Caldo de Chivo – Guatemalan Goat Soup

You’ve been traveling through the mountains of Huehuetenango in northwestern Guatemala, following a narrow road that twists higher into the western highlands. Cornfields climb steep hillsides, clouds drift between the mountains, and small villages appear in the valleys below.

By the time you reach San Miguel Acatán, the cool mountain air has made you hungry.

You stop at a small family-run comedor near the center of town, where a large pot has been simmering since morning.

The cook lifts the lid and a cloud of steam scented with goat, mint, cilantro, and roasted peppers fills the kitchen.

Bone-in pieces of goat have been cooking slowly in water until the meat begins to soften and the bones flavor the broth. But this isn't simply boiled goat.

Nearby, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, and garlic have been roasted until their skins are blistered and their edges lightly charred. The vegetables are blended with cloves and allspice into a smooth recado, then poured into the goat broth.

The clear broth gradually turns a warm reddish-orange.

Bay leaves and celery go into the pot, along with chunks of potato and carrot. Near the end of cooking, fresh hierbabuena—mint—and cilantro are added, giving the rich goat broth an unexpectedly fresh herbal aroma.

This is Caldo de Chivo, a traditional goat soup associated with San Miguel Acatán in the mountains of Huehuetenango.

When your bowl arrives, a large piece of tender bone-in goat sits beneath the steaming broth with potatoes and vegetables around it. Warm corn tortillas are stacked beside the bowl, along with lime and chile for anyone who wants them.

Outside, clouds are settling over the mountains.

Inside, the goat has been simmering for hours.

For once, there is no need to keep traveling.

Caldo de Chivo

Guatemalan Highland Goat Soup

Serves 5–6

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in goat meat, preferably ribs, shoulder, leg, or a combination

• 8 cups water, plus more as needed

• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

For the Recado

• 4 medium ripe tomatoes

• 2 red bell peppers

• 1 medium onion, cut in half

• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 3 whole cloves

• 4 whole allspice berries

For the Soup

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 2 carrots, cut into thick pieces

• ½ cup fresh cilantro

• ½ cup fresh mint or hierbabuena

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve

• warm corn tortillas

• lime wedges

• chopped cilantro

• chopped onion

• fresh or roasted chile, if desired

Begin Cooking the Goat

Place the goat in a large heavy pot.

Add the water and salt.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

As foam rises to the surface, skim it away with a spoon.

Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for about 1–1½ hours.

The goat does not need to be completely tender yet. It will continue cooking after the recado is added.

Roast the Vegetables

While the goat cooks, heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat.

Add the:

• tomatoes

• red peppers

• onion

• unpeeled garlic

Roast the vegetables, turning occasionally, until softened and blistered with dark spots.

The tomatoes may begin to collapse, and the peppers should develop a lightly charred exterior.

Remove everything from the heat.

Peel the garlic.

Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers.

Toast the Spices

Place the cloves and allspice berries in the hot dry skillet.

Toast for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.

Do not let them burn.

Make the Recado

Place the roasted tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, cloves, and allspice in a blender.

Add about 1 cup of the hot goat broth.

Blend until smooth.

For a particularly smooth broth, pour the recado through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the soup.

Add the Recado

When the goat has cooked for about 1–1½ hours, pour the recado into the pot.

Stir gently.

Add the bay leaves and celery.

Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.

Cover partially and cook for another 45–60 minutes.

Add the Potatoes and Carrots

When the goat is beginning to become tender, add the potatoes and carrots.

Continue simmering for about 20–30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the goat easily pulls away from the bone.

Older goat may require additional cooking time.

If too much liquid evaporates during cooking, add additional hot water.

The finished dish should still have plenty of broth.

Add the Fresh Herbs

Tie the cilantro and mint together loosely with kitchen string if you want them to be easy to remove later.

Add them to the pot during the final 10 minutes of cooking.

The herbs should perfume the broth without being cooked for so long that their fresh character disappears.

Taste the broth.

Adjust the salt and add freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Remove the bay leaves, celery, and herb bundle before serving.

Pressure Cooker Option

Place the goat, water, and salt in a pressure cooker.

Cook at high pressure for about 30–35 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.

Meanwhile, prepare the roasted recado as directed.

Open the cooker and add the recado, bay leaves, and celery.

Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.

Add the potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until tender.

Add the mint and cilantro during the final 10 minutes.

To Serve

Place a piece of bone-in goat in each large soup bowl.

Add potatoes and carrots, then ladle plenty of the hot reddish broth over everything.

Serve with:

• warm corn tortillas

• lime wedges

• chopped onion

• fresh cilantro

• chile or hot sauce

The tortillas can be torn into pieces and eaten alongside the soup or used to pick tender goat from the bone.

The finished Caldo de Chivo should have a deeply flavored but relatively light broth rather than a thick stew, with roasted tomato and pepper underneath the flavor of the goat and a distinctive fresh aroma from cilantro and hierbabuena.