Goat vs. Lamb: Rib Chops with Gooseberry Currant Relish

I came across gooseberries and currants at my local farmers market the other day and immediately thought of the goat rib chops we have in the refrigerator from Riverslea Farm in Epping, New Hampshire. Wouldn’t they make a lovely relish?

Not wanting to ruin the goat in case the relish idea failed, I decided to test it out with lamb rib chops first. While lamb has a milder flavor and is not as lean as goat, both provide a strong savoriness that begs for a little sweetness.

Both gooseberries and currants are tart. Combining the two allows the flavors to layer for added complexity. The first time around, I made the relish as you see in the recipe below – with 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. I tweaked it for the goat, using less water and sugar and found that the gooseberries and currants really do need that extra sweetness. The currants also need the added moisture and simmer time to soften the seeds inside of the berry. The second time around with less water and sugar turned out to be too tart and too dry: see the relish fail here. The goat chops were fantastic though.

So, although the relish below looks like the makings of a jam, it really works nicely with goat and lamb – like the mint jelly your Grandfather used to have with lamb chops, except much, much better.

I served the lamb over a bed of steamed garlic greens – a combination of young kale, New Zealand spinach and pepper greens – a gift from our neighbor’s garden. It’s just so nice when 90% of a meal is that fresh and local. The goat was arranged around a mound of mashed red potatoes.

On the nutritional side of things, currants contain more antioxidants than blueberries and loads of vitamin C. Gooseberries are high in vitamin A and C. Goat is lower in cholesterol than pork or lamb.

Goat vs. Lamb? Either. If it’s a choice between locally raised goat or lamb that’s been shipped from another hemisphere, I’d go with the goat. Goat definitely has a stronger flavor, but the two are similar. If you like that tangy lamb flavor, you’ll most likely enjoy goat.

Goat or Lamb Rib Chops with Gooseberry Currant Relish – serves 2

3/4 C gooseberries
1/2 C currants
1 C water
1/2 C brown sugar
1 rack of lamb or goat ribs
1 T paprika
salt
olive oil

Begin with the relish. Remove the stems from the currants. Remove the stems and the little fuzzy things from the gooseberries (see pic). Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the sugar, stir to dissolve and add the gooseberries and currants. Lower heat slightly and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until reduced.

Meanwhile, separate the rack into chops if this hasn’t already been done. Rub with salt and paprika. Heat oil on a griddle over medium high heat. Add the chops. Cook for 4 minutes on either side. Using tongs, adjust the ribs to sear all sides.

Plate over steamed greens or mashed potatoes, if desired, with relish served on the side.

Ingredient Origins: gooseberries and currants – Massachusetts; brown sugar – unknown; goat rib chops – New Hampshire; lamb rib chops – Australia; paprika – Spain; salt – Maine; olive oil – Italy