cuts but saved the hind quarter for smoking.  Unfortunately, when I unwrapped the hind quarter I discovered the front shoulder was there as well.  I cooked them both.  

1 Whole goat leg about 8 pounds

1 cup Kosmos SPG seasoning

4 tbsp each dried basil rosemary, oregano and coriander

1 bottle chardonnay wine

1 white or yellow onion, quartered

3 cups beef broth

Tony Chachere's Butter Injection/Marinade

Equal amounts of rosemary, oregano, and coriander

 

      The night before cooking, unwrap the goat leg and put it in large plastic bag with wine, onion, and beef broth.  Place in fridge overnight.  Turn several times.  We were lucky, it was pretty cool at night, so we left on the deck cutting board. 

 

      The next morning preheat your pit to 225F.  Inject with Tony Chachere’s Butter Marinade.  Rub out with SPG, rosemary, oregano, and coriander.  Place the meat in the grill and close the lid.

      Allow the goat to smoke at 225F until the internal temperature reaches about 165F.  Remove and wrap tightly in foil.

      Return the pan to the grill and raise cooking to 275F until it reaches an internal temperature of 203F.  This could take about 3 more hours.  When the meat reaches 203F remove and let rest 1 hour.

       Using gloved hands, shred the meat off the bone.  Amazingly, our meat did not shred or become stringy, It was moist, tender, and easily cut.  Stack and serve as you wish.  Our finished product yielded 4 lbs of Cabrito for freezing and 1 bunch for tacos that evening.

 

      Now for the final test.  We liked the meat with tender, but sweeter, much like lamb.      

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." 

Harriet Van Horne