The Slow Curry Goat

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in goat meat, cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp Jamaican curry powder (Grace or Betapac — not Indian curry)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 stalks scallion, chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp allspice berries (whole)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Salt and black pepper
• 2–3 cups water or light chicken stock

The Day Before

1. Wash and dry the goat pieces.
2. Season with 2 tbsp curry powder, salt, black pepper, half the garlic, scallion, and thyme. Mix well.
3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Minimum 4 hours, but overnight is the difference.

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch pot if you have one) over medium-high heat.
2. Add the remaining 1 tbsp curry powder to the dry pot and stir for 30 seconds — toasting the curry in oil before the meat goes in is a Jamaican technique most recipes skip. Don't skip it.
3. Add the marinated goat in batches. Brown it properly — not grey, properly browned. This takes patience. 8–10 minutes per batch.
4. Remove the meat. In the same pot, add the onion, remaining garlic, and ginger. Cook until softened, scraping up the fond.
5. Return all the meat to the pot. Add enough water or stock to just cover. Add allspice berries and the whole scotch bonnet.
6. Bring to a boil, then drop to the lowest heat that maintains a gentle simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar.
7. Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, checking every 30 minutes. Add water if it looks dry — there should always be a sauce, not a stew.
8. Add the potatoes. Cook another 30–40 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the goat is falling from the bone.
9. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the scotch bonnet (or mash it in if you want heat). The sauce should be deep, dark, and thick.

Tips

Goat is not lamb. It needs real time. If it still feels tough at the 2-hour mark, give it another 30 minutes — it will get there. The flavor lives in the bones, so don't buy boneless.

Serve over white rice or with rice and peas. Roti on the side if you have it.