Michael Symon Named The Most Underrated Meat In The US
Put simply, Americans are obsessed with meat. According to the BBC, Americans consume more meat per capita on average than any other country in the world. Of course, not all meats are created equal in the eyes of consumers. In fact, evidence suggests that poultry is America's favorite meat. According to Our World in Data, Americans eat upward of 122 lbs per capita each year, with beef following at 81.74 lbs, pork at 66.18 lbs, and lamb trailing far behind at about 1 lb.
Of course, if anyone is going to know what to make of all this data, a celebrity chef seems like the perfect person to ask about it. Michael Symon is a celebrity restauranteur and TV personality known for his lead role on Food Network's "Burgers, Brew & 'Que." From B Spot Burgers to Mabel's BBQ, Symon's many Cleveland-based restaurants prove one thing: He knows his meat from head to tail, inside and out.
On October 20, Symon replied to a tweet from a fan who pointed out how scarcely lamb is eaten in the U.S. @TheMassessment wrote, "Lamb is one of the most slept on meats.....flavorful and delicious." From the numbers above it's hard to disagree with the first half of the tweeter's reply. However, Symon's retweet pointed out a type of meat that Americans pay even less attention to.
Got your goat?
According to celebrity chef Michael Symon, goat meat deserves far more attention in the United States than it gets. In a reply to a fan who pointed out how little lamb Americans consume, Symon wrote, "Yup ... and goat in the US even more so." According to HuffPost, goat makes up only 6% of red meat consumption globally, at 1.7 lbs per capita on average every year. Interestingly, Sudan consumes the most goat meat of any country at 8.6 lbs per capita.
However, in the United States, goat meat consumption is likely around a quarter of that of lamb. It is estimated that Americans only consume about a quarter of a pound of goat meat per capita every year. That's pretty surprising given that our neighbors to the south, Mexico, are such big goat eaters. Goat meat features in popular dishes like birria, barbacoa, and cabrito. Other staple goat dishes from around the world include Jamaican curried goat, Indian biryani with goat, and Korean Yeomso Tang.
Not only is goat meat delicious, but it is a healthier and more sustainable option compared to other red meats. Goat is very lean, contains less saturated fat and cholesterol, and is higher in iron than other red meats (via Healthline). According to Tree Hugger, goats also have a much less significant impact on the land they are farmed on as a result of their tendency to "browse," rather than "graze."
Convinced yet? Well, unfortunately, goat isn't widely available in American supermarkets, so sourcing goat may take a bit of work. Try searching in your area for local goat farms and suppliers, or ask the butcher at your favorite shop or farmer's market stand.