At a glance
Rub a bone-in goat leg with ancho chili, cumin and oregano and smoke it at 250°F for about 4 hours until the bark sets. Wrap it in a pan with broth, lime and chipotle and keep cooking until it reaches 200°F to 205°F, about 3 hours more. Rest it, pull it and serve it in tortillas.
Goat is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but it rarely appears on American smokers. That is a shame, because a smoked goat leg is wonderful. The meat is lean with a gentle, slightly sweet flavor somewhere between lamb and beef, and long, slow smoking turns it into tender, juicy shreds that are perfect for tacos, in the spirit of Mexican barbacoa.
Buying goat
Goat legs usually weigh 4 to 6 lb. Younger goat, sometimes sold as kid or cabrito, is milder and more tender. Older goat, often labeled mutton in Caribbean shops, has a stronger flavor and needs the full slow cook. Halal butchers, Caribbean and Latin American grocers and local farms are the best places to look.
Keeping lean goat moist
Goat has much less fat than lamb, so it can dry out if it is left unwrapped for the whole cook. Dry brining overnight helps it hold moisture, and wrapping it with broth once the bark is set braises it to tenderness. The same approach works for smoked lamb neck and lamb shanks.
Recipe
Smoked Goat Leg
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 7 hr
- Rest
- 30 min
- Total
- 7 hr 50 min plus overnight dry brine (optional)
- Makes
- 6 to 8 servings
- Smoker 250°F (121°C)
- Wrap at about 165°F (74°C)
- Done at about 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C)
Ingredients
Goat
- 1 bone-in goat leg, 4 to 6 lb (1.8 to 2.7 kg)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Rub
- 2 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Wrap
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 chipotles in adobo, chopped (optional)
To serve
- Corn tortillas
- Salsa, diced onion, cilantro and lime
Equipment
- Smoker
- Large foil pan and foil
- Probe thermometer
Method
- Trim off any thin membrane and loose fat. Salt the leg all over and refrigerate it uncovered overnight, if you have time.
- Heat the smoker to 250°F (121°C) with oak, hickory or mesquite.
- Rub the goat with olive oil and coat it in the rub.
- Smoke for about 4 hours, until the bark is set and the internal temperature is around 165°F (74°C).
- Place the leg in a foil pan with the broth, lime juice and chipotles. Cover tightly with foil.
- Return it to the smoker for about 3 hours, until it reaches 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C) and the meat pulls away from the bone easily.
- Rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Pull the meat, discard the bones and toss it with the pan juices.
- Serve in warm tortillas with salsa, onion, cilantro and lime.
Notes
- Goat is very lean. Wrapping with broth is what keeps it moist.
- Look for goat at halal butchers, Caribbean, Mexican and Middle Eastern grocers, and farmers markets.
Serving ideas
- Tacos with salsa verde, onion, cilantro and lime.
- Over rice and peas with the pan juices.
- With flatbreads, yogurt and a cucumber and tomato salad.
Leftovers reheat well. The methods in our guide to reheating pulled pork work just as well for goat.
Frequently asked questions
What does smoked goat taste like?
Mild and slightly sweet, less gamey than lamb, with a texture similar to lean beef.
How long does it take to smoke a goat leg?
About 6 to 8 hours at 250°F for a 4 to 6 lb leg, including the wrapped stage.
Can I slice smoked goat instead of pulling it?
You can cook it to about 145°F and slice it thinly, but goat is lean and much more tender when cooked low and slow until it pulls.