This is my kick off recipe for Goatober 2019! 
The preparation takes a couple of days but the brining of the meat infuses lots of flavour into the meat. Followed by low and slow cooking on the BBQ, it makes for a tasty dish. 

1 kg goat shoulder
If cooking with larger pieces then you will need to adjust the cooking time. 
It could take up to 16 or more hours hours if you have a larger piece.

For the brine
1l water
10g salt
10g brown sugar
1 whole garlic bulb (cloves removed and crushed to release the oils)
3 bay leaves
10 cloves
10g whole cumin seeds
10g whole coriander seeds
5cm piece of cinnamon
5g ground ginger
1 onion cut into eighths
2g saffron strands

Lets start with the goat
48 hours before you want to BBQ or slow cook, put all the brine ingredients in a plastic or glass bowl and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved
Add the goat and ensure that the liquid covers the meat
Cover with a lid or cling film and place in the fridge to marinade for 48 hours

To cook

Additional ingredient 500ml chicken or lamb stock

Set your BBQ for indirect cooking at 120c
Place the goat uncovered on the bbq and cook for 4 hours on indirect heat
After 4 hours, I take the goat off the BBQ
I then place the goat in a roasting tin with the stock and cover it with foil and return it to the BBQ for another 4 hours
Remove from the BBQ and allow to rest for at least 1 hour before serving
Reserve the juices and stock for the sauce

Spiced date sauce
5 dates 
200ml chicken stock (you can use the stock that was used to roast the goat)
1 red chilli finely sliced
1 bay leaf
5g whole cumin seeds
5cm piece of cinnamon
1 onion roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 g ras el hanout
30ml oil for frying

Fry off the onion and garlic on a low heat in the oil until soft and glossy, 
Add the cumin, ras el hanout, chilli and cinnamon and cook out for a further 5 minutes
Add the stock and simmer for a further 15 minutes
Remove the cinnamon and transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth

To serve
Shred the goat using two forks
Pour the sauce over the goat and mix through
Serve in flat bread or brioche buns