Description
Goat Water is a traditional Caribbean stew featuring tender goat meat simmered with aromatic spices, herbs, and vegetables to create a rich, flavorful broth. Slow-cooked to perfection, this hearty dish is often served with bread to soak up the delicious sauce, making it a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1kg goat meat, cut into 5cm chunks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or molasses
- 2 tsp cloves
- 2 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp ground mace
- few thyme sprigs
- ½ garlic bulb, cloves peeled and crushed
- 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- ½ green pepper, chopped into 1½cm chunks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp gravy browning
- 2–4 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp rum (optional)
To Serve
- Bread
Instructions
- Prepare the Goat Meat: Mix the lemon juice into a large bowl of water. Rinse the goat meat in the lemon water to remove any impurities, then drain well. Pat the goat meat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Set aside for cooking.
- Brown the Meat: Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar or molasses and cook for a few minutes until the sugar caramelizes and turns golden. Add the goat meat pieces and brown them on all sides by turning frequently to seal in the flavors.
- Add Spices and Vegetables: Incorporate the cloves, allspice, ground mace, thyme sprigs, crushed garlic cloves, chopped Scotch bonnet chilli, celery, green pepper chunks, chopped onion, gravy browning, and bay leaves into the pot. Pour in 1 litre of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the Stew: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the stew simmer gently for about 2 to 2½ hours until the goat meat is very tender and infused with the spices.
- Thicken the Sauce: Mix the cornflour with 50ml of water to create a slurry, then stir it into the stew. Continue simmering uncovered for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a creamy, single-cream consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the optional tablespoon of rum for added depth of flavor. Serve the Goat Water hot alongside fresh bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Use fresh spices and herbs for the most aromatic flavor.
- Adjust the number of bay leaves according to your taste preference.
- The Scotch bonnet chilli adds significant heat; remove seeds or reduce amount for milder stew.
- Rum is optional but adds a lovely warmth and complexity to the stew.
- Slow simmering is essential for tenderizing tough goat meat.
- Serve with crusty or soft bread depending on personal preference.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Keywords: goat water, Caribbean goat stew, goat meat recipe, traditional Caribbean stew, goat meat stew, spicy goat stew, hearty stew
