Khorovu from Kid – Armenian Tonir-Roasted Goat

You’ve spent the day traveling through Armenia’s mountainous Vayots Dzor region, following roads that wind between rocky ridges, deep canyons, vineyards, and small villages tucked into the hills. Around Areni, rows of grapevines stretch across the valleys, while farther into the mountains the landscape becomes rougher and more open.

Late in the afternoon, you stop at a small village guesthouse. In the courtyard, several members of the family are preparing dinner, and your host motions for you to come closer to a round opening in the ground.

It is a tonir—the traditional Armenian clay oven built into the earth.

When the cover is lifted, heat rolls out of the opening. A young goat has been seasoned simply and suspended inside the hot oven. Beneath it sits a pan of spelt groats. As the kid slowly roasts, its juices drip into the grain below, seasoning it with the flavor of the meat.

Nearby, onions are frying slowly in butter, fresh parsley is being chopped, and sheets of lavash are stacked on the table.

This old Armenian preparation is known as khorovu from kid. Traditional descriptions of the dish call for a whole young goat to be roasted in a tonir above spelt groats. When the goat is finished, it is cut into pieces and served with parsley, while the grain is enriched with butter and fried onions.

You may not have a clay tonir buried in your backyard, but the same idea can be recreated surprisingly well in a regular oven: roast the goat on a rack above a pan of spelt so its juices fall into the grain as everything cooks.

Oven-Roasted Khorovu from Kid

Serves 5–6

Ingredients

For the goat:

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

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon melted butter or neutral oil

For the spelt:

• 1½ cups whole spelt berries or spelt groats

• 2½–3 cups hot water or light broth

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

To serve:

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

• warm lavash

About the Spelt

Traditional khorovu from kid uses spelt groats beneath the roasting goat.

If you can find Armenian hajar or whole spelt berries at an Armenian, Middle Eastern, or specialty grocery store, use those. Farro can be substituted if spelt is unavailable, although the texture and grain variety will be slightly different.

Whole spelt cooks more evenly if it is soaked in water for several hours or overnight before roasting. Drain it before using.

Prepare the Goat

Heat the oven to 325°F.

Pat the goat dry.

Season all sides generously with the salt and black pepper. Rub the meat lightly with melted butter or oil.

The seasoning is intentionally simple. The traditional dish is designed to taste primarily of roasted young goat rather than a heavy marinade or spice mixture.

Prepare the Spelt Pan

Place the drained spelt in a deep roasting pan.

Add 2½ cups hot water or light broth and ½ teaspoon salt.

Set a sturdy roasting rack over the pan so the goat will sit above the grain rather than directly in it.

Arrange the goat pieces on the rack.

As the goat roasts, its fat and juices will drip into the spelt below, recreating the basic principle of the traditional tonir preparation.

Slow-Roast the Goat

Loosely tent the roasting pan with foil.

Roast for about 2 hours.

Check the spelt occasionally. If it has absorbed all of its liquid but is still firm, add another ½ cup of hot water.

After about 2 hours, remove the foil.

Continue roasting uncovered for another 30–60 minutes, or until the goat is very tender and nicely browned.

The exact cooking time will depend on the age of the goat and the cuts being used. Young kid may become tender fairly quickly, while larger shoulder pieces may need additional time.

The meat is ready when a fork enters easily and the meat pulls readily from the bone.

Finish the Spelt

Remove the goat from the rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Taste the spelt. If it is still too firm, cover the roasting pan and return it to the oven until tender.

While the goat rests, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the sliced onion and cook slowly until soft and golden brown.

Stir the butter and fried onions into the roasted spelt, including the goat drippings that have collected in the pan.

Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper.

To Serve

Arrange the roasted kid on a large platter and scatter plenty of fresh parsley over the meat.

Serve the buttery spelt and fried onions alongside it with warm lavash.

For a family-style presentation, place the spelt on a large platter and arrange the roasted pieces of goat over or beside it, allowing everyone to tear off pieces of lavash and share the meat and grain from the table.