The Juicy, Old School BBQ Meat That Came Before Beef And Pork

When you go to a family barbecue, what's on the menu? Maybe it's slow-cooked pork ribs or a beef brisket that spent hours in the smoker. While these are popular barbecued meats today, you might not know that years ago, goat was a common choice for barbecued meat, mostly due to it often being slow-cooked for hours to reduce its toughness. Goat ribs are a tasty alternative to the usual barbecue options you're used to, and depending on the method, can sometimes be cooked in as little as 30 minutes.

Goat is a leaner, gamier meat than beef or pork, and it's often cooked in liquid for maximum tenderness. When cooking goat ribs, liquid should be involved because the lack of fat will cause the meat to dry out as it cooks for an extended period of time. If you're oven-roasting goat ribs, cook them in the oven with water or another liquid, such as wine, in the bottom of the pan to keep the meat moist. If you're cooking them on the stove top, they should still be simmered in liquid. And if you choose to cook them on the grill or in a smoker where liquid isn't involved, make sure you marinate them fully in olive oil to help lock in flavor and moisture. The oven-roasting and stovetop methods will take a couple of hours, but if you're searing them over a grill, they can be ready in about a half hour.

Build flavor with goat ribs just by adding basic seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Or, for a more robust flavor profile, add ingredients such as star anise and chili peppers. If you're cooking the ribs with water, swap it for a flavor-packed liquid such as wine or broth. And regardless of the cooking method, it's always best to let the goat ribs marinate before cooking to infuse the most flavor into the meat.

While cooking goat ribs on the grill means this meat can cook quickly, the method doesn't work the same for other parts of the goat. For example, the goat shoulder is so tough that it needs a few hours to reach peak tenderness. But that's part of why barbecued goat became popular in the first place. Birria, for example, was invented in Mexico and used goat meat out of necessity. Goats were so widely available, and the low and slow liquid cooking method was the only thing that made the tough meat tender enough to enjoy. Today, goat is still an excellent alternative to beef for this dish — and for other forms of barbecue.