Cabrito al horno is a specialty deeply rooted in northern Argentina, especially in La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, and Catamarca, where the tender, juicy meat of young kid goats is highly prized.
Its slow oven roasting lets the flavors blend evenly, producing a golden, crisp exterior that contrasts with the tenderness of the meat.
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Argentine Roasted Kid Goat
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
- 2 kg of kid goat, cut into pieces (about 4.4 lb)
- to taste of salt
- to taste of pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of oregano
- to taste of chopped parsley (optional)
- 2 of lemons, juiced
- 100 ml of olive oil (about 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
Instructions
- Make the marinade, mix the chopped garlic, rosemary, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- Marinate the kid goat, rub the marinade over the goat pieces, season with salt and pepper, and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Arrange in the pan, place the goat pieces in a roasting pan, skin side up.
- Roast, cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting with the pan juices every 20 to 30 minutes.
- Brown, in the last 15 minutes, raise the oven temperature to get golden, crisp skin.
- Rest, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve, serve hot, with the pan juices.
Tips for getting it right
- Marinating the kid goat ahead of time improves how well the flavors penetrate the meat.
- Basting with the pan juices while roasting keeps the meat from drying out.
- Raising the temperature at the end of roasting helps achieve golden, crisp skin.
- Choosing young kid goats guarantees more tender, juicy meat.
Traditional variations
- Some families add white wine to the pan juices for a deeper flavor.
- It’s also made on the grill or spit-roasted over an open fire, as an alternative to the oven.
How to serve
Cabrito al horno is served hot, as a main dish, drizzled with its own pan juices.
It’s a typical specialty of the northern Argentine provinces, very present at celebrations and family gatherings.
Recommended sides
- Roasted potatoes
- Creole salad
Did you know?
Roasted kid goat is a specialty deeply rooted in La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, and Catamarca, provinces where goat farming is a traditional activity.
Slow oven roasting is one of the more refined ways to prepare kid goat, in contrast to spit-roasting or grilling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Young kid goats have more tender, juicy meat, ideal for achieving this dish's characteristic result.
Basting with the pan juices every 20 to 30 minutes keeps the meat from drying out during the hours of roasting.
It's especially popular in La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, and Catamarca, provinces of northern Argentina.
It's recommended to cook it for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, raising the temperature in the last few minutes to brown the skin.
