Asun (Spicy Roast Goat)
Asun (spicy roast goat) is delectable and spicy, delivering bite-sized pieces with big, bold aromatic flavors from onions, habanero, garlic, and bell peppers. Smokey, sizzling, spicy! Definitely not for the faint-hearted. Native to the Yoruba-speaking Ondo people in Western Nigeria, it’s a must-try recipe.
Goat meat isn’t as popular here in the U.S., but in most parts of the world, especially West Africa and the Caribbean, it’s always a crowd favorite during parties, special occasions, and Christmas. We just got a whole goat from a local farm in preparation for a family celebration. And guess what? I’ve been cooking up a storm.
I look forward to seeing my loved ones licking their plates and sweating all over their faces. Oh yes, this dish is definitely not for the faint-hearted. The authentic Asun spicy roasted goat recipe calls for smoking a whole goat in an open pit with skin on. After slow roasting it to perfection, you cut it into smaller pieces and sautee with lots of onions and peppers to spice things up.
How to Make Asun at Home
The smoking process isn’t so easy in a standard home kitchen, so I’ve created an easier version. If you can’t get hold of traditionally smoked goat meat, use what you can get. It tastes just as good as the smoked version, especially if you add smoked paprika!
To tone down the heat, replace some of the hot peppers with red and green bell peppers. A little sweetness from the red bell pepper goes way further. It’s a must-try!
Serve this aromatic, sizzling asun simply with oven-baked or fried plantains. You’ll be singing for joy! And if you’re doing this for the holidays, Merry Christmas!!!!
How to Make Asun Spicy Roast Goat
- Boil the smoked goat meat with salt, pepper, bouillon powder, onion, and as little water as possible in a medium pot until tender. (I used a pressure cooker to speed up the process.) (Photos 1-3)
- Broil – Remove the goat meat, place it on a lined baking tray, and broil it for about 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes until browned. (Photos 4-5)
- Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger in a bit of oil for about a minute. Then add the tomatoes, white pepper, paprika, green onions, curry powder, scotch bonnet pepper, and bouillon. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes. (Photo 6)
- Add roasted goat and bell pepper, stir for about 3 minutes, adjust the seasonings to your preferences, and serve hot. (Photos 7-8)
Tips and Notes
- If you can’t find smoked goat meat (which is usually frozen), you can make this with fresh, with or without the skin.
- If you wish to grill the meat in an open fire, you’ll need to steam it first if it’s a female, since they tend to be tougher. There’s no need to steam a buck.
- When broiling the meat, you may want to grease the tray lightly.
- A food processor or blender saves time when chopping the spices into bits.
- When adding the hot peppers to the meat, make sure that they only wilt a little to create authentic, fresh heat.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make this the day before, keep it in the fridge, and reheat just before serving. You could also freeze it, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
While I don’t usually have leftovers, they do make me happy. Loading up the freezer in serving-size packages lets me create a special meal on a dull day.
What to Serve With Asun
This recipe goes great with fried sweet plantains or kelewele, but jollof rice is also a great addition to the meal. Cassava pone makes a satisfying dessert.
More Amazing African Holiday Specialties
By Imma
This blog post was originally published in April 2017 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos.
Asun (Spicy Roast Goat)
Ingredients
Goat Meat
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5kg) smoked goat meat, cut into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste (4-5g per pound of meat)
- 2 teaspoons (6-7g) Maggi or bouillon powder (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup (80g) chopped onion
- 1 cup (236ml) water, more as needed
Stir Fry
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (5g) minced ginger
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes (I used Romas)
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) white pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) smoked paprika
- 2 green onions, sliced
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) curry powder (optional)
- 2 or more scotch bonnet peppers (adjust to taste or replace with any hot pepper)
- 1 tablespoon (10-11g) beef bouillon or chicken bouillon
- 2-3 bell peppers, chopped (red, green, yellow, orange, etc.), feel free to use as many as you want
Instructions
Meat Prep
- Boil the goat meat with salt, pepper, bouillon powder, and chopped onions in a medium pot until tender. Since the goat is already smoked, it shouldn't take more than an hour.
- Add as little water as possible to cook it without burning. I used an Instant Pot (pressure cooker) to cut the cooking time in half and added a cup of water.
- Remove the goat meat with a slotted spoon and place it on a lined baking tray. Broil on low for about 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes or until browned.
Stir Fry
- Heat oil in a large skillet, then add garlic, ginger, and onions. Stir for about a minute, then toss in the tomatoes, white pepper, paprika, green onions, curry powder, scotch bonnet peppers, and bouillon powder. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes.
- Finally, add roasted goat and bell pepper, stir for about 3 minutes, and adjust seasonings to taste. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- You can smoke fresh goat if you want to and have a smoker that’s large enough. DIY usually tastes better.
- You can usually find smoked goat meat with the skin in African ethnic markets. Put “where to find smoked goat meat with the skin in [place]” in a Google search to find the closest one.
- If you decide to use fresh goat meat, it will take 3-5 hours to cook until tender. Then, you can add liquid smoke or use smoked salt or paprika for flavor.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
this is a fire recipe. got in touch with the ancestors with this one. so simply an flavorful. second time making this
Hi Zita,
Wow, what a compliment! “Getting in touch with the ancestors” is about the highest praise a recipe can receive. It’s amazing how food can be a bridge to our roots, isn’t it?
I’m thrilled to hear that you found the recipe simple yet flavorful, and even more excited that you’ve made it a second time. That’s the ultimate testament to a recipe’s success!
Thank you for sharing your experience and for giving the recipe not just one, but two tries. Here’s to many more delicious culinary journeys ahead! ️✨
I have tried Asun for the first with my husband, he is Yoruba and I absolutely love it! I ate goat meat for the first time, (nothing compares to it or come close) I did not know that before because I was so use to sticking to traditional meats of American culture, but my husband is Nigerian so I had to become open minded to at least try it first before I move to replacing ingredients. I cannot wait to make this for my husband and surprise him. Thank you for posting the recipe. I hope to impress him greatly with it!
Hello there! Thanks for sharing! Hope you make this soon and let me know how it would turn out for you. 🙂
Can I use chicken or smail instead of goat meat
Yes you sure can.
Pepper goat is asun. If you’re using g
Snails or chicken. It’s called pepper snails and pepper chicken respectively
Oh my…the grocery just started carrying goat, lamb and rabbit! I am making this tonight…off to the store for peppers now! Thanks–my mouth is watering already.
Hello. I hope you did enjoy this. Have a wonderful day!
How much will it cost to make asun for 30 people?
Cups of oil? That can’t be right for the stir fry.
My bad. It’s 3-4 tablespoons of oil, but you can definitely use less if watching calories. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I made Asun a few days ago but added blended onions, garlic and ginger to the goat meat to boil instead of water. The end result was delicious
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Efe! 🙂
What settings and how long did you cook the goat in the instant pot? Did you do a quick or natural release?
I cook for about 15 minutes, sometimes adding a few minutes after checking for doneness – so it’s a matter of how you like your goat meat. I always do a quick release.
Hope this helps.
I would like to use lamb instead of goat so can you tell me which boullion cube would pair better with lamb…..chicken or beef? And would I prepare lamb the same as instructed for goat? Also if I can’t find stores that carry the scotch bonnet peppers could I use scotch bonnet pepper sauce instead? Sorry for so many questions 🙂
Hi Lola. Either one will work fine. Yes, you would prepare lamb the same way. If using scotch bonnet pepper sauce instead of the peppers, adjust the heat level to your tastes. Love your questions 🙂
Hello Imma,
Thanks for this recipe. How many tomatoes are we supposed to use please? The number is missing from the list of ingredients.
Thanks!
Updated the recipe. I used 2 large Roma tomatoes.
Thank-you, My husband would like to try this!
Hi, Imma, I found your recipe and I’m dying to prepare this, but I got a goat meat with heavy goat smell in it. Any tips on how to remove the smell?
Thanks.
Hello,
Try soaking it in milk for a couple of hours or soaking in salt water overnight. It somewhat helps.
Wondering if this works well with lamb.
I don’t see why not.
Bet that was some delicious lamb!
🙂
Thanks a lot for the recipe! Can you please tell me how many tomatoes you used for that amount of goat? Thanks in advance ☺
I used 2 large Roma tomatoes. Add more if you want more sauce.
Hi Imma. Its Yoruba, not Yaruba.
Silly typo. Will update it. Thanks!
Dear Imma, thank you for your wonderful recipes. I love goat but have only had it curried. This Asun-spiced sounds like a winner. Can’t wait to try it and share with my friends from Kenya. Will probably tone the spiciness down a bit, but expecting a wonderful dish.
Please keep sharing your incredible recipes with us.
Vergie
Aww thanks Vergie! So sweet of you to take time out to share your thoughts with us. Wishing you all the Best of 2018!!!