Cabrito facts for kids
Cabrito is a special dish made from young goat meat. It's popular in countries like Spain, Portugal, and many places in Latin America. The word "cabrito" means "little goat" in Spanish and Portuguese. It's usually roasted or cooked slowly until it's very tender.
Cabrito in Argentina
In Argentina, especially in a place called Córdoba Province, cabrito is a very popular local dish. The town of Quilino even has a special festival to celebrate it!
Sometimes you might hear about "chivito" instead of "cabrito." The main difference is the age of the goat. A "cabrito" is a very young goat that is still drinking milk. A "chivito" is a bit older and has started eating solid foods. Because of this, the meat from a chivito is not quite as tender as cabrito.
Cabrito in Mexico
In Mexico, cabrito is a famous dish, especially in the city of Monterrey and the state of Nuevo León. The way it's prepared there has roots in the cooking styles brought by the city's first settlers, who had Jewish traditions.
In northern Mexico, people cook cabrito in several different ways:
- Cabrito al Pastor: This is probably the most well-known way to cook cabrito. The whole young goat is opened flat and placed on a long stick called a spit. This spit is then put next to hot charcoal embers. The cabrito roasts slowly in the open air. It doesn't need many seasonings because it gets a light, smoky flavor from the charcoal.
- Cabrito al horno (Oven-Roasted Cabrito): For this method, the cabrito is cooked slowly in an oven at a low temperature. There are many different ways to prepare it this way. Some recipes involve adding special seasonings and covering the meat at certain times. This helps make the cabrito very tasty and juicy.
- Cabrito en salsa (Cabrito in Sauce): In this dish, the young goat is cut into pieces. First, the pieces are lightly browned in oil. Then, they are slowly cooked in a sauce. This sauce is usually made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and green chilies, along with other spices. The meat cooks until it's very tender.
- Cabrito en sangre (Cabrito in a Rich Sauce), also called fritada de cabrito: This is a less common way to prepare cabrito. It involves making a very rich, dark sauce using some of the animal's internal organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart, along with other seasonings. The cabrito pieces are then cooked slowly in this sauce until they are tender.
Cabrito in Portugal and Brazil
In Portuguese, the word cabrito is used for a young goat, not just for the roasted dish. This is especially true in the Northeast Region of Brazil, particularly in the dry area called the Sertão Nordestino, and also in Portugal.
When cooked, the goat is usually about 3 months old. It's slow-cooked over a charcoal fire for about eight hours. During this long cooking time, it's turned every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure it cooks evenly and becomes very tender.
See also
In Spanish: Cabrito para niños
