The Ultimate Nyama Choma Recipe (2024)

While traditionally made using a charcoal grill (jiko) or over an open fire, you can still make this recipe in the oven. Here is how to go about it:-

• Marinate and cover the meat (as per the instructions above on how to marinate).
• Preheat oven to 170°C/365°F (standard) or 150°C fan. Lay meat on a baking tray and roast (bake) for about 4.5 hours, adjusting time, depending on the meat you are using.
• Prepare the glaze - after roasting, I like to mix honey with 2-3 tablespoons hot water to create a glaze on the meat (this is optional so feel free to skip this if you prefer).
• Baste - remove foil, then baste the meat with the honey glaze (optional), and broil each side 5-10 minutes or until browned.
• Serve - ensure the meat is cooked and the juices are run clear. Let the meat rest for 10-20 minutes then serve.

useful tips

1. Marinating is key! Try injecting the marinade into the meat or simply make gashes on the surface, so the flavours properly penetrate the nyama.
2. Papaya and pineapple are natural meat tenderizers? To tenderize the meat, grate a quarter of raw papaya combined with some pineapple.
3. Feel free to use your favorite spices, including simply using salt and pepper!
4. Do not grill from cold. Remove your marinated goat meat from the fridge at least one hour before grilling.
5. If using a goat leg, cut into three or four large chunks, so it cooks more evenly and quicker. This also helps reduce the cooking time.
6. You will know the meat is cooked when the juices run clear and it reaches an internal temperature of 150-160°F (65.6°C).
7. Once grilled, allow the meat to rest covered in foil for at least 10-20 minutes before cutting. This helps prevent the juices from running over, ensuring the meat stays juicy and tastier.

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• ▢ 5.5 lbs goat meat (or preferred choice of meat) (approximately 2.5kgs)
• ▢ 10 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 bulb whole garlic cut across in the middle
• ▢ 1 red or white onion large
• ▢ 1 lemon juiced
• ▢ ⅓ piece ginger
• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or preferred cooking oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ▢ 2 tablespoon ground paprika
• ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
• ▢ 2 stock cubes
• ▢ 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ▢ 2 bird-eye chillis de-seeded
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoon honey (optional - for basting)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon water

• Make the marinade; combine garlic, ginger, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, stock cubes, rosemary, and chili in a bowl. Blend briefly in a processor to maintain some texture.

• Make 2-inch slits on the surface of the meat or goat leg. Toss the meat in half the marinade in a bowl. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting.

• Massage marinade into the meat, covering the slits. Wrap in foil and marinate for 2 hours (or overnight for best results).

• Remove the marinated goat meat from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for at least an hour. Prepare and heat the grill to high. If using a charcoal grill, cover with ashes to moderate heat.

• To prevent sticking, oil a foil piece. Sear the meat on the grill for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer it to this foil. Top the meat with reserved marinade and add two more foil layers beneath, to end up with a triple layer of foil.

• Place two sprigs of rosemary and the bulb of garlic on top of the goat leg. Cover the meat loosely on top with foil so it resembles a tent.

• Add water to a baking tray. Lay the meat on it (Note: This helps cook the meat evenly and retains moisture). Transfer to the grill, ensuring it is at medium-low heat. Grill, turning from time to time, for 1.5 hours.

• Once almost cooked, mix the honey with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water to make a glaze. Uncover meat, baste, and grill for another 15-30 minutes until browned and juices run clear.

• Once cooked, transfer the meat to a tray and allow it to rest for 10-20 minutes before carving. Serve it with ugali, sukuma wiki, and kachumbari, or your favorite dishes.

OVEN METHOD

• To make nyama choma in the oven, simply marinate the meat and cover it with aluminum foil in preparation for roasting, as per the instructions above. Next, preheat the oven to 170° C/ 365° F (standard) or 150° C fan then lay the meat on a baking tray. Place in the oven and slowly roast for 4.5 hours.

• Once the cooking time is over, get the meat out of the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Make the glaze by mixing honey with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water. Uncover the meat and baste it with the honey glaze.

• Return the basted meat to the oven and broil each side on high for 5-10 minutes, or until the desired level of browness has been obtained.

• Remove the meat from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes, before carving to prevent the juices from running out.

• Serve the nyama choma with mukimo, ugali, kachumbari or your favorite side dish.

• The recipe card uses the minimum marination time of 30 minutes. For best results marinate overnight.
• To tenderize the meat, grate a quarter of raw papaya combined with some pineapple into the meat.
• Remove your marinated meat from the fridge at least one hour before grilling.
• To reduce the cooking time if using a goat leg, cut the meat into three or four large chunks, so it cooks more evenly and quicker.
• Grilling the meat in foil helps retain moisture and ensures the meat cooks slowly over a longer period. The slow cooking breaks down the connective tissues, thereby preventing your meat from turning out tough.
• Allow the nyama choma to rest covered in foil for at least 10-20 minutes before cutting to prevent the juices from running over. This way, the meat stays juicy and tastier.
• This recipe uses goat meat, but feel free to substitute this with beef, mutton, or lamb.