Billy Goat’s Gruff.
Many of us are taught through a children’s story that billy goats are gruff and tough, and very scary. It is true; they are ornery and can be quite aggressive.
The farm-raised goat I get from my friends at L&B Farm is anything but gruff, tough, or scary. It is incredibly full flavored — but mild — and is as tender as can be. If you are in Tucson, check out L&B at the Heirloom Farmers Markets at Rillito Park and Rincon Valley.
I recently got a rack from them, trimmed the meat off the bone, and had a beautiful goat loin for culinary play. (And bones for broth!) If you cannot find goat, a rack of lamb works perfectly for this recipe; separate instructions for lamb are included below.
Using a spice blend I got in Marrakech — chermoula — I seasoned the loin before searing and finishing it in the oven. I used more chermoula — combined with tomato, lemon, and saffron — to make a sauce for the goat. If you haven’t had goat, I urge you to give it a try! If you can’t get goat, use lamb.
~ David
Goat Loin with Tomato-Chermoula Sauce
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of goat, about 1 1/4 pounds before trimming (or lamb: see Notes)
- olive oil
- 3 teaspoons chermoula spice blend, divided (see Notes)
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 3 plum tomatoes, peeled (see Notes), seeded, and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (or mint)
- zest of a lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons water
- cilantro (or mint) leaves, for garnish
- slivers of preserved lemon zest, for garnish (recipe follows), or plain lemon zest
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the bones so that you have a loin, approximately 1 1/2 inches by 8 inches. Reserve the bones for stock. Trim excess fat from the top of the loin. Season liberally with salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon chermoula. Wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or longer in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook shallot until clear —about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons chermoula spice blend and cook for 30 seconds, then add diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, lemon zest, the saffron along with its water, salt, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down — about 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-proof skillet. Sear the loin on both sides. Place skillet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- When the loin is cooked (medium-rare), let it rest 10 minutes. While resting, reheat the tomato chermoula sauce. Divide the sauce between two warmed plates. Slice the loin and serve on top of the sauce, garnished with cilantro leaves and strips of preserved lemon zest (or plain lemon zest).
- Serves 2.
- Notes:
- — if using lamb, follow the instructions for the goat, but finish in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. The lamb loin will be larger than the goat — about 2 inches in diameter.
- — make your own chermoula rub by mixing 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon hot paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander. This makes about 1/4 cup. Label and store in a tightly-sealed jar.
- — to peel tomatoes, cut an X in the stem end of each tomato. Drop into boiling water for 45 seconds, then drain. Once cool enough to handle, the skins will come right off.
- ________________________________________
- Preserved Lemon Zest
- • 4 organic lemons
- • 1/4 cup kosher salt
- • 1/4 cup sugar
- • 4 bay leaves, coarsely torn or crushed
- • 2 dried chiles, crushed
- • extra-virgin olive oil to cover
- Remove the zest from the lemons with a vegetable peeler (be careful not to take off too much of the white pith) and place in a small bowl. Toss with the salt, sugar, bay leaves, chiles, and the juice of one of the lemons. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove the zest from the mixture, rinse, pat dry, and put in a 4-ounce glass jar with a non-metallic lid. Add back in the bay leaves and chiles. Cover with extra-virgin olive oil and store in the refrigerator. Pat the pieces dry as you remove from oil to use.
- These preserved lemon zest pieces are great for garnishes and adding to sauces and dressings. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Karen (Back Road Journal)
April 27, 2024 at 6:00 amI’ve eaten goat during visits to the Caribbean but have never come across it here in Florida. However lamb sounds like a delicious substitute. I’m happy to have your preserved lemon zest recipe, I’m sure I will use it more often than preserved lemons.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:01 amUse those preserved lemon zest slices so much! They are one of our favorite condiments.
Mad Dog
April 27, 2024 at 6:28 amThat looks like beautifully tender goat and I bet it tastes good with your sauce and zest!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:02 amThe sauce is perfect with the goat (and lamb). Glad you like the recipe!
Mimi Rippee
April 27, 2024 at 7:27 amThis is a beautiful dish. I’ve had goat once and loved it. I really love what you did with the sauce!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:02 amThe sauce was nice and thick, which I loved.
Barb
April 27, 2024 at 7:49 amThis sounds very tasty! I would love to taste goat and will if I ever get the opportunity. In the mean time, I’ll try this with lamb. I’m also going to try the preserved lemon zest recipe. Thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:03 amIt works perfectly with lamb, Barb — I know you will love it!
Inger
April 27, 2024 at 8:22 amSo drooling. And I know you realize how lucky you are to have that amazing farmers market!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:03 amYes, I really do know how lucky we are — the market is amazing!
angiesrecipes
April 27, 2024 at 11:36 amwow the meat is perfectly tender, juicy and delicious! I want to come over for the dinner LOL
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:04 amYou are always welcome at any time. 🙂
sherry
April 27, 2024 at 5:57 pmI’ve had goat once many years ago. Sadly I think it was shoved onto a BBQ and was tough and terrible. But your dish has so many fab flavours David. THis sounds wonderful! I love preserved lemon too.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:05 amMine was anything but tough and terrible! (I’m so glad!) But it works with lamb and I know you get great lamb!
sherry
April 27, 2024 at 5:58 pmJust another way to ‘peel’ tomatoes – I grate them and you are just left with the skin in your hand. So easy!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 28, 2024 at 12:05 amI grate tomatoes all the time — a lot depends on the texture I want in the end!
Marcelle
April 28, 2024 at 6:51 amThe meat looks amazing and so tender, David! Goat (cabrito) is a fairly popular dish around South Texas, although I haven’t personally had it. We need to branch out and give it a try. Lamb is another protein we don’t eat much of, it’s really expensive down here lol. Thanks for the chermoula rub recipe in the notes, it sounds fantastic.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 5, 2024 at 11:03 pmI hope you get to try some goat in this method, Marcelle — it is very good!
Ronit
April 28, 2024 at 9:27 amVery tempting dish! The sauce must be so tasty and aromatic. I’ve had goat before, and liked it, but lamb is easier to get, so I’ll probably use it instead. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 5, 2024 at 11:04 pmLamb is generally easier to find, thus the double instructions! It works beautifully either way!
Gerlinde de Broekert
April 29, 2024 at 6:12 amI never had goat but love my husband’s rack of lamb when he grills it. Now I have to look up your preserved lemon zest recipe.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 5, 2024 at 11:05 pmMaybe you can get your husband to let you try the lamb next time! 🙂 he preserved lemon zest is what I make when I have to juice a lot of the fruits for Moroccan preserved lemons.
Jeff the Chef
May 1, 2024 at 7:15 amThis looks exquisite! I wonder if I can find goat loin somewhere. I live in Chicago … I’m sure someone sells it somewhere. I’ll have to keep an eye out. I’m not sure I’ve ever had goat meat before. Your dish looks so amazing.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 5, 2024 at 11:05 pmDon’t despair, Jeff — you will like the lamb version, too.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
May 1, 2024 at 4:42 pmI don’t think I’ve ever had goat, and honestly I don’t recall ever finding this meat (I guess small farms could also be the answer.) The meat look cooked to perfection and so temptingly succulent. And great job on the flavour profile – your kitchen must smell fabulous when you were making this!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 5, 2024 at 11:06 pmThe kitchen did smell pretty amazing when I was making the sauce, Ben! And I know goat is hard to find — definitely try it with lamb!
Raymund
May 7, 2024 at 6:42 pmYour culinary adventures with goat loin sound absolutely tantalizing! It’s fascinating how the flavors of Marrakech’s chermoula blend with the tender meat, creating a dish that’s sure to be a hit.