Goat meat probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you imagine tender, juicy, fall off the bone roasted meat. Well, at least if you live in the US or most of the western world. In many places, goat meat is the first choice for protein, and it’s amazingly flavorful and tender if you know how to cook it. One of the most forgiving cuts goat leg, and a properly slow roasted goat leg will top a beef pot roast any day.
My parents visit from California every year, and they’re always befuddled by our lifestyle. It’s the little things, like when I pulled a whole roast goat leg out of the oven for dinner. They were skeptical, but by now they know they can trust what comes out of my kitchen, no matter how strange it seems at first.
One bite and dad was impressed. He said, “It tastes just like great grandma’s pot roast! I can’t believe it.”
Great-grandma was a product of the depression, and it wouldn’t surprise me if her pot roast was made out of an old dairy goat more than once. The thing is, in their 30+ years together, mom hadn’t ever been able to come close to the flavor of great grandma’s pot roast. My dad was in heaven and went from goat meat skeptic to a believer in just one bite.
Where to Buy Goat Meat
Goat meat is becoming much more popular in the US these days, as people return to more traditional ways of cooking. Just a decade ago goat meat could only be purchased at ethnic markets, or by buying a whole live goat.
The rise in backyard dairy goats has also increased the availability of goat meat. Those cute little homestead dairy goats have to be bred every year of they’ll stop producing milk, and each year they give birth to up to 4 goat kids. Like it or not, some of those goats have to end up on the table, no animal can sustain that reproductive rate year after year.
Given the surplus of goat kids, we used to buy a pair of goat kids each year for about $20. These days I’m chasing toddler kids instead of human kids, and I was happy to be gifted a crate of goat meat from my friends at Green Mountain Girls Farm. They raise dual-purpose goats for a meat and dairy operation. They’re just one of at least a dozen small farms in Vermont that sell goat meat commercially.
If you don’t want to raise goats yourself, seek out a farmer selling chevon, which is the technical name for goat meat (like pork is for pig meat).
How to Cook a Goat Leg
Leg of goat is one of the most forgiving cuts of goat meat. The taste is mild, and slow-roasted goat leg will quickly win over goat meat skeptics. A dry rub helps to flavor the meat and ensures that the meat doesn’t dry out during a long slow cook.
My favorite goat leg recipe uses a simple dry rub. For a 3-pound goat leg, I add 2 teaspoons of each salt, sugar, garlic powder and onion powder. Feel free to add spices based on your own tastes, but believe it or not goat meat doesn’t need intense spices to taste amazing. Salt and a tiny bit of sugar help to bring out its natural flavor, beyond that the seasoning is up to you.
After dry rubbing the goat leg, wrap it tightly in foil and allow it to rest 24 hours in the refrigerator. The salt and sugar are going to pull moisture out of the meat, and that cooking liquid will be trapped in the foil and will help to braise the goat meat.
If you’re not a fan of foil, place the meat in a roasting pan, that works too. Just make sure the drippings are captured after the dry rub marinade.
Pull the meat out of the refrigerator, and allow it to come to room temperature on the counter for an hour or two before cooking. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Once the oven is hot, immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and put the goat leg into the oven.
The hot initial temperature will help to sear the exterior of the goat meat, and then the slow cook will ensure a tender roast. A three-pound goat leg takes 6 to 8 hours to cook, and once it’s done the meat will pull back from the bone and you’ll be able to see the that it’s visibly contracted.
At this point, test the goat leg with a fork. The meat should fall away from the bone. You should be able to pull off a forkful of goat meat with almost no effort.
Give it a taste and feel the tender meat just melt in your mouth!
Slow Roasted Goat Leg
A dry rub marinade and a long slow cook help ensure a tender, flavorful leg of goat.
Ingredients
- 3 lb goat leg, whole
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Combine the salt, sugar and seasonings in a small bowl.
- Coat the outside of the goat leg completely and wrap the meat tightly in foil. Refrigerate the meat for at least 4 hours, but ideally 24 hours. Bring the meat out of the refrigerator and return to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Once it's up to temperature, place the foil-wrapped meat on a baking sheet and put it into the hot oven.
- Immediately turn the oven down to 300 degrees and slow roast the goat leg for 6 to 8 hours. It is done when the meat pulls back from the bone and comes away easily with a fork.
- Serve this recipe for slow roasted goat leg as you would a pot roast, perhaps with a side of vegetables and mashed potatoes.
Goat Leg Recipes
If you’re looking for more ideas, try any of these slow-roasted goat leg recipes. Just about all of them have a similar cooking process, but the seasonings vary considerably.
I’ve also seen quicker recipes for roast goat leg, that have a higher temperature and shorter cook time (2-3 hours). These recipes won’t be pot roast tender, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A whole roasted goat leg that you can slice with a knife might be the perfect centerpiece to any meal where you’d serve a leg of lamb.
Kim
How long for a 9-lb goat leg? and what should the final temp of the meat be?
Ashley Adamant
That is quite the goat leg! The minimum internal temperature of for goat leg is 145 degrees. Anywhere above that and the meat is “done.” That said, this recipe is a long slow roast and the final temperature will be well above the minimum to get the “fall off the bone” effect. The meat will be done long before it’s tender, so how long it takes to cook is more a matter of taste than safety. I’ve never worked with a cut that large, but I would guess somewhere in the 10-12 hour range? Test for doneness by poking it with a fork to see when it starts to fall apart. Be sure to keep moisture in with it so it doesn’t dry out. A foil wrap or a tightly sealing roasting pan with a lid for example.
Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Audrey Berg
Hi Ashley, I made this once before and LOVED it. Now I want to make it again, but I want to serve it for lunch. Do you think I can cook this partway, then let it sit overnight, and restart the next day? Or should I cook it all the day before and reheat? Many thanks in advance, Audrey
Administrator
I would cook it all the way through and then reheat.
JoyceHillman
This recipe was as promised….much more like pot roast than goaty. I plan to reduce the salt in the rub next time and maybe wrap some onions in the foil during baking.
Now! What recipes do you have for ground goat meat?
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful, glad it worked for you! Onions in the foil sound perfect. On the salt, we often use sea salt which is a bit fluffy and I should note that because it works out to be much less salty if you’re using a lighter salt. (less grams of salt per tablespoon)
For ground goat, I’d actually check out mutton recipes because anything that calls for mutton would work really great for goat. Both have amazing flavor, and there are a lot of Eastern recipes that use them.
I have another site just for food recipes (rather than homestead/DIY stuff) and earlier this week I posted two great mutton recipes that would work wonderfully with ground goat. The first is a Mongolian steamed dumpling that tastes best when it’s made with meat that has character (it’s a bit bland with beef) ~ https://adamantkitchen.com/mongolian-buuz/
The second thing I’d try is to look up any Indian minced mutton recipe and substitute goat. We had this for breakfast today and it’s simple but amazing ~ https://adamantkitchen.com/keema-aloo/
Joyce Hillman
Thanks Ashley – I will explore in the new year.
The last time I used ground goat, I tried cooking I need a skillet. Because of the strong goat flavor in the fat, it was so goaty that I couldn’t eat it. So it seems that long cookin and lower temps make the most flavorful meals.
And with 15 one pound packages in the freezer, I need something yummy!
Joyce
Marie
Goat Chili and Goat Gyros! Both are ground meat and low & slow recipes.
Lawrence Minnis
Could you put the goat leg in a brine over night?
Ashley Adamant
Yes. If you’re going to do a wet brine, don’t do the dry rub or it’ll be too salty.
Nikii
I have made this recipe with bone in goat meat several times now and my friends say it is a WINNER! 🐐 meat is the BEST!!
Jo
Can I put this in a slow cooker instead of the oven?
Ashley Adamant
Yup!
jim rae
Ashley,.
Live in a Portuguese community in Mass. I was recently given a goat leg. In the freezer right now( Shrink wrap )
Any event ,I love your recipe and its reference to pot roast. When I cook it, do I use heavy duty foil ? Regular foil ? and
how many layers ? Don’t want to get picky, just want it to come out right.
Thanks, Jim
Ashley Adamant
Hey Jim,
I just used regular Reynolds wrap foil, laid it out in a big sheet and then put the leg in the center. I folded it in thirds over the leg, like closing a book from both sides. Then I pinched and folded all the seams closed to really seal it shut and try to avoid any liquid leaks. Still, put it on a baking pan or something similar in the oven to avoid drips. Good luck!
Narita Siegel
I raise goats and need to get info about doing a below ground roast. Also, need a person to do the slaughter; hanging; etc.
Makos - The Hungry Bites
Hi Ashley,
Thanks so much for including my recipe in your post!
Janet
I raise goats always looking for new recipe for goat or lamb for extra males. Must say the Washday stew in one of the Fix It And Forget It slow cook books is a personal favorite.
Dominique
Hello Ashley, would your recipe work with a whole baby goat (10 lb). And how long do you think it will take in the oven? Thank you
Ashley Adamant
I think it would, but as to the total cook time, I don’t know honestly.
Ian
Greetings. Would this recipe work well with a leg of lamb? I made it with a goat leg earlier and thought it was outstanding. I’m considering it for a 4.5 lbs leg of lamb. Many thanks.
Ashley Adamant
I bet it would!
Kendra
I rarely comment on recipes, but this was excellent! We had 2 young goats butchered, and I wanted to try the meat. I made 2 legs (we have a large family), and the kids ate it right up. It tastes like a mix between beef and venison. It’s so hard to find recipes for goat meat. Thank you for posting this. We are going to try your recipe for the shoulder next!
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful!
Jean
Tried the recipe and was really happy with how it turned out. The cooking method was spot on: dry rubbed the night before and cooked for 6 hours for a 2.5 kg leg of goat.
Were I to do it again, I would maybe try a glaze for the last 30 minutes. Something with a little sugar I think.
Thanks for the recipe!
Tinamarie Maison
This is an amazing recipe and the goat was so tender! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Administrator
You’re very welcome. We’re so glad it turned out so well.
Jennifer
Hi, I was just wondering if its a good idea to put the rub on the meat before it’s frozen? We have just had a whole goat butchered. We have a goat farm, it’s our first year, I’ve never had goat before and am now preparing the meat to be frozen. I wondered if putting a rub on it before freezing is helpful or just do it when it’s been defrosted. Thanks in advance for your help! I will enjoy Tring out your recipes!
Administrator
I personally would wait until after it has been defrosted.
Parie
So I take the leg out of the foil or cook wrapped?
Parie
Oh I just saw the instructions 😅 nevemind
Kevin Lock
I’m wondering about how old should the goat be before you slaughter it to get the tenderness?
Administrator
It depends on the breed of goat. Some can be butchered at around 3 to 5 months and some are better around 7 or 8 months.
Kim
Hello,
Would this work on a goat roast? I have a goat roast and I do not know how to cook it.
Administrator
Yes, it should work just fine.
Bill
I have a 3.5 pound boneless goat leg roast which I’ve been trying to figure out how to cook. If I try your recipe, which looks great, how would I adjust cook time to take into account that it’s boneless? Thanks
Administrator
The boneless roast will most likely cook faster than the bone in meat. I would just start checking it sooner.
Hannah
I used the dry rub recipe, letting it sit overnight. In the morning it seared it in a cast iron skillet then but it in the crockpot on low the whole day (10 hours). It was amazing, fall apart and juicy!
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed it!
Jackie
HI Ashley, I’m going to cook this tomorrow and just wonder if your temperatures are conventional bake or fan-forced?
Thanks
Jackie
Administrator
Unless otherwise specified it will be conventional.