Basque Roasted Suckling Kid – Azpi Gorri Cabrito Lechal

You’ve spent the morning hiking through Urkiola Natural Park in the Basque Country, following trails beneath steep limestone peaks and through green mountain valleys. By early afternoon, you descend toward the little village of Mañaria, tired and hungry after several hours on the trail.

As you approach town, you begin to smell wood smoke and roasting meat.

In a small square, several people are gathered around a long roasting spit set beside glowing coals. A young goat has been opened out and secured to the spit, where it turns slowly beside the fire. One of the cooks notices you watching and invites you closer.

He explains that the goat is Azpi Gorri, the native Basque mountain breed traditionally raised in the surrounding country. The prized suckling kids are remarkably young—only about five to six weeks old—and have been fed entirely on their mothers’ milk. Their meat is mild and tender, so it does not need a complicated marinade or a heavy spice mixture.

The cook brushes the kid lightly as it roasts and turns it toward the heat, allowing the outside to slowly brown while the meat stays juicy. Nearby, potatoes are roasting and bread is being sliced for the meal.

Roasted Azpi Gorri kid remains part of the region’s food tradition. At Mañaria’s local agricultural fair, the breed has even been celebrated with Azpi Gorri kid roasted al burduntzi, the Basque spit-roasting method.

You may not have a long iron spit and a wood fire at home, but the same idea works beautifully in a regular oven: keep the seasoning simple, roast the young goat gently until tender, then finish it uncovered at higher heat to give the outside the browned edges you would get beside the fire.

Basque-Style Roasted Suckling Kid

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in suckling kid goat, preferably a leg, shoulder, front quarter, or hindquarter

• 5 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½ teaspoons coarse salt

• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 2 small rosemary sprigs

• ½ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup water

Optional Potatoes

• 1½ pounds small potatoes, halved

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt to taste

Choosing the Goat

If you can get true suckling kid, this is the ideal meat for the dish.

Traditional Azpi Gorri suckling kids are slaughtered at approximately 35–40 days old after being fed only their mothers’ milk. They weigh about 10–11 kilograms, or 22–24 pounds, alive and approximately 7–8 kilograms, or 15–18 pounds, dressed.

For a home recipe, you do not need the whole kid. A 3-pound bone-in leg, shoulder, or quarter works very well.

Season the Goat

Pat the goat dry.

Crush the garlic into a paste with the salt.

Mix the garlic with the olive oil, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary.

Rub the mixture lightly over all sides of the goat.

Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours, or overnight if convenient.

The herb-and-garlic seasoning in this home version is intentionally restrained. Azpi Gorri kid is prized for the flavor of the young meat itself, and roasting is one of the traditional ways the breed is prepared.

Prepare for Roasting

Remove the goat from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat the oven to 325°F.

Place the goat in a roasting pan, preferably on a small rack so some hot air can circulate underneath.

Pour the white wine and water into the bottom of the pan, around the meat rather than directly over it.

If using potatoes, toss them with olive oil and salt and arrange them around the goat.

Slow-Roast the Kid

Cover the roasting pan loosely with foil.

Roast for about 1½ hours.

Remove the foil and spoon some of the pan juices over the goat.

Continue roasting uncovered for another 30–45 minutes, or until the meat is tender and beginning to pull easily from the bone.

Because suckling kid is young and lean, avoid cooking it until it becomes dry. Begin checking it earlier if you are using smaller pieces such as ribs or a small shoulder.

If the bottom of the pan becomes dry, add a small splash of water or white wine.

Brown the Outside

When the goat is tender, increase the oven heat to 425°F.

Baste the meat once more with the pan juices.

Roast uncovered for about 10–15 minutes, just long enough to develop a deeply browned exterior.

Watch it closely during this stage.

Rest the Goat

Remove the goat from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, taste the juices in the roasting pan.

If they are thin, place the pan over medium heat and simmer for a few minutes until slightly concentrated.

Spoon the reduced juices over the carved goat.

To Serve

Serve the roasted suckling kid with:

• roasted potatoes

• crusty country bread

• roasted red peppers or a simple green salad

Keep the meal relatively simple so the mild flavor of the young goat remains the centerpiece.

For a family-style presentation, place the whole roasted quarter on a large platter surrounded by potatoes and spoon some of the garlic-and-herb pan juices over the meat before bringing it to the table.