This roast leg of goat(Raan) is a popular dish for celebrations in South Asia. The entire goat leg, known as Mutton Raan in Pakistan and India, is marinated with a blend of tenderizing and aromatic spices overnight. This roast is then slow cooked, using an ancient cooking method called "dum pukht" till the meat is fork tender.
Slow-cooked recipes, such as Nihari, Haleem, Beef Pasanday, and this roast leg of goat, all have their roots in Persian and Central Asian cuisine. These recipes became popular in Mughal cuisine between the 15th and 18th Centuries and remain an important part of South Asian culinary heritage today.
Growing up, a roasted leg of goat meant a celebration was imminent. Either it was Eid, a semi-annual Muslim celebration, a special family occasion, or company was coming. To this day, roasting a mutton Raan invokes a sense of family and kinship.
Today, this is also a popular entree for Thanksgiving amongst Pakistanis. Try it with a side of roasted kabocha squash, roasted smashed potatoes, and green beans in the air fryer for a simple and elegant meal.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Unique holiday recipe - Roast leg of goat makes a delicious change from the traditional Turkey, Ham, or Chicken for Thanksgiving or Christmas, just like my lamb loin chops with cilantro sauce.
- Feeds a crowd - A single Raan can feed 10-15 people, depending on its size, making this a great recipe when feeding a large group of people.
- One Pot Recipe - The cooking process and cleanup are easy since only one pot is necessary.
- Lots of hands-off time - Although this recipe has a long cooking time, most of the cooking is hands-off, which means more time to catch up on other cooking and chores.
Ingredient notes
- Goat Leg - The smaller the leg of goat, the more succulent and less fatty the meat. I try to stay between 2.5 lbs - 3 lbs. for my raan if I can.
- Onions - Caramelized onions add lots of flavor and organically help thicken the marinade to adhere to the roast.
- Vinegar - I use distilled white vinegar to help tenderize my meat. The vinegar's acidity helps break down the protein before the meat is cooked.
- Tomato Paste - This is another acidic tenderizer that helps give a boost of flavor to the raan.
- Yogurt - Always use full-fat plain yogurt for a creamy taste and texture. This helps keep the roast moist so is a must in this recipe. Stay away from Greek yogurt when cooking, it tends to split when heated, leading to a grainy texture.
- Spice Blend - The spice blend needs to be rich enough to flavor yet not overpower the leg of goat. The mix in this recipe is prepared using freshly roasted and ground whole spices and some ready-made spice powders.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Oven method - I've always cooked my roasted meats on the stovetop using the Dum Pukht method. But if you want to attempt making your raan in the oven, first, sear the meat on both sides on the stove. Then transfer the roast to a roasting pan, add in the marinade, cover with foil, and slow cook it in the oven as per the instructions in the recipe card below.
- Different Meat - Not a fan of goat meat? You can use a lamb leg or beef tenderloin for this recipe instead. Follow all of the instructions below, but adjust cooking times as needed. A general rule of thumb is to cook your meats for 20-30 minutes per pound and then use a thermometer to check the doneness.
- Different marinades - There are many ways to marinate your leg of goat. If you prefer a simpler, less spicy roast, use lemon as a tenderizer and add some salt and pepper for a light seasoning. A Greek version of this lamb roast is prepared using pomegranate syrup instead of vinegar and milder spices, such as mint, oregano, and cumin. Switch things up and experiment with some new combinations to find your favorite.
- Different Meat Tenderizers - Some other options for meat tenderizers are Papaya or Kiwi, just like we use in bihari kabab. Although these will result in a slightly different flavor profile, it will still result in an authentic raan taste.
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Step-by-step instructions
Marinating the meat
First step - Fry the onion to a dark brown and set aside in a mixing bowl to cool down while preparing the spice blend.
Second step - Dry roast the whole spices and grind them to a powder. Mix them with the onions and other ingredients in a food processor and make a paste.
Third step - Stab the roast with a small sharp knife, making small deep cuts. This will help the marinade seep in and flavor the meat. First, rub a teaspoon of salt all over the meat to ensure that the meat is well seasoned. Then rub the marinade all over the goat leg and refrigerate it overnight.
Fourth step - Remove the leg of the Goat from the fridge the next day and leave it on the counter for an hour or so. This way, it will be at room temperature by the time you begin to cook it. Sear it on high heat on both sides to seal in its juices. If you're cooking more than one goat leg, sear each one separately to get an even brown on all sides.
Cooking the meat
Fifth step - After searing the meat, fill the pot with the remaining marinade and 4 cups of water.
Sixth step - Seal the pot with foil, place the lid on, and cook on high for 5 minutes to create some steam.
Seventh step - Reduce the temperature to low heat and cook for 3 hours without opening the pot.
Eighth step - After the 3-hour mark, uncover the pot and insert a knife into the meat to test how much longer you need to cook it. If the knife goes in quickly, cook the mutton raan roast uncovered, on high, till all the liquid evaporates and you have a thick gravy left. By this time, you should have fork-tender meat that will taste delicious with this air-fryer asparagus recipe.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to source the right size leg of goat- As I've mentioned in a few other recipes on my blog, for example, my Nihari recipe, buying the right meat is the key element in a slow-cooked recipe. The younger and smaller in weight the animal, the more tender the meat. So I try and get a whole leg of goat that is as close to 2.5 pounds as necessary.
- Cooking The Potatoes - Cook the potatoes in the marinade to absorb all that flavor from the yogurt and spices. Once the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the pot and continue to thicken the remaining liquid. I use this as a thick gravy to drizzle on the mutton leg roast and potatoes to prevent the roast from drying once they're plated and served.
- Cooking the meat on the stovetop- For best results, use the dum pukht (braising) technique to cook the meat. Sear the leg of mutton on high heat and then slow cook it in its juices, combined with some water and the marinade. For best results, cook the leg until it is fork-tender, usually about 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature if checked with a cooking thermometer.
- How to fit the goat raan in your cooking pot - To make your roast fit in a cooking pot, ask your butcher to cut the leg bone slightly so you can fold it. You definitely want to add the bone to your pot for flavor, so don't discard it.
- Roasting the leg of goat in the oven - Place the leg fat side up in your roasting pan if you're using an oven. As the fat melts and drips down, it will keep the meat juicy.
Recipe FAQS
Remove the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container mixed with the marinade. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Since potatoes don't freeze well, make a fresh batch when you defrost the meat.
Use a little bit of water to create some steam when reheating the meat to keep it from getting dry. Both the microwave and the oven can be used to reheat leftovers. If using an oven, preheat it to 350 degrees and place the defrosted meat, marinade, and ½ cup of water in an ovenproof dish. Cover the dish with some foil and heat for 30 minutes. To heat in the microwave, add ¼ cup of water and heat covered for a few minutes.
The goat shoulder (bone-in) and goat shanks are great substitutes for this recipe. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below as is for best results.
Other recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Roast Leg Of Goat (Raan)
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Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 1 piece mace
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 piece star anise
- 3 pieces cardamom
- 1 tsp fennel
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp salt (see notes)
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp corriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
Marinade
- ½ onion
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup yogurt (see notes)
- ¾ cup tomato paste (see notes)
- 2 serrano chillies
- ½ cup cilantro
- spice blend
Roast Goat Of Leg {Raan}
- 2.5 lb whole goat leg (see notes)
- ½ tsp salt
- marinade
- ½ cup cooking oil
- 6 cups water
- 4 potatoes
Instructions
Spice Blend
- Dry roast all of the whole spices in a preheated frying pan. (see notes)
- Cool for a few minutes and then grind them to a fine powder.
- Mix these with all the powdered spices and set aside to use later.
Marinade
- Slice the onion and fry it to a deep brown, strain from the oil and set it aside to cool.
- Add the spice blend, the cooked onion and all of the other ingredients to a food processor or blender and grind everything to a paste.
Roast Goat Of Leg (Raan)
- Wash the leg of goat and pat it dry.
- Stab it with a knife to create 10-12 deep cuts. (see notes)
- Rub ½ teaspoon salt all over the goat
- Massage the marinade into the leg, making sure to get it into the cuts you made and refrigerate the goat leg overnight.
- Place the marinated goat leg on the kitchen counter for 1 hour before cooking.
- Preheat your oil to about 350° to get a good sear on the leg.
- Scrape off the marinade coating the leg and placethe meat in the oil.
- Let it sizzle and cook for 5-10 minutes before flipping it over to sear on the other side.
- Use the preferred method of cooking your goat leg referenced below.
- Peel and quarter the potatoes and add them to the roast near the last 15-20 minutes of cooking (see notes)
STOVE TOP METHOD
- After the sear, add the remaining marinade along with 6 cups of water to the pot.
- Bring this liquid to a boil and then seal the pot tightly. Cover it with foil, place the lid on top and reduce the heat to medium low.
- Do not open the pot or touch the meat for 3 hours for the steam to work. (see notes)
- After 3 hours, gently open the pot, and test the meat using a knife or a thermometer.
- Since we want the meat to fall off the bones, once the raan is 90% done, turn the heat up and cook the meat uncovered on medium high till the marinade thickens. (see notes)
OVEN METHOD
- For the oven method, while you're searing your meat, preheat the oven to 325?.
- After searing the meat, place it in a roasting pan, along with the marinade and 2 cups of water.
- Cover tightly with foil and cook uninterrupted for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, uncover the meat and check to see if the meat is 90% cooked. At this point continue to cook it uncovered until it reaches the ideal cooking temperature, about 30-40 minutes.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 20 minutes.
- If there's too much liquid in the roasting pan, pour it into a saucepan and boil it to make a thick concentrate that you can then pour over the leg
Sajid
Yes thanks for clarifying . I actually ended up procuring goat leg, approx 5lbs including bone, so will probably double up on the marinade. Looking forward to making this on xmas day! Thank you!
untoldrecipesbynosheen
perfect! message me if you need any help!
Sajid
Hi Nausheen. Can you simply replace the goat with a bone-in leg of lamb?
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Yes Sajid, easily replacable. I think I wrote it in the recipe but will clarify for sure.
farzana malik
I tried this recipe ,and the results were great!
The steps are so well explained and illustrated that you can't go wrong .The marinade prep did not take very long and the cooking took about 4 hrs.
well worth the time and effort, every one loved it!
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Thank You for trying my recipe and for the feedback Farzana.I’m so glad you liked it ?