Goat is what Black people ate at every celebration before they had enough money to not need to think about what they ate. It is the wedding protein. The naming ceremony protein. The church homecoming protein. It is also the most consumed meat on earth in every culture except the American mainstream — which tells you exactly how provincial American mainstream food culture actually is.
Goat meat is available at West African grocery stores, halal markets, Caribbean markets, and Hispanic grocery stores nationally. Texas, Georgia, and the Carolinas have active Black goat farming communities — small Black-owned farms supplying local restaurants and farmers markets. Goat is gaining mainstream supermarket penetration through Walmart and Kroger in regions with significant diaspora populations. Price point ($6-10 per pound for bone-in) is comparable to lamb.
Goat meat (chevon) is leaner than chicken thigh and significantly leaner than lamb — 3-5% fat in the loin cuts, with a monounsaturated-dominant fat profile similar to olive oil. The 2017 Journal of Food Science comparison of red meats found goat meat produced significantly lower LDL cholesterol outcomes than beef when substituted in equivalent-calorie diets. Iron at 3.5mg per serving as heme iron, with a higher bioavailability than chicken or fish iron, makes it one of the best dietary interventions for iron deficiency anemia in Black women. Potassium at 405mg per serving — notable for a meat — contributes to the blood pressure management effect. The amino acid profile is rich in arginine, which is a nitric oxide precursor supporting vascular dilation and blood pressure regulation — a pathway directly relevant to the elevated hypertension rates in Black Americans.
Goat requires slow cooking — the connective tissue needs time to break down. Marinate 12-24 hours in garlic, ginger, onion, scotch bonnet, and green seasoning for maximum flavor penetration. For Nigerian pepper soup: simmer bone-in pieces in seasoned broth with crayfish, uda pepper, and ehuru for 1.5-2 hours. For curry goat: brown in oil with curry powder, garlic, ginger, and Scotch bonnet; add coconut milk or water, slow braise 1.5-2 hours. For Southern preparation: braise bone-in with onion, garlic, sweet potato, and herbs 2-3 hours.
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