The “Feast” Begins
The preparation for a meal of this scale is no small feat. It starts with a whole goat on the grill, with a roaring charcoal fire just getting started.
The initial seasoning is deceptively simple—just a generous coating of salt rubbed all over the goat. Watching it crisp up over the open flame, you can already see those juices starting to drip onto the charcoal, filling the air with an incredible aroma.
The Secret Sauce
After the goat has been roasting for about an hour and a half, the chef introduces the real flavor. He’s created a special marinade that is layered on during the final stage of cooking. It’s a bold, savory blend of:
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Mustard and Garlic
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Onion and Oil
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Tomatoes
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Chicken Stock Powder
This mixture is rubbed all over the meat, transforming the simple salted goat into a deeply flavorful masterpiece.
Wild Sides and Wilderness Sounds
A Rwandan barbecue isn’t complete without the right sides. While the goat is the star, we also served it with:
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Grilled Green Bananas (Plantains): These are roasted right alongside the meat.
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Gachumbari: A fresh, vibrant salad that provides a much-needed zing to cut through the richness of the meat.
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The “Innards” Stew: For the truly adventurous, there’s a pot boiling away filled with intestines and other innards—though I’ll be honest, I decided to skip that one!
The Verdict: “Perfection”
By the time the goat is finished—after about two hours of roasting and marinating—the result is absolute perfection. The meat is tender, slightly spicy from the marinade, and has that unmistakable smoky char from the charcoal.
Eating this meal in the middle of a national park, with the sounds of hippos in the water and other animals in the distance, is an experience I won’t forget. It’s a reminder that the best meals aren’t just about the food—they’re about where you are and the adventure it took to get there.
