Going for goat: Why are so many Australians afraid to cook with this meat?

Goat meat is widely consumed around the world, but remains a largely niche part of many of our diets, especially here in Australia.

Goat milk and cheese is widely embraced, so why are we so afraid to cook with its meat?

Jo Stewart and her husband Craig run a goat farm about 500km west of Sydney, in Collie.

Their goat meat can be found on the menus in some of Australia's best restaurants, and is also sold in specialty butchers and providores.

But Jo wants to see it become more mainstream.

Big exports, small appetite

Goat meat is utilised in food from many different places, including South Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal), parts of Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East and in some Asian and South American dishes.

In fact, they say in 2020 Australia sent approximately 95 per cent of the goat produced here overseas.

While goat meat is becoming more popular in Australia, Jo says the word "goat" still scares some people off.

"We want to help change that."

Goat meat currently retails at specialty butchers for around $25 per kilogram, making it more expensive than lamb, beef and chicken.

"I think people are somewhat afraid to cook with goat, because if they are having to pay more for it then they don't want to spoil it by overcooking it and make it tough and chewy," she says.

"The game meat factor is also an inhibitor."

Tender, juicy and mild

While curried goat is made for special occasions in many cultures, Jo says there's plenty of other ways to prepare it.

"Farmed goat meat is easy to cook, and is tender, juicy and mild in flavour," she says. 

She says it's often described as tasting like lamb, but also "leaning towards the savoury taste of beef".

"Like quality lamb and beef, depending on the cut, goat meat can be prepared by grilling, rotisserie, broiling, roasting, sautéing, pan-frying, braising and stewing," she adds.

"But, like all meats, you do need to match the right cut with the right cooking method."

Jo admits she's no celebrity chef, but still loves to cook with goat.

"I cook baked goat, as in roasts. Neck chops are delicious, because a goat's neck is meatier and fattier than a sheep's neck, so it's great for a slow cooker. And, of course, goat curry is still very popular," she says.

"We have even started experimenting with our butcher, producing a smoked goat that is delicious as well."

Start off slow

Chef Darman Shrivastav runs an Indian restaurant in Melbourne and is also a teacher at Box Hill Tafe.

He says the best and easiest way to start cooking with goat is to slow cook it with the bone in.

"I like to cook my goat in a clay pot, but you could use a slow cooker," he says.

"Basically, you just cook it for at least four to five hours and, of course, we add Indian spices: cumin, turmeric and garam masala.

"By cooking it with the bone in you'll bring out the maximum flavour."

He says there's no reason why goat can't be used in our everyday diets.

"I personally find goat more flavoursome than lamb.

"Right now, people eat goat who are familiar with it, but that can change."