Fresh from the Kitchen: Recipes & Food Inspiration

Key takeaways

Instant Pot: pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, natural release; 40 minutes makes meat fall off the bone.
Get goat from a local butcher or ethnic stores; choose bone-in goat shoulder or leg for flavor and juiciness.
Let pressure release naturally; avoid quick release to prevent toughness; boneless meat: 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with steamed rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option; refrigerate five days or freeze up to three months.

Published on May 13, 2026. Updated on May 13, 2026. By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. 17 Comments

This Jamaican goat curry recipe uses vegetables and a delightful blend of aromatic spices to create a super delicious dish that will stimulate your taste buds!

bowl of goat curry in a white bowl with cauliflower rice in background

🧡 Why You’ll Love This

If you’ve never tried goat before, this goat curry might inspire you to do so the next time you feel adventurous. Jamaican curry goat is very popular in the Caribbean, and the first time I had it, I was hooked!

Goat meat (sometimes referred to as mutton) can taste a bit gamey, but the spices from this curry goat add so much flavor and richness to this dish.

The recipe is similar to my lamb curry, which is another favorite in my household. Goat meat and lamb meat have similar taste profiles, but goat meat takes longer to cook due to its lower fat content. It also has a more earthy and nutty taste compared to lamb meat.

If you need more goat meat recipes, try this goat stew or Kenyan grilled goat meat (nyama choma). They are so delicious!

💭 Where Can I Get Goat Meat From?

Depending on where you live, goat meat might not be easy to find. Your best bet might be your local butcher, where you can get meat from a whole goat or just part of it. Sometimes, I get it from an African, Asian, or Hispanic store, but it might be a bit more expensive.

If you have access to a butcher, keep in mind that meat from an older goat is usually tougher. So, if you want more tender goat meat, ask for meat from a younger female goat.

🥘 Equipment I Use

Goat meat might be challenging to prepare because of its long cooking time, but using an instant pot to pressure cook makes the process easier and quicker. This Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker is a good choice if you’re in the market for an instant pot.

Goat meat is quite tough and takes quite a bit of time to cook on the stove. You also have to monitor it to ensure there is enough water so it does not burn. But if you don’t have a pressure cooker, I also include instructions on how to make this curry on the stove.

🧾 Ingredients I Use

raw goat meat onions, ginger, red bell pepper

Goat meat: For this Jamaican goat curry, I use goat meat with bones in it, but you can use boneless if you wish.
Tomatoes and red bell pepper: These vegetables add an infusion of flavor to the curry and help thicken it, so you don’t need a thickener.
Spices: Smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, cumin powder, cayenne pepper, bouillon powder, and curry powder, which is the most important ingredient. The spice list may be long, but curry dishes have robust and complex flavors. Trust me; you need all these aromatic spices!
Aromatics: Onions, garlic, and ginger.
Coconut milk: To make the goat curry rich and creamy.
Olive oil.
A little water or broth.

individual glass bowls of paprika, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, cinnamon. on a white marble surface.

🔪 How To Make Goat Curry

Wash and drain your goat meat. Chop onions, ginger, tomatoes, and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
Turn your instant pot to sauté mode and add olive oil. Cook the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Then, add the chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, cayenne pepper, and bouillon powder and stir everything for about 2 minutes.
Pour in a cup of water, then add your goat meat, curry powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and cinnamon. You can also use beef or chicken broth instead of water. Mix everything and allow it to simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stir well one more time. Make sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Set the Instant Pot to manual mode and cook your goat curry on high pressure for 30 minutes. It will take a few minutes to come to pressure. When the timer goes off, let the Instant Pot naturally release its pressure.
Set the instant pot back to sauté mode and season with more salt if necessary. Let the goat curry continue to simmer so it thickens up some more. It will continue to thicken when you turn off the instant pot, so don’t worry about your curry being too watery. Garnish with cilantro or parsley, and serve!

How To Make Goat Curry On the Stovetop

You can make goat curry on the stovetop. This might take a long time, anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on how tough your goat meat is and how tender you want it to be. Keep an eye on it so the water doesn’t dry out. If there is no liquid, you might need to add a bit more water.

You can also marinate it overnight for more flavor by mixing the goat meat and all the spices in a large bowl and refrigerating it.

This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker and will take 4-5 hours on high heat.

♨️ How To Store and Reheat

This easy curry recipe keeps well in the fridge for about five days. You can also make a big batch and freeze it in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 3 months.

To defrost, leave it overnight in the fridge till it thaws. Then, warm on the stove with very little water on medium heat.

🍽️ What to Serve With It

Goat curry is usually served with steamed rice. However, I like to eat it with cauliflower rice for a satisfying low-carb dinner.

goat curry sauce in a bowl garnished with cilantro

💡 My Expert Tips

Set the instant pot to 40 minutes if you want the goat meat in your curry to fall off the bone.
This recipe uses bone-in goat meat. For boneless, use the same 30-minute time if you want it fork-tender, or reduce it to 25 minutes if you want it a bit tougher.
Let the instant pot naturally release its pressure. Don’t do a quick release because this can cause the goat meat to get tough.
You could experiment with different spices, such as black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, coriander seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, or coriander leaves.
Add scotch bonnet pepper or habanero if you want more heat.

👩‍🍳 Questions You Might Have

What is the best cut of goat meat for curry?

For the best results, use goat shoulder or leg meat. These cuts have a little more fat and bone, which helps keep the meat juicy and adds a lot of flavor to the sauce as it simmers.

How do I make the goat meat tender?

Goat meat is lean, so it needs to cook slowly over low heat. Simmering it for at least an hour or using a pressure cooker is the best way to make sure the meat is tender and easy to eat.

Can I make this curry less spicy?

Yes, you can easily control the heat by using less pepper or removing the seeds from the chilies. If the curry is already too spicy, adding a little extra broth or a splash of coconut milk can help tone it down.

Can I make this in advance?

Goat curry actually tastes even better the next day because the spices have more time to soak into the meat. You can make it a day early and just reheat it on the stove when you are ready to serve.

If you love goat curry, you’ll love these recipes!

Lamb Curry with Coconut Milk

Keto Shrimp Coconut Curry

Instant Pot Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Kuku Paka (Kenyan Chicken Curry)

Pumpkin Chicken Curry

Originally published in Dec 2020, this post was updated in May 2026 for accuracy and to include more helpful content.

bowl of goat curry with cauliflower rice nearby

📖 Recipe