Mountain Goat Torta

Mountain Goat Torta

  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

This recipe is from the first installment of MeatEater Cooks—our new culinary series on YouTube. You can watch me and Steve tour his garden, discuss high-elevation goat hunts, and create this sandwich in in the first episode.

Milanese is a type of thin meat cutlet that's been breaded and fried, and it shares many similarities to a schnitzel. This preparation, a product of European immigration, is popular all over South and Central America. In Mexico it is mostly commonly found in sandwiches, or tortas.

The beauty of tortas is that there are no prescribed rules for what can go on them. This recipe relies on a balance of fat and acid, as well as spice, to create a sandwich with bold flavors and lots of satisfying crunch. The mountain goat could be swapped for venison or wild turkey if you wish.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. mountain goat shoulder roast
  • 1 sleeve club crackers
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 whole eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 (16oz.) can pinto beans
  • ½ cup pork lard, bear grease, or duck fat
  • 1 bottle hot sauce
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced extremely thin
  • 1 small onion, sliced extremely thin
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 (10oz.) pack queso fresco
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped coarse
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • 1 head butter lettuce (optional)
  • 1 tomato (optional)
  • 1 jar pickled radishes (optional)
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Oil for frying, safflower or canola
  • 4 Telera or Bolillo Rolls

Also works with

Turkey or venison

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large cast-iron pan to 350°F.
  2. Trim the mountain goat roast of any discoloration or silver skin. Slice the roast into four equal slices, across the grain and at an angle. Place each slice between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it to an even thickness of ¼ inch.
  3. Prepare the breading. First, crush the crackers in a zip top plastic bag until you have pieces roughly the size of coarse breadcrumb. Pour these into a small shallow tray. Next, place all-purpose flour onto a separate plate. Then whisk together eggs and milk and pour into a shallow tray. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper plus 1 tablespoon of hot sauce.
  4. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper before dredging into the flour. Knock off any excess flour and then dip it into the egg mixture. Make sure it's fully coated before transferring the cutlet to the cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs evenly into the cutlet to ensure there are no un-breaded areas. Set aside the breaded cutlet while you repeat the process with the remaining pieces. Place all breaded cutlets into the fridge while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  5. Heat the animal fat in a large stainless steel, or cast-iron skillet until the fat is shimmering. Pour the can of beans into the hot fat, being careful not to splash yourself with hot grease. Crush the beans with a potato masher or fork while swirling the pan to emulsify the beans and the fat. Allow this mixture to simmer aggressively until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well with salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.
  6. Mix together sliced jalapenos, onions, lime juice, and zest. Season with salt and toss into the chopped cilantro. Set aside until ready to serve.
  7. Split and toast bread and set aside until ready to serve.
  8. Remove cutlets from fridge and fry until each is golden brown and crispy, approximately 3 minutes per cutlet. Drain on paper towels and prepare to assemble each sandwich.
  9. Spread a generous layer of beans on both the top and bottom bun of each sandwich. Top the bottom bun with one fried cutlet, queso fresco, shaved onions and jalapenos, slices of avocado, and any additional garnishes you prefer. Place the top bun onto the sandwich, slice in half, and serve.

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Mountain Goat Torta

Recipe by: Kevin Gillespie
Mountain Goat Torta
  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

This recipe is from the first installment of MeatEater Cooks—our new culinary series on YouTube. You can watch me and Steve tour his garden, discuss high-elevation goat hunts, and create this sandwich in in the first episode.

Milanese is a type of thin meat cutlet that's been breaded and fried, and it shares many similarities to a schnitzel. This preparation, a product of European immigration, is popular all over South and Central America. In Mexico it is mostly commonly found in sandwiches, or tortas.

The beauty of tortas is that there are no prescribed rules for what can go on them. This recipe relies on a balance of fat and acid, as well as spice, to create a sandwich with bold flavors and lots of satisfying crunch. The mountain goat could be swapped for venison or wild turkey if you wish.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. mountain goat shoulder roast
  • 1 sleeve club crackers
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 whole eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 (16oz.) can pinto beans
  • ½ cup pork lard, bear grease, or duck fat
  • 1 bottle hot sauce
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced extremely thin
  • 1 small onion, sliced extremely thin
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 (10oz.) pack queso fresco
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped coarse
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • 1 head butter lettuce (optional)
  • 1 tomato (optional)
  • 1 jar pickled radishes (optional)
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Oil for frying, safflower or canola
  • 4 Telera or Bolillo Rolls

Also works with

Turkey or venison

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large cast-iron pan to 350°F.
  2. Trim the mountain goat roast of any discoloration or silver skin. Slice the roast into four equal slices, across the grain and at an angle. Place each slice between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it to an even thickness of ¼ inch.
  3. Prepare the breading. First, crush the crackers in a zip top plastic bag until you have pieces roughly the size of coarse breadcrumb. Pour these into a small shallow tray. Next, place all-purpose flour onto a separate plate. Then whisk together eggs and milk and pour into a shallow tray. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper plus 1 tablespoon of hot sauce.
  4. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper before dredging into the flour. Knock off any excess flour and then dip it into the egg mixture. Make sure it's fully coated before transferring the cutlet to the cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs evenly into the cutlet to ensure there are no un-breaded areas. Set aside the breaded cutlet while you repeat the process with the remaining pieces. Place all breaded cutlets into the fridge while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  5. Heat the animal fat in a large stainless steel, or cast-iron skillet until the fat is shimmering. Pour the can of beans into the hot fat, being careful not to splash yourself with hot grease. Crush the beans with a potato masher or fork while swirling the pan to emulsify the beans and the fat. Allow this mixture to simmer aggressively until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well with salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.
  6. Mix together sliced jalapenos, onions, lime juice, and zest. Season with salt and toss into the chopped cilantro. Set aside until ready to serve.
  7. Split and toast bread and set aside until ready to serve.
  8. Remove cutlets from fridge and fry until each is golden brown and crispy, approximately 3 minutes per cutlet. Drain on paper towels and prepare to assemble each sandwich.
  9. Spread a generous layer of beans on both the top and bottom bun of each sandwich. Top the bottom bun with one fried cutlet, queso fresco, shaved onions and jalapenos, slices of avocado, and any additional garnishes you prefer. Place the top bun onto the sandwich, slice in half, and serve.