Many years ago I was asked to test and edit a recipe for cabrito — young goat — roasted over wood. I had a fire pit that was moderately deep and of a generous width, lined and topped with iron grates and edged with stone. I had a good supply of hardwood that we kept for feeding the two wood stoves that heat our house through the long New Hampshire winters. All I needed was the meat, a whole — though small — hindquarter.
My search took me to a local sheep and goat farm that had escaped my notice because it was tucked out of sight except for a small sign by the road. I was looking for meat from a kid of no more than 12 pounds. The type of goat didn’t matter as much as that it had been milk-fed so the flavor of the meat would be delicate and clean.
The long slow cooking over the fire was a memorable experience, the hours of tantalizing aroma a promise of the meal to come. Once fire-roasted cabrito is smoky, brown, and crisp on the outside, wrapping it in foil and finishing it in the oven keeps the meat moist and tenderizes it so that it falls apart at a touch. It needs little embellishment when served. A garnish of cilantro and crisp radish add color and a counterpoint of texture. The meat can be wrapped with a tortilla or served on a plate. Salsa adds a touch of piquancy. Sides of salad, beans, cornbread and beer will add to the feast, but what will be remembered long afterward is the succulent, tender slow-roasted meat.
Slow-Roasted Barbecued Cabrito
Ingredients
- •Two 1.3 kg (3 pound) cabrito hindquarters
- •1 tablespoon kosher salt
- •2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •40 grams (¾ cup) chopped fresh cilantro
- •8 large red radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
- •Flour or corn tortillas, for serving
- •Pico de Gallo or salsa verde, for serving
Preparation
Mix together the salt, pepper, and cumin. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Prepare a wood fire in a large fire pit and let it burn down to coals. Using a shovel, push about half of the coals to one side of the pit and maintain a small fire on the other side, adding more wood as needed to keep it going. Arrange the two hindquarters on the grill about 8 inches above the coals.
Grill the hindquarters for 2 to 3 hours, turning them every 20 minutes. Then wrap the cabrito in foil, place in a roasting pan and transfer to a 121° C (250° F) oven. Cook until the meat is falling off the bone, 2 to 3 hours more. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Using a fork, coarsely shred the meat, reserving the juices in the foil packet, and discarding the bones.
Place the shredded meat in a warmed dish, top with the juices, the chopped cilantro and radishes. Serve accompanied by warm tortillas and salsa.
