Haitian Fried Marinated Goat (Tassot de Cabri)
Tassot de Kabrit Tassot de cabriSay it: tah-SOH duh kah-BREE
Tassot de cabri is goat meat simmered slowly in a sharp marinade of sour orange, vinegar, garlic and Scotch bonnet, then fried until the outside turns dark and crisp while the inside stays tender and juicy. It is a fixture at Haitian Sunday tables, at fritay street stands and at New Year's gatherings, always served with pikliz and fried plantains. The marinade seasons and tenderizes the meat in one go, and the final fry gives it that deep, caramelized, peppery crust that makes tassot so satisfying.
Haitian Fried Marinated Goat (Tassot de Cabri)
Tassot de Kabrit, Tassot de cabri
Pronounced tah-SOH duh kah-BREE
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the marinade
For the meat
Method
Trim the goat pieces of excess fat and sinew, rinse them under cold water and pat very dry with paper towels.
Whisk the sour orange juice, vinegar, garlic, thyme, black pepper, cloves, allspice and salt in a bowl. Put the goat in a large bowl or zip-top bag with the onion and Scotch bonnet, pour the marinade over and turn everything to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Tip the meat, onion, pepper and all the marinade into a heavy pot. Add the water — it should come about halfway up the meat — and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and pulls easily from the bone. Skim any foam from the surface during the first few minutes.
Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the meat is glossy and coated in the reduced marinade. Lift out and discard the Scotch bonnet.
Transfer the meat to a plate and let it drain; discard the spent onion and any loose bones. Pat the pieces dry, because dry meat fries crisp.
Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Fry the goat in a single layer, in batches, turning, for 4 to 6 minutes per batch, until deeply browned and crisp at the edges.
Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with a little more salt if needed and serve hot.
Regional variant: Beef Tassot (Tassot de Bœuf)
Use the same weight of beef chuck or stewing beef in place of goat and keep the marinade unchanged. Simmer it covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until a fork slides in easily, then reduce the liquid and fry exactly as above. The result is slightly milder and beefier, and is the version most often sold on fritay platters.
Cook's notes
- Leave the Scotch bonnet whole so it perfumes the pot without setting it on fire; pierce it once with a knife if you want real heat.
- The boil-down step matters most: the meat must be nearly dry and glistening before it hits the oil, or it will steam instead of brown.
- An overnight marinade makes a noticeably more tender, more deeply seasoned tassot than a short one.
Serve with
Pikliz, bannann peze (twice-fried plantains) and diri kole ak pwa, or a cold Prestige beer.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 3 days covered in the fridge; reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 10 minutes to bring back the crust.
