Donkey Meat

Last updated 2026-11-09 — Donkey Meat (also known as "Ghost Meat") refers to donkey meat. First, clean raw donkey meat is placed in a vat containing old broth and marinated for one to two months. Then, seasonings (such as dried tangerine peel, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, ginger, etc.) are added. The mixture, along with the old broth, is placed in a pot and simmered over low heat. Once boiling, "flying nitre" (a solidified form of nitrated liquid, refined through processing, which helps remove impurities, tenderize, and accelerate cooking) is added, and the mixture is simmered for over ten hours. At this point, a piece of bone-in meat is randomly scooped out — if it can be easily shaken apart at the bone, the meat is done. It is then removed from the pot. After cooking, the meat is soaked again in the old broth for another one to two months before it is ready to eat. Cooked donkey meat has a purplish-red hue, a glossy sheen, and a rich aroma. During the Guangxu and Xuantong eras of the Qing Dynasty, local officials often gave donkey meat as gifts to their superiors or even as tributes to the emperor, making it a renowned imperial dish celebrated both in the court and among the people. It remains a delicious delicacy to this day.