Goatober: Why Goat Deserves a Spot on Your Table

Fresh goat meat from BillyDoe Meats for Goatober

October has a new name around here: Goatober. All month long, we're celebrating the meat that most of the world already loves and too many American kitchens are still missing out on.

If you've never cooked goat, this is your month to start. If you already love it, stock up, because fall is goat season.

The World's Favorite Red Meat

Goat is often called the most widely eaten red meat on the planet. Travel almost anywhere outside the U.S. and you'll find it at the heart of the table:

  • South Asia: slow-simmered goat curries and fragrant biryanis in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
  • The Middle East and North Africa: spiced goat stews, mandi and festive roasts shared with family
  • The Caribbean: Jamaican curry goat, a Sunday staple
  • Mexico: birria and barbacoa, slow-cooked until fall-apart tender
  • West and East Africa: pepper soup, suya-style grilled goat and hearty stews

Here at home, goat is still catching on. That's what Goatober is all about. The celebration grew out of a Heritage Foods project launched in 2011 to introduce more Americans to goat and support the farmers who raise it. Goats are mostly born in spring and ready in fall, which is why October became the month to celebrate them.

Packed With Protein, Leaner Than Chicken

If you're chasing your protein goals, goat belongs on your plate. It delivers more protein per calorie than chicken breast, with less fat, and it beats chicken thighs and beef on both counts.

Here's how a 3-ounce cooked serving stacks up, based on USDA nutrition data:

Meat (3 oz, cooked) Calories Protein Fat Protein per 100 calories
Goat 122 23 g 2.6 g 18.9 g
Chicken breast, skinless 140 26 g 3 g 18.6 g
Chicken thigh, skinless 178 22 g 9 g 12.4 g
Ground beef, 85% lean 213 22 g 13 g 10.3 g

The takeaway: goat is the leanest meat on the list and gives you the most protein for every calorie. Compared to chicken thighs, you get more protein with about 70% less fat. Compared to ground beef, it's nearly 80% less fat for about the same protein.

Goat also has more iron than chicken or beef, about 3.2 mg per serving, to keep your energy up through the colder months.

Goat is also a great source of B vitamins, especially B12, plus zinc and potassium. If you're looking to eat more red meat without the heaviness, goat checks every box.

What Does Goat Taste Like?

If you like lamb or grass-fed beef, you'll love goat. Young goat is mild, slightly sweet and clean-tasting, with a rich savory depth. It soaks up spices beautifully, which is why cuisines around the world pair it with garlic, cumin, chiles, ginger and warm spices.

The golden rule: because goat is so lean, match the cut to the cooking method.

  • Low and slow for shoulder, shank, neck and bone-in cubes. Braise, stew or slow cook until tender.
  • Hot and fast for chops, loins, rack and flat iron. Sear or grill to medium-rare or medium so they stay juicy.
  • Easy weeknights with ground goat. Use it anywhere you'd use ground beef: tacos, burgers, meatballs or chili.

Celebrate Goatober With BillyDoe

Whether you're cooking your first goat dinner or feeding a crowd, we've got a cut for you.

New to goat? Start here

For grilling and searing

For stews, curries and braises

Go all in

Make This Your Goatober

The rest of the world figured out goat a long time ago. This October, bring it to your table. Pick one new cut, try one new recipe, and see why goat is a favorite from Kingston to Karachi.

Not sure where to begin? Our Goatober Dinner Plan walks you through seven nights of goat, one cut per night.

Shop all goat at BillyDoe and tag us in your Goatober creations. Happy Goatober!

Sources

← Older post Newer post →