Wah Gwaan! Okay, I'll admit I had to google it too, but it's a simple old Jamaican expression for "hey, what's up!" We are headed straight to the island today, my brothers and sisters, for a classic Jamaican dish like no other. We are going old school and cooking up some Curry Goat! Now before all you goat lovers and nay-sayers start throwing a Karen-hissy fit over cooking such cute, little furry creatures, realize this recipe can be adapted to using that other fuzzball of cuteness, lamb, or the standard boring beef if you are too afraid to try anything new and different. The real key here lies in the Jamaican curry itself, which to be honest, you could problem cook a flip flop in and make it tasty so before you completely rule out this one, hang out a bit and let me show you how and why this recipe should be enjoyed by everyone! I can promise you that by the end of this walk through, you will be rushing out to pick up the ingredients and give it a try. Grab a drink, open up your mind to new things, and as always.......let's get cooking!
I will admit, before we begin, that goat meat is not exactly the easiest thing to find. I just happened to come across some at a local Asian market, of all places, so figured why not give the legit recipe a try and use the proper meat. If you cannot find any goat meat, lamb truly would make a great substitute here. In fact, since goat typically comes packaged in small little hunks and chunks, bone included, cubing up a leg of lamb yourself or using some beef stew meat may make your life more simple and belly just as happy! Whatever meat you do decide to use, you are going to want 2-3 pounds for a decent batch of this amazing Jamaican curry. This is going to be a low and slow kind of cooking process so begin by simply salt and peppering your meat and heating up a large pot or dutch oven with a bit of cooking oil.
Simply saute the meat until browned. In fact, getting a bit of a sear around the outside will only enhance the flavor so don't be afraid to crank up the heat and really put it to the meat. Stir frequently to avoid scorching any, but ensure everything is at least browned on the outside, not worrying about being cooked through for the moment. To make this a bit more simple, I'm going to post up a picture of the next several ingredients we will be using since the next couple steps are fast and furious. Make sure you have everything prepped and ready, according to the recipe card instructions.
Now most of you will probably notice I'm suing jalapenos this time around. Yes, I made this in late March and the traditional scotch bonnets were just not available so I improvised. Habaneros would also work well, if you so choose. Go ahead and dice your onion and peppers, measure out the garlic, white pepper, ginger, curry powder, and tomato paste, but set the potatoes aside since we won't actually need them for a couple hours. Once your meat is browned, add the curry powder and continue to saute for a couple minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, minus the potatoes of course, and mix thoroughly as you continue to cook everything together at this point for another couple of minutes.
Nothing too crazy so far, eh? Once your entire kitchen starts to smell of all these wonderful fresh ingredients and spices, pour enough water, or stock, over everything to completely cover the meat. Any chicken or beef stock could be used for this, but feel free to even try vegetable stock if that is what you happen to have on hand. However, plain water will also do the trick. I'm just personally a fan of adding extra flavor and that oh so wanted hit of umami any chance I get so I went with some chicken stock. Bring this mixture up to a boil, then lower the heat to a medium simmer. Continue to stir frequently over the next 2 hours, and add more liquids if they begin to evaporate too quickly. Ultimately, we are aiming to end up with a thick, gravy-like curry so we want some of it to cook down but need to keep everything soaking in liquids during the process.
Let this simmer away for a full 2 hours. The longer the better so don't fret if you step away and lose track of time for a bit. Now dice up those potatoes into bite sized pieces and add them to the pot. As they cook over the next 20-30 minutes, the sauce should naturally begin to thicken from the starches in the potatoes. Continue to stir and cook until the potatoes soften. When all is said and done, this Jamaican delicacy should be fairly thick and ready to devour. Feel free to add more liquids if things get too out of hand, or use some corn starch to finish thickening things up if your batch is still too thin. You are the one eating this tasty meal so cater it your personal style. Ya mon.......did you end up with something pretty damn amazing as this?
No matter what meat you end up using, this Jamaican Curry Goat will have everyone ready to fly off to paradise and put their toes in the sand! While I highly suggest trying to go out and find the goat meat, I won't hold it against you if you choose to use lamb or beef instead. Either way, everyone is eating good in the neighborhood! Give this a try, tag me on instagram, and tell me what you think. Inna Di Morrows......Lata!
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