Guide to Argentinian cabrito or roasted goat with chimichurri

Ingredients for baby goat

1 whole baby goat (for a recipe of cuts of leg and shoulder, scroll down)

Chimichurri (recipe below), salt and pepper, to brush over goat as required

Criolla sauce, to serve (recipe below)

For the chimichurri

900gm parsley 

35gm chilli flakes

60gm garlic, chopped

30gm dry oregano

1 tsp olive oil

80gm white vinegar

50gm salt

2 tsp pepper

For the criolla sauce

280gm red capsicum

180gm yellow capsicum

100gm green capsicum

110gm white onion, chopped

360gm corn oil

30gm white vinegar

1 tsp dry oregano

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Method

1. To make the chimichurri, wash the parsley and dry in the lettuce spinner until water is fully removed. Finely chop the parsley leaves, and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Rectify seasoning once it has settled for one day.

2. To make the criolla sauce, remove core, stem and bottom of capsicum, then slice to halven thickness of flesh. Dice. Mix all the ingredients and rectify seasoning if necessary.

3. Brush the cabrito with chimichurri on both sides, and sprinkle salt and freshly crushed pepper. Marinate overnight.

4. Let it cook for minimum 4 hours in the roaster – or in the oven at 140C for 5-6 hours. 

Recipe for goat/lamb leg and shoulder

Ingredients

1 piece leg (about 1.7kg) or 1 piece shoulder (about 1.3kg)

100gm chimichurri

30gm salt

20gm pepper

Method

1. Marinate the meat with the chimichurri and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Cover the meat with parchment paper (also known as butter paper), then cover with aluminum foil. This is a very important step - parchment paper helps to keep the meat moist in the oven, while the aluminum foil prevents the heat from burning the meat.

3. Once the meat is covered, place on a tray and into the oven at 140 °C for 5 hours.

4. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature. In the meantime, set the oven at 180°C.

5. Once the 20 minutes has passed remove both covers and put the meat back in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes – this is so as to crisp the exterior.

6. Finish once again with chimichurri brushed over to give freshness to the meat, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper.