Curry goat and the Indian roots of Jamaican cooking

Jamaica's national motto is “Out of Many, One People,” and the food proves it. Curry goat is one of the clearest examples.

How curry came to Jamaica

After slavery ended in the British Caribbean, colonial planters recruited indentured workers from India. The first ship carrying Indian workers to Jamaica arrived in 1845, and thousands more followed over the next several decades. They brought their spices, their cooking methods, and their curries.

Over time, Jamaicans of every background adopted curry and made it their own. Jamaican curry powder leans heavily on turmeric, which gives it a bright yellow color, and it is usually cooked with local ingredients like scotch bonnet, pimento, thyme, and scallion.

Why goat?

Goats are common in Jamaica and handle the island's hills and heat well. Goat meat has a rich flavor that stands up to strong spices, and it becomes tender when it cooks slowly. That combination made curry goat a natural fit.

The dish for big occasions

In Jamaica, curry goat shows up at weddings, birthdays, church events, and community gatherings. If a family is feeding a crowd, there is a good chance a big pot of it is on the fire. It's a dish tied to celebration.

How it's made

The meat is seasoned with curry powder, garlic, ginger, thyme, scallion, and scotch bonnet, then left to marinate. It is browned, then simmered slowly until it's tender and the sauce has thickened. Goat is often cooked on the bone, which adds flavor to the gravy.

If you've never eaten goat, curry goat is the best place to start. The spices and slow cooking make it approachable, and most first-timers are surprised by how much they like it.

Other curries on our menu

If you'd rather start with something familiar, try our curry chicken — the same Jamaican curry style, made with chicken. We cook that curry two more ways:

• Curry shrimp — shrimp in our Jamaican curry sauce, lighter than the goat but just as full of flavor.
• Curried vegetables — a vegetable entrée in the same curry, and a favorite with our vegetarian and vegan guests.

All of them come on coconut rice & peas with plantains.