Boodog (Боодог) — Mongolian Hot-Stone Goat Roast

• 1 wholeyoung goat (about 7 kg dressed weight, head and hooves removed, skin intact, deboned through the main cavity by a skilled butcher)
• 1½ ozfine sea salt
• 10 gblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 headgarlic (cloves separated, peeled, and lightly crushed)
• 4yellow onions (each cut into 6 wedges)
• 6carrots (cut into 5 cm lengths)
• 8waxy potatoes (peeled and halved)
• 2⅛ cupwater
• 18smooth dense stones (6 to 8 cm wide, scrubbed, fully dried for 24 hours, and selected from non-porous rock)
• 16 chunkhardwood charcoal
• 4 kgdry hardwood
• 2 mbutcher's twine
• 4metal skewers (for pinning openings before tying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose stones that are dense, smooth, and completely dry, because wet or porous stones can crack dangerously in the fire. Scrub them without soap, dry them for 24 hours, then heat them in a strong hardwood fire for 60 minutes until they are glowing hot.

2. 2

   Inspect the prepared goat and make sure the hide is clean, the interior cavity is free of bone splinters, and the main openings can be closed tightly. Rub the inside meat evenly with the salt, black pepper, and crushed garlic, working the seasoning into the leg and shoulder areas.

3. 3

   Place a layer of hot stones into the cavity with long metal tongs, then add some goat meat folds, onions, carrots, and potatoes. Continue alternating hot stones and food so the stones are distributed through the whole boodog rather than piled in one spot.

4. 4

   Pour the measured water into the cavity to create steam, then close the opening with metal skewers and tie it firmly with butcher's twine. The skin should be sealed enough to hold steam, but it must not be stretched so tightly that pressure cannot escape.

5. 5

   Set the filled goat over moderate fire heat and scorch the outside evenly, turning it every 5 minutes so the skin tightens and the interior cooks from both the stones and the outer flame. This outside-roasting step is what separates boodog from pot-cooked khorkhog, so keep the heat steady rather than letting flames burn one side black.

6. 6

   Cook for 75 to 90 minutes, checking the thickest meat with an instant-read thermometer inserted through a small slit near the leg. The goat is ready when the thickest pieces reach 74°C and the potatoes are tender when pierced through the skin.

7. 7

   Rest the boodog for 15 minutes before opening so the steam settles and the juices redistribute. Cut the twine carefully, remove the stones with tongs, and transfer the meat and vegetables to a large platter.

8. 8

   Serve the meat in generous pieces with the roasted vegetables and a small amount of the collected juices. In Mongolian herder custom, the cleaned hot stones may be passed briefly from hand to hand for warmth before the meal, while suutei tsai or airag is served alongside.