Cabrito assado — roast kid — is one of the most characteristic dishes of the Beira region and the Serra da Estrela, and a natural part of the cooking of Belmonte.
The dish is built on the quality of the meat. The kid of the Beira, raised on the mountain pastures, has pale, tender meat with a mild flavour — and the region's young goats are widely held to be among the finest in the country. For the dish, the kid is rubbed inside and out with a paste of crushed garlic, coarse salt, paprika, bay, olive oil and a little wine, and left to rest, often overnight, so the seasoning penetrates the meat. It is then slow-roasted, traditionally in a wood-fired oven, until tender and golden, and served simply with roast potatoes and rice.
Roast kid is a dish for special occasions and a fixture of the region's tables. For the visitor to Belmonte, it is one of the most genuine and satisfying tastes of the Beira mountains.
⭐ Must-try:
Roasted kid (cabrito assado)
Highlights
- Roast kid — a characteristic dish of the Beira
- Made with the prized young goat of the mountains
- Rubbed with garlic, paprika, bay and olive oil
- Slow-roasted, traditionally in a wood-fired oven
- Served simply with roast potatoes and rice
Frequently asked questions
What is cabrito assado?
It is roast kid — young goat slow-roasted with garlic, paprika and olive oil — a characteristic dish of the Beira and Serra da Estrela.
Why is the kid of the Beira special?
Raised on the mountain pastures, it has pale, tender meat with a mild flavour, widely held to be among the finest in Portugal.
Is the dish typical of Belmonte?
It is a dish of the wider Beira region; in Belmonte, at the foot of the Serra da Estrela, it is part of the local table.