Chivito al malbec is a typical preparation of Mendoza and San Juan that makes use of high-quality mountain-pasture-raised kid goat, cooked in a reduction of the region’s flagship wine.
It combines Cuyo’s ranching tradition with its winemaking production, in a dish that highlights the best of both.
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Argentine Kid Goat in Malbec
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
- 1 kg of kid goat steaks or ribs (about 2.2 lb)
- 50 g of butter (about 1.75 oz)
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 of purple onion, sliced into rings
- 500 ml of Malbec wine (about 2 cups)
- 200 g of mushrooms, sliced (about 7 oz) (optional)
- to taste of olive oil
- to taste of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan and sauté the chopped garlic with the purple onion rings until translucent.
- Add the wine, pour in the Malbec and the mushrooms, and let it reduce by half over medium heat.
- Cook the meat, in another pan with hot olive oil, cook the goat steaks or ribs for about 10 minutes per side, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Combine, place the cooked meat into the reduced Malbec sauce, letting it soak up the flavor for a few minutes.
- Serve, serve hot, drizzled with the wine reduction.
Tips for getting it right
- Reducing the wine by half concentrates its flavor and creates a thicker, silkier sauce.
- Cooking the meat over high heat seals in the juices and keeps the kid goat tender inside.
- Kid goat from Malargüe, raised on mountain pasture, is especially prized for its flavor.
- Mushrooms are optional, but they add a textural and flavor contrast to the sauce.
Traditional variations
- In some areas it’s prepared as chilindrón, with a sauce of bell peppers, tomato, and plenty of garlic, a legacy of Spanish cuisine.
- The kid goat is also cooked directly over open flame, without wine sauce, in Lavalle and Malargüe.
How to serve
Chivito al malbec is served hot, as a main dish, drizzled with the wine reduction.
It’s a typical dish of Mendoza and San Juan, especially available in the summer season, from December to March.
Recommended sides
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted potatoes
Did you know?
Kid goat from Malargüe feeds on mountain pastures, giving it especially healthy, flavorful meat.
Chivito is a seasonal product, mainly available between December and March.
Frequently Asked Questions
Malbec is Mendoza's flagship wine, and its intense body pairs very well with the flavor of kid goat, creating a rich, concentrated sauce.
It's a preparation originating in Aragon, a legacy of Spanish cuisine, that combines meat with a sauce of bell peppers, tomato, and plenty of garlic.
It's a seasonal product, mainly available between December and March.
Because it feeds on mountain pastures, giving it healthier, more intensely flavored meat.
