Unlike beef, goat meat never enjoyed popularity in North America. This may be due to North America’s vast plains, abundance of grass and the ethnic background of its original settlers. First nations never considered eating goat meat, they never saw one.

Now, with an increasing Caribbean population in an around large cities (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary), goat meat has become almost mainstream, but worldwide it is among the popular protein sources, because of it low high-density cholesterol content. It can be raised in mountainous regions and its food needs are less than those of cattle and sheep.

Goat was the first of all meat animals to be domesticated some 10 000 years ago from feral southwestern Asian and eastern European breeds, and used for milk, meat and their hair.

Goats are ruminants with four stomachs, breed any time of the year with a gestation period of 150 days for twins. Females are called nannies and males bucks or billies.

These versatile curious, intelligent animals can be house broken and used as pets although most are reared out-of-doors due to their odour. Goats are fastidious and prefer woody, shrubs, tress, and broad-leaved plants. They also eat grass but need clean water.

Goat meat in developing and mountainous countries is tough an contains little fat, in developed countries they are bred in “factory-like” farms with manufactured and formulated feed, yielding tender meat that tastes like lamb.

The meat is popular in India, Caribbean islands, and mountainous parts of France, southern Turkey to name just a few regions.

Goat meat can be barbequed, stewed, curried, roasted, grilled, minced and used for stuffing, meat balls, sauces, and is even canned.

Over time, breeders developed strains for milk, meat and hide, including hair.
Nannies average daily three to four litres of milk at three-and-half per cent fat. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized, and whiter than cow’s milk. Much of the milk is used to produce cheese, mostly called by its French name chevre.

Dairy Alpine, Anglo Nubia, Golden Guernsey, La Mancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Saanen, Oberhasli, Stieffelgeiss, Kinder, and Toggenburger are some of the breeds raised for milk, whereas Boer, Kiko, Rove, Spanish, Fainting Pygmy, Gemenast, Kalahari, Reo and Savanne are for meat.

Goat is widely available in Caribbean and Indian butcher shops in large urban centres with appreciable populations from India, Caribbean islands, and Middle Eastern countries.

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When the first settlers set foot in North America there was no cattle. They introduced the animal and it thrived on the lush meadows of the landscape.

Indians hunted buffalo which provided not only meat but also leather and everything else they needed.

For a long time ground beef was the predominant source of protein in North America, but unfortunately it has now been replaced by “manufactured chicken”.

Yet, marketers still try to revive the fortunes of beef. This is a multi billion dollar industry, or should I say was, as it covers many aspects of production starting with cattle ranchers, auction houses, transportation companies, slaughter houses, wholesalers, specialized meat packers, and retailers.

Of course, cattle feed producers, veterinarians and researchers also play an important role in this food chain.

A beef carcass consists of tender, semi-tender, and tough cuts. Sirloin, tenderloin, top sirloin, and ribs are the most tender, the chuck, round, legs and other parts require breaking down the tough muscles by marinating, a combination of ingredients, and various cooking techniques.

Tough cuts taste better, if cooked properly, and have more flavour. The more muscles are exercised the more flavourful the meat becomes, but the tougher it becomes.

One way of tenderizing meat is breaking it down by mechanical means, i.e grinding.
Nutritionally there is no difference between ground meat and tenderloin except for fat content.

Most ground meat consists of trimmings from a range of cuts – flank, brisket plate, round and chuck. Ground meat can be extra lean, lean, medium, or regular, pending fat content.

Some ground meat is produced using one cut only i.e. chuck, round, sirloin which tastes better.

Terms such as Angus, Kobe, Hereford, and Wagyu refer to cattle breeds. Ground beef marketed by cattle breed must contain a minimum of 51 per cent of the breed indicated, but often it is more. The taste of different breeds changes, and so does the texture, even though the meat is ground.

Extra lean or lean ground sirloin may contain anywhere from 10 – 17 percent fat, and is good for burgers and casseroles. Extra lean or lean ground chuck (10 – 17 per cent fat) can be successfully used for meatballs, to flavour vegetable stews, sauces, and for flavourful burgers.

Ground round (maximum fat 10 per cent) is good for meat loaves, stuffing vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, Savoy cabbage leaves.
Medium ground (maximum fat 23 per cent) and regular (30 per cent) is fine for broiling before using it to incorporate into a recipe.

Ground beef is economical, but it must be purchased from butcher shops that are owned and managed by professionals producing small quantities in a meticulously clean location and using super-clean grinders.

The more the meat cut is handled, the more it accumulates pathogens.

Wines to go with game meat. (click on game)

Guest Writer – Hrayr Berberoglu E-mail or interested in his books?.