Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy Pancake Rolls

Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy Pancake Rolls

　　Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy Pancake Rolls are a specialty of Linxi County, Xingtai City, Hebei Province. Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy is a time-honored halal brand specializing in soy sauce beef. Their main offerings include soy sauce beef pancake rolls, soy sauce beef, spiced beef tendon, soy sauce tripe, roasted lamb leg, and soy sauce tendons. Among these, the soy sauce beef pancake roll has become a local signature snack in Linxi, often simply referred to as the “Pancake Roll.”

　　Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy is a time-honored halal brand specializing in soy sauce beef. Established in the early years of the Republic of China, it has a history of over 100 years. After several relocations, it moved in 1992 to the site opposite the old bus station in Linxi County, where it has weathered 20 years of change. The shop mainly offers soy sauce beef pancake rolls, soy sauce beef, spiced beef tendon, soy sauce tripe, roasted lamb leg, and soy sauce tendons. Among these, the soy sauce beef pancake roll has become a local specialty in Linxi, commonly known as the “Pancake Roll.”

　　The well-known Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy was founded in 1992 by Mr. Wu Chunquan. As the name suggests, it was started by a man surnamed Wu who was on the heavier side. According to records, the Wu family behind Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy migrated from Liaocheng, Shandong to Linxi in the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, the Wu family was in difficult financial straits but were very kind-hearted. By chance, Wu Qingyu, a member of the Wu family, saved a scholar on his way to the imperial examination (name unknown) with half a cornmeal cake. Unexpectedly, this scholar—who nearly starved to death en route—later passed the exams and became a prefect in Henan Province. After achieving great success, he never forgot the Wu family’s life-saving kindness and brought Wu Qingyu, the savior, along to serve as his secretary. Wu Qingyu was naturally free-spirited and, after becoming a secretary, remained indifferent to fame and wealth, caring only for calligraphy and gourmet food. He was renowned locally for his skill in writing plum blossom-style seal script with both hands. At that time, the 1911 Revolution took place, and the former prefect turned into an infamous warlord commander. Wu Qingyu had a close relationship with a famous chef from Beijing—reportedly a former imperial chef who cooked for Empress Dowager Cixi—who was hired at great expense by the warlord’s household. It is said that this chef taught Wu Qingyu a secret recipe for soy sauce beef. Coming from a poor background, Wu Qingyu couldn’t bear to see the warlord oppress ordinary people. So, during those turbulent times, he gave up his life of luxury and returned to his hometown village of Xiaolu in Linxi, where he dedicated himself to researching the secret recipe and starting a business making soy sauce beef. From then on, the presence of the Wu family could be seen at markets around Linxi.

　　After the liberation, Wu Yuzhi’s third son, Changshan, developed a passion for creating gourmet dishes. Thanks to him, this culinary craft was not lost. Later, he slaughtered and stewed beef in Xiaolu Village, pushing a wheelbarrow to markets in surrounding villages at the border of Weixian and Linxi counties. To attract more customers, Mr. Wu Changshan racked his brains and, by chance, came up with the idea of wrapping his soy sauce beef in thin pancakes. He consulted specialized noodle and dough masters and spent years researching and practicing. The resulting pancake-wrapped meat became deeply loved by locals, who nicknamed it “Trumpet Roll.” It wasn’t until after the reform and opening-up era, in 1979, that the third-generation descendant of Wu Qingyu, Wu Chunquan and his wife, overcame numerous obstacles to bring Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy soy sauce beef to the former Zhongxing Road in Qiaoxi District, Xingtai City. They started their eleven-year journey in two shabby storefronts. Through painstaking research, Mr. Wu Chunquan improved the traditional seasoning formula used to make soy sauce beef, prioritizing healthy eating. The new recipe primarily used cloves, amomum fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon, angelica dahurica, star anise, and other spices, along with soy sauce and salt as supplementary seasonings. The soy sauce beef made from this formula was not only delicious, but also had health benefits such as warming the spleen and stomach, aiding digestion, regulating qi, and enhancing vitality. It earned widespread acclaim among the people of Xingtai. In the early 1990s, due to housing demolition, the shop leased by the Wu family was torn down. With no choice, they had to return to their hometown. Despite their humble and hardworking nature, the Wu family did not give up on their dream. Over fifty-year-old Mr. Wu Chunquan led his family to Linxi County, relocating Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy to the site opposite the old bus station. Initially, business was slow in Linxi, as locals were not familiar with the taste of Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy soy sauce beef. But they persevered, holding onto a grateful heart and remaining committed to making the best halal pancake rolls. After more than twenty years of dedication, word gradually spread. Today, the pancake roll shop is a household name. Whether locals or visitors come to Linxi, they all make sure to try the “Uncle Wu’s Fat Guy Pancake Rolls.”