Small Chops

Asun

Name: Asun
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 800 g boneless goat meat (skin-on if available from a reliable butcher; cut into 3 cm pieces); 200 g onion (50 g for cooking meat, 100 g for pepper blend, 50 g sliced); 3 Scotch bonnet peppers (stalks removed; start with one for less heat); 30 ml neutral oil (divided); 400 ml water (for braising, plus top-ups if needed); 1 tsp fine salt (divided); 1 small stock cube (optional)

Tender bite-sized goat, browned under a grill and tossed with fresh pepper and onions. Asun is associated particularly with Ondo food culture and has become a familiar party and social-gathering dish more widely in Nigeria. Ronke Edoho describes the traditional approach using fully cooked pit-roasted goat, including the skin, cut small and combined with pepper and onion. Home cooks also use stovetop and grill methods to make smaller quantities. Cultural context: Associated with Ondo/Yoruba cooking. This braise-and-grill home method is an adaptation of the traditional smoked or pit-roasted preparation.

Asun, browned goat pieces with a coarse cooked pepper coating and softened onion slices in a plain bowl.

20 minPreparation

110 minCooking

6Servings

What you’ll need

6 servings

800 g boneless goat meatskin-on if available from a reliable butcher; cut into 3 cm pieces
200 g onion50 g for cooking meat, 100 g for pepper blend, 50 g sliced
3 Scotch bonnet peppersstalks removed; start with one for less heat
30 ml neutral oildivided
400 ml waterfor braising, plus top-ups if needed
1 tsp fine saltdivided
1 small stock cubeoptional

Let’s get cooking

1
Put goat meat in a heavy pot with 50 g onion, half the salt, optional stock cube, and 400 ml water. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes until tender, adding small amounts of water if the pot dries.
2
Drain the cooked meat, reserving a little liquid. Heat the oven grill or broiler. Toss the meat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and spread it on a grill-safe tray.
3
Grill for 8–12 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges. Watch closely and stop before the pieces become dry or blackened.
4
Pulse the chillies and 100 g onion into a coarse mixture without adding water.
5
Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a frying pan. Soften the sliced onion for 2 minutes, add the pepper mixture, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
6
Add the grilled goat and toss for another 3–4 minutes until evenly coated and hot. Add 1–2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid only if necessary to prevent sticking.
7
Taste the cooked meat, adjust with the remaining salt, and serve in small portions. Cut any large pieces smaller before serving.

A little kitchen wisdom

Makes six small-chops portions, or four larger portions with an accompaniment. Older goat may require longer braising; tenderness is the deciding cue. This oven method does not reproduce the full smoke flavor of a pit-roasted goat. Timing: active preparation 20 min; cooking 110 min; additional passive time 0 min; conservative planning allowance 130 min. Some stages may overlap. Recipe status: Research draft; not kitchen-tested. Allergens and checks: Check optional stock cube for declared allergens

Recipe notes & sources

Research draft; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Peppered goat meat

Associated with Ondo/Yoruba cooking. This braise-and-grill home method is an adaptation of the traditional smoked or pit-roasted preparation.

Allergens: Check optional stock cube for declared allergens

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Small Chops

Asun

20 minPreparation

110 minCooking

6Servings

What you’ll need

6 servings

800 g boneless goat meatskin-on if available from a reliable butcher; cut into 3 cm pieces
200 g onion50 g for cooking meat, 100 g for pepper blend, 50 g sliced
3 Scotch bonnet peppersstalks removed; start with one for less heat
30 ml neutral oildivided
400 ml waterfor braising, plus top-ups if needed
1 tsp fine saltdivided
1 small stock cubeoptional

Let’s get cooking

1
Put goat meat in a heavy pot with 50 g onion, half the salt, optional stock cube, and 400 ml water. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes until tender, adding small amounts of water if the pot dries.
2
Drain the cooked meat, reserving a little liquid. Heat the oven grill or broiler. Toss the meat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and spread it on a grill-safe tray.
3
Grill for 8–12 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges. Watch closely and stop before the pieces become dry or blackened.
4
Pulse the chillies and 100 g onion into a coarse mixture without adding water.
5
Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a frying pan. Soften the sliced onion for 2 minutes, add the pepper mixture, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
6
Add the grilled goat and toss for another 3–4 minutes until evenly coated and hot. Add 1–2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid only if necessary to prevent sticking.
7
Taste the cooked meat, adjust with the remaining salt, and serve in small portions. Cut any large pieces smaller before serving.