Salted goat and lamb meat: Typical regional product of the city of Petrolina, state of Pernambuco

The purpose of this research was to obtain information and establish identity patterns and product quality, consequently, contributing to the strengthening of goat and sheep production in the semi arid region of Brazil. The study was performed in three restaurants which are part of the gastronomic complex called “Bodódromo”, located in the city of Petrolina, in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The yielding of salted meat after deboning varied from 71.2 to 75.3%, and the yielding of the salted meat for charcoal grilling was from 63.3 to 72.6%, and produced values between 6.9 and 10.6 kg of salted meat for charcoal grilling consumption from the carcasses that weighed between 16.3 and 21.2 kg. Heavier carcasses yielded more at deboning and for salted meat for charcoal grilling in the restaurants. The average nutritional values found in the salted meat characterized it as being a food of high moisture (71.56±0.089), high protein (21.55±0.710) and low lipid content (1.95±0.239). The results obtained indicate a viability of salted goat and lamb meat production, both in the commercial aspect and in the characteristics of its nutritional composition. There is a need for improvements in the productive chain, such as a definition of a “pattern animal”, or a better carcass weight, for the preparation of the product