The Ultimate Slow Cooker Goat Stew (One-Pot Dominican Style)

Author: Kelvin’s Kitchen

Cuisine: Dominican / Caribbean Comfort Food

Method: Slow Cooker with Sauté Setting

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 7–8 hours (Low) or 4–5 hours (High)

Total Time: ~8 hours 15 minutes

Description

Dominican comfort, one pot. Caramelized sugar builds a deep base, goat browns in batches, Merlot lifts the fond, and tomato sauce rounds it out. Slow-cook until tender, skim the fat, then finish with hot sauce for a clean, bright pop.

Ingredients

Goat & Seasoning

• 5 lb goat meat, bone-in, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice (for cleaning)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp adobo seasoning
• 1 tsp sazón
• 2 tbsp Kelvin’s sofrito
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Aromatics & Base

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1–2 tbsp granulated sugar total (start with 1 tbsp; add small pinches between browning batches)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
• ½ cup red wine (Merlot) for deglazing
• 8 oz can tomato sauce (added after deglaze)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole (optional)

Liquids & Veg

• 2 cups beef broth (or 1 cup broth + 1 cup water)
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced

Finish

• Hot sauce to taste (added at the end, after skimming fat)
• Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (garnish)

Instructions

1. Clean & Season Rinse goat with vinegar or lemon juice and cold water; drain well. Season with salt, black pepper, adobo, sazón, sofrito, Worcestershire, soy sauce, cumin, oregano, and garlic. Marinate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. Caramelize Sugar & Brown in Batches (Sauté Mode) Set slow cooker to Sauté. Add oil and 1 tbsp sugar; let it melt to a deep amber (not burnt). Brown goat in batches 2–3 minutes per side. Add pinches of sugar between batches as needed to keep the caramel color consistent. Transfer browned meat to a bowl.
3. Sauté Aromatics & Deglaze Add onion and green bell pepper, to the pot. Sauté 2–3 minutes, scraping up fond. Pour in ½ cup Merlot to deglaze; simmer 1 minute.
4. Tomato Sauce & Build Stir in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes; simmer 1 minute. Return goat (and any juices) to the pot. Add bay leaves, Scotch bonnet (optional), carrots, potatoes, and beef broth. Stir gently.
5. Slow Cook Switch to Slow Cook. • Low: 7–8 hours • High: 4–5 hours Cook until goat is fork-tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
6. Skim, Finish, Serve Skim excess fat from the surface. Add hot sauce to taste and stir. Adjust salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serve with rice with gandules, boiled yuca, or crispy tostones.

Notes & Pro Tips

• Keep the Scotch bonnet whole for aroma and mild heat; pierce it late if you want more kick.
• Bone-in pieces add body and natural gelatin for a silky sauce.
• For thicker sauce: uncover and cook on High for 20–30 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving, 1/8 of recipe — estimate)

• Calories: ~560
• Protein: ~46 g
• Carbs: ~20 g
• Fat: ~30 g
• Fiber: ~3 g
• Sodium: ~980 mg

(Estimates vary by goat cut and salt/hot sauce used.)