When I was growing up in Jamaica, Curry Goat was a special dish made for parties and celebrations. It wasn’t something you’d eat every day. Today, curry goat is still special in my house compared to Curry Chicken, which I make all the time. For those of you who have never tried it, it’s a must-have Jamaican recipe. When cooked right, you’ll find it more tender and flavourful than any beef stew you ever had.
Jamaica’s curry dishes are the remnants of the island’s Indian population. After slavery was abolished on the island, almost 40,000 people came from India to work on plantations as indentured workers. Over generations most intermarried with the larger African population, so Jamaica’s Indian community today is tiny in comparison. However, their influence in Jamaican cuisine lives on in dishes like curry goat.
Depending on where you live, you may have to go to a butcher to find goat meat. But in communities with large ethnic populations you may even find it at your local supermarket. I get mine at a local West Indian grocer, where they chop it into cubes (bones still in) perfect for making curry goat!
Curry Goat Ingredients
3 lbs Goat meat, chopped in cubes (get it at OJA Express)
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper
5-6 Tbsp Curry Powder
1 large Onion, sliced
4-6 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Scotch bonnet Pepper, slice and discard seeds (handle with care)
4 Tbsp Cooking oil
4 cups boiling Water
1 large sprig Thyme
1 medium Onion, chopped
3 medium Potatoes, each cut in 3 pieces
1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup
Season Meat
Mix together goat meat, salt, black pepper, 4 Tbsp curry powder, 1 large onion sliced, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper. Please in the fridge overnight (or at least 5 hours) to marinate.
Instructions
1. Remove the sliced onions and scotch bonnet pepper from the bowl of marinated goat meat and set aside.
2. Heat cooking oil in large saucepan on High. Place goat meat in pan and brown to seal in juices.
3. Once the meat is browned add thyme and 2 cups of boiling water; cover, lower heat to Medium-Low and simmer for about 1 hour
4. Chop 1 medium onion and add to pot along with the sliced onion and Scotch bonnet pepper that was set aside earlier
5. Add 2 cups of boiling water and bring to a boil
5. Taste and remove Scotch bonnet pepper based on your taste; add more curry powder to taste
6. Add potatoes and tomato ketchup; simmer on low heat for 1/2 hour, or until the meat is falling off the bone
Serve with white rice and a green salad
Video Lesson: Gold Members click below to watch us make this recipe step by step.
Hi Faye, jen has her new boyfriend staying this week and as he has just told me he loves jamaican food i have decided this is the perfect time to use my frozen goat meat to try out your recipe. I will post how i get on, Tx
i absolutely love your site and the recipes in it. I am East African with plenty of Jamaican/West Indian friends and i love the food just didn’t know how to make most of them..we use similar spices and use coconut milk for some of our meals too what you call Roti we call Chapati and eat plenty of currys i have noticed a lot of similar foods albeit cooked differently….i love the caribbean flavour..keep them coming.
so i just subscribed to your youtube channel and bookmarked your site yay!!!
you are most welcome:)
Will be making this on Sunday 🙂 will let you know how it turns out xx
Curry goat is one of my favorites. I am so thankful that your daughter took the initiative to video tape your cooking sessions, thank you, thank you. I guess you say “wow…why is this man so excited”. Well I’ll tell you…I really love Jamaican food, but I learn best by watching people cook. You really should push to have a Jamaican cooking show on one of the cooking channels. I know it will be a definate hit. I will also make a suggestion to the cooking channels. From “The man that loves to cook”! What recipe do you have for a “black cake”, or are you familiar with this cake?
Thank you….
Mmmmmmm yummy yummy!! Goat meat is hard to find in the UK town where we live in, but I found an ethnic shop close to where I work which stocks it on a regular basis. Been waiting for ages to make curried goat, and was pleased to find an authentic recipe that’s been enjoyed by your family for many years. I used more meat. onion and water, so we had some over to enjoy another day, and simmered it for 3 hours in total. As our 11 year old nephew was staying I took out the chilli after the first hour’s simmering, as he’s not so used to the heat and spice that we enjoy. The result was simply divine, tender meat, just a small kick of chilli, but loads of lovely deep spicy flavours, the potatoes take on the flavours wonderfully. So pleased I tried your recipe and this will become a regular fixture from now on. So tempted by your chicken and salt cod recipes, so will have to try them too!! Best wishes to your Faye and your family.
Which is the best curry to use when cooking curried goat that will give it the curry goat colour. Mine always look pale in color.
Thank u
We so glad we found your YouTube. Vids been a massive help in keeping the boys full with good food keep it coming we love it
Hi Fay, I have just come across your website and subscribed…quite excited actually as I see that you show a lot of your recipes through video. I actually prefere to watch and learn. I cant wait to try this curry goat recipe..I have tried a few otherds but havent turned out to well… May I ask why you use4 potato? I dont normally see potato in this particular recipe??
🙂
Can I also add ground allspice to the marinade?
i would just like to say a big big thank you for your recipes, lovely woman you are. cant wait for more recipes to come . x
Made this at my New Year’s Eve party and it went down a great. Thanks a lot!
Just a quick few questions, I used beef as I struggle t find goat but is there any other meat alternative that works well. Also does the recipe freeze well or is better fresh over a few days.
Thanks it was a real treat !
I’ve been a subscriber of your website for some time now, and have wanted to try out your many delicious recipes. I made your curried goat recipe this past weekend for my daughter & her family. I’m a born Canadian, so when I happened upon your website, I knew that you would be the best person to learn from. The curry goat turned out to be absolutely delicious. Thank you Fay, for sharing your great home cooking Jamaican style recipes with us.
Hi Faye,
I love your recipes. They help a lot seeing i didn’t have anyone to teach me how to cook Jamaican dishes. Just a few questions:
1. When you purchase it from the supermarket, is there a cleaning up process as with chicken or do you just go ahead and marinate?
2. A friend bought 2 different types. Is it ok to mix the local mutton with the imported goat of should i use 2 packs of the same kind? Does it taste any different?
Megan,
Thank you for your patience. You can use the goat meat just like you would beef. Your shouldn’t have to clean it. I don’t think you’ll have a problem mixing the meats other than one may cook quicker than the other. You may want to keep it simple and use the same meat, either mutton or goat. By the way, in some places goat is also called mutton.
Ms. Fay,
1st I’d like to say Blessings. 2nd, I graciously thank you for sharing the recipes I grew up with. A lot of them I’d forgotten what my grandma & her cousin would do to prep the food, so in essence I’d forgotten how to prep & cook so many of my favorite dishes. I want to say thank you to you not only for sharing, however, for your daughter’s initiative to record your cooking & share it with the world. Watching you in your kitchen is reminiscent of watching my grandma, I just can’t be under your coat tails, lol.
Again, I thank you. From my family to yours, Blessings from the Most High.
LaTisha Singleton & Family
i’m excited to find this recipe! the butcher nearby has goat, and i’ve been hoping to find a recipe so i have an excuse to buy some. 🙂
Hi Ms.Fay
I love ur curry goat reciepe. I love and have a passion for food. Im just an american girl who was never born or raised in the islands, but i love to cook different foods, but i must say ur curry goat along with ur beans and rice, fry plantains, and cabbage from a different reciepe i felt like i was in a jamican restuarant cause it came out sooo good i even posted pics on facebook positive feedback ppl ask me when im goin to make again, it looks professionally done. Thanks Ms. Fay! For this delicious yet wonderful reciepe def will make again
I fell in love with Jamaican cuisine when I was on vacation in Westmoreland Parish. I loved everything about Jamaica. I reminded me of home (Rhode Island USA), just a lot greener. I just picked up 3 pounds of baby goat and look forward to making Curry Goat tomorrow. I will be preparing the marinade early this evening, allowing it to marinate overnight and through tomorrow. I found this site by looking for authentic Jamaican recipes. I believe I have found a goldmine!! I have found nothing compared to this, and watching the video’s made me feel as if I was in the kitchen looking over your shoulder. I am a fan big, and look forward to learning more and making several recipes from your website. Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing a taste of the island with us. I am Puerto Rican and am a proud Caribbean man that loves Caribbean cooking. These are beautiful things in our culture we should proudly share so that our traditions never fade. Much Love and Respect to all the beautiful people in the diaspora. By the way, my curry goat is currently marinating;-)
One of my favorite dishes growing was curry goat. I’d get that mostly around the holidays and I’ve always loved me so good curry goat. What kind of curry powder do you use to make this. Back in the day my mom uses Madras Jamaican curry and it’s so good, however I would love to try other ones too see what I like best. What are you using please.? I’m going all out for my mom this year thanks to your website. She`s going to have a great Christmas Birthday with all these good flavors. Blessings
I use generic store brand curry powder… nothing special. But, did you know you can make it yourself. Here are two recipes featured on my site: https://www.cooklikeajamaican.com/ingredient-of-the-week-curry-powder/
Ms. Fay,
You make cooking like a Jamaican so easy, I love it. I made your curry goat recipe and my family loved it so much they have asked me to make it again. I didn’t realize how easy it was to make until you taught me. Thank you.
Will this recipe work for chicken, or will I need more/less water and curry for two whole chickens?
Hi Jamal,
I suggest you follow my Curry Chicken recipe and double the measurements for two whole chicken parts. Enjoy! Fay
Good day ladies,
Well, what can I say? This recipe is excellent. Absolutely delicious. My wife, said it was the best she’s ever tasted. I’ve book marked the site and will certainly share with friends and family. Keep up the good work.
Many thanks.
Hi
Im doing curried mutton for my daughters baptism on sunday. If i marinate meat today over night, then cook it all day tomorrow so i can reheat it on the sunday will it be ok?
Dear Ladies,
Thank you for all your efforts for curious hungry folks like us to learn the pleasure of your recipes and the joy of sharing the delicious meals with family and friends. I’m from Toronto and grew up in a neighbourhood with a great deal of Jamaicans and Island folk in general. A Trinidadian family brought me up on the weekends! ;-p
One thing I’m curious about are the curry mixes you recommend. My beloved Roland used a mix of 3/4 of deep orange/red Madras curry (similar coloured tin), and 1/4 yellow curry (yellow cellophane packet with an image of a turbaned man). The mix was his recommendation and he used it liberally for all his curries. Since then, I’ve moved to SE Asia and learned about various curry blends from Indians, Malays and Chinese.
My point is the variety is endless and this can be the secret of a dish. What product(s) or blends do you recommend for an authentic flavour to you dishes?
Warm regards, Andrew
Hi Andrew,
This is a question that I’m asked a lot. Unfortunately I don’t have one curry powder that I use right now. I most often use all-purpose store brands that are labelled “curry powder” nothing fancy m’dear.
Hi Faye,
I made your curry goat recipe and chicken. It was soooo good. Best I have ever had and I was so proud I actually cooked it! I look forward to making more of your great dishes. Thank you!
Your website has been such a great addition to my cooking methods. I’ve learned so much and I’m continuing to learn. Thank you so much Faye and Angela!
I will have to give this a try – i’ve LOVED curry goat/chicken since i visited st lucia & jamaica – there are not many caribbean food places near my home in Essex so the next best thing for me has been using Levi roots caribbean curry sauce (for lazy days) – but it now seems his recipe has changed in the jars and it now contains coconut milk – I dont think any curry i’ve had in caribbean restuarants has ever had coconut milk in. I’m sure it’s nice, but i dont feel it’s going to taste as nice.
I buy my goat meat at a tiny store that specializes in Indian food. They sell cubed halal (the Islamic equivalent of kosher) lamb and goat meat. The meat is frozen, so look for a freezer case.
I love curried goat.. I’ve never cooked it before. Today I’ve brought the meat and I’m cooking it up.. really excited. What would you say to cooking it in a slow cooker?
Hi Taryn, a slow cooker is a good option, but you’ll need to make some adjustments to the timing, etc. Give it a try and let us know how it goes.
Will be trying the curried goat recipe bought all stuff today yummy
Wow, is all I can say. I just made some curry goat and delicious barely describes the taste. it was amazing and your recipes are so easy to follow.Thanks so much and I can’t wait to try more recipes as i look to change up my meals a little.
Good recipe. I use tomato paste instead of ketchup. I also use 2-3 habaneros with the seeds! I don’t always add potatoes. For those of you that can’t find Jamaican curry powder, S&B curry powder is a good substitute that can be found in the Japanese section of Asian markets and some grocery stores. Thanks for this recipe!!!!!!
Ingredients in S&B Curry powder
Turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, cloves, cardamon, fennel, nutmeg, laurel leaves, allspice and garlic.
Hi I want to cook about goat recipes can you send me recipes..i want that this recipes to become very special to the Filipino people.I know you can help me a lot because no one in my place cook this kind of food.thank you and more power
I’ve adored curry goat but never tried this before. My local butcher had some goat in stock, so I’m following your recipe right now,The goat meat I had was very fatty though so have cut a lot of it off, I’m also fairly health conscious so will be making this, then chilling and skimming the fat that rises to the top. This may not be authentic but… I will let you know how it goes!
Hello Ms Fay. I am trying this as we speak thank you for this easy recipe. I am an american Chef and I’m trying to expand my dishes. I hope you don’t mind that I tweaked it a lil because I’m trying this on my family and they don’t eat much of any kind of vegetables so I have put celery and carrots in with the potatoes also. This has my kids sitting at our table patiently waiting… 2 thumbs up to you and thank you so much…
Hi Toni,
I’m happy that my recipe has inspired you to cook something your kids will like. Tweaking is good in my book. I’m here to be of service. Blessings, Fay
Does goat meat need to be cleaned before marinated?
Hi Kenecia,
I’m not sure what you mean by cleaned, but it should be treated no different that using beef, and therefore should be fine as purchased. Hope that helps.
Blessings, Fay
Hi Ms Fay I have tried this recipe and the flavors are absolutely amazing! my mum really loves it so thank you for sharing! I have a slight problem with my meat as it does not seem to become very tender (more chewy) I was wondering if you have a tip for making the meat as tender as possible?. I don\’t have a dutch pot could this be the reason? I would be grateful for a reply if you can! take care and god bless Julie x
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your kind words. If your meat is tough that means you just need to continue to cook it until it is tender. However if it chewy it make be the cut or age of the meat. Either way my recipe is a guideline… continue to simmer/braise it until you are satisfied. Blessings, Fay
I am finally learning my Jamaican background (my father is Jamaican)…I recently began to gathered different recipes that I remember my grandmother (his mother) cooking when she would come to visit. I love your style of cooking it reminds me of her cooking, I watch the videos you have on YouTube and I just have one question. I’m a busy 26 year old mom, I’m always on the go, would I be able to make the curry goat in the crockpot (slow cooker)?
Hi Stephanie,
Yes, Jamaican curry goat can be made in a slow cooker. We are actually working on some slow cooker recipes now so stay tuned, Fay
Hello Ms. Fay, I’ve tried this recipe twice now and I love it. Coming to your website is my first go-to for W.I food. Thank you and many blessings
Hi, thank you for posting this. Your site is great, my question is, I have 480g mutton without bones how much would u reduce the ingredients by? Thank you in advance x
Ms, you only have about 1 pound of mutton and since the recipe calls for 3 pounds I can suggest that you use a third of the ingredients, however I can’t promise it will be exactly the same. Fay
Thank you for sharing your receipe. I started the marinade, however, it is dry..is the okay? Or did I miss something?
Hi Tamara,
Sounds right to me. You marinate the meat in dry seasonings not a marinade, which is wet seasonings. Fay
Jamaican cuisine is a favorite of ours, especially the Curry Goat. When I saw packages of cubed goat in a nearby store, immediately I knew I had to attempt Curried Goat! Following your recipe was easy and yesterday my family enjoyed a homemade feast of Jamaican Curry Goat over rice, paired with a bottle of Pinot Noir. Delicious! Our thanks, Fay for sharing your recipe.
I like extreme heat so I add a lot of habanero/scotch bonnet with seeds. I also chop some up with a bit of vinegar and salt and serve that as a side in case anyone would like it hotter!!!! If my nose isn’t running, it’s not hot enough! I never sweat…that would just be un-ladylike! LOL.For anyone having problems finding Jamaican curry powder, try S&B curry powder. It’s Japanese but tastes very similar to the Jamaican! It can be found in the Japanese section of the Asian market. Some of the larger grocery store chains, depending where you live, also stock it. The ingredients in it are: Turmeric, Coriander, Fenugreek, Cumin, Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Star Anise, Cloves, Cardamon, Fennel, Nutmeg, Laurel Leaves, Allspice and Garlic.
What a fantastic recipe and who would have known it was so easy. The taste is delicious and i like to add a little coconut milk to make the sauce go further..I have made this meal many times now and have noticed a different flavour and salt content between brands of curry powder.Thank you for your great website Fay, keep up the good work and I\’ll try and get through all your lovely recipes
Aunt Fay, I live in Jamaica, and I have limited myself to cooking chicken only for all my life. So a few weeks ago, I decided to try cooking curried goat for the first time, and I tried your recipe. I followed it to the letter, from seasoning to cooking. Mercy!!! It was delicious, and tasted as if I have been cooking this thing for years. Thanks so much. I’ve been using your recipes through youtube, and I am so happy with all my results. Thanks Aunt Fay! I love how you cook. Real authentic Jamaican recipes. Nuff love.
Hi Faye,
I wanted to know would i be able to do this same process with a slow cooker minus the frying the meat first?
Hi Kameshia,
That’s a good question. Braising meat is more for flavour than colour so we’ll see if we need to still do it when using a slow cooker. We are working on some slow cooker recipes to share so stay tuned! Blessings, Fay
I have got to thank you. I have never cook curry goat before and I used your recipe and it was a HIT. My wife said it was better than any she ever had any where. I also enjoyed it. Great food. Thanks for recipe.
HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY FROM CORAL SPRINGS FLORIDA, THANKS FOR YOUR RECIPE IT MAKES MY MOTHER’s DAY SPECIAL. keeping on cooking
Hi Faye, just popping by again to ask how many people this receipe serves. Thanks Danny
Hi Danny,
This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people.
I know I’m late to the comments but I just got my hands on some beautiful goat meat (surprisingly difficult here in Australia) and I found your recipe. Going to make this for “date night” on Saturday with the hubby. It looks wonderful! Thanks for the inspiration.
Fay my mother was born and raised in Jamaica in a small town called Santa hill, she has been making Jamaican food for the family my whole life ( I am now in my 50’s) I am going to try your recipe which is quite similar to hers however somewhere she uses coconut milk. I will let you know the out come as she is coming for dinner. Ty for being here and sharing this amazing gift..
Hi Faye,just writing to let you know that I tried your curry goat recipe and it was a hit.Even my
finicky son enjoyed it;only difference is I was able to cook it in 1/2hour using my power pressure cooker.The meat came out tender and delicious,thanks again! (I cut up some cooked carrots and added some at the end).
I have cooked (and eaten) many curries in my time, but have never cooked a goat curry as I’ve always thought it would be too complicated. Not only is this recipe really easy to follow, it is DELICIOUS!!! I modified your recipe slightly by adding some crushed allspice berries and I used tomato puree rather than ketchup. This is, by far, the best curry I have ever cooked 🙂
Thank you for sharing this great dish
Hi Faye
Just to say I tried your Curry Goat recipe yesterday and it turned out great, with your rice and peas and your tangy slaw. I think I had a bit less sauce than I should have because I can’t resist tasting it while it cooks! I also made your brown stew chicken a couple of weeks back – also delicious. You’re recipes are great because they don’t require too many ingredients you have to buy to only use once. Nice and simple.
Thanks for teaching me how to cook like a Jamaican!
Paul
Hi,What brand of curry powder do u use?
Tried this recipe last week and it was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with the world Faye. P.s I’m cooking it again tonight! X
I know it sounds strange to suggest a white wine with meat, but I think Gewurtztraminer goes great with curries like this.
Fay, I made this curry and it was very yummy thanks. I added a good pinch of allspice. I have made other Caribbean meat curries before, but yours is the best. Thanks for sharing x.
I use a little nutmeg in all my recipes especially my curry it adds a little different taste for some of us who like curry and for those who don’t like the strong flavor
Hi Dammy, I don’t use coconut milk in my recipe, and you’ll find it’s delicious without. However, you can substitute some of the liquid with coconut milk if you like coconut flavour.
Thanks Denise. That’s an interesting cooking tip!