Cangzhou Sheep Intestine Skewers

Cangzhou Sheep Intestine Skewers

　　In Cangzhou, those who have eaten sheep intestine skewers often share this experience: the first time, they eat with their eyes closed—afraid of the gaminess; the second time, they squint—savoring the flavor; the third time, they stare wide-eyed—indulging in the treat. Truly, the more you eat, the more addictive it becomes, and the more you crave it.

　　The peak season for sheep intestine skewers is winter. Just look—vendors usually push a small cart, surrounded closely by a circle of customers enjoying the skewers. Let me interject here—unlike other snacks typically sold in shops or eaten in restaurants, ours is different. The vendors push long, wooden-box-like carts. At the front of the cart sit bowls, chopsticks, and various condiments, while the central box holds a large pot filled with steaming-hot sheep intestine skewers. Next to the pot is a box of leftover flatbreads or pancakes. After parking in a relatively fixed spot, the vendor lifts the lid off the pot, and the aroma of the skewers immediately wafts out, filling half the street and attracting passersby. When people gather around the cart, the vendor proactively hands each person a small stool, asks how many they’d like, then sets down the bowl. Using chopsticks, they scoop out a section of the skewer from the pot, quickly slice it into inch-long pieces with a gleaming knife, arrange them in the bowl, and sprinkle in seasonings like pepper, MSG, salt, and cilantro. Then, they ladle a spoonful of hot broth over the top, place a pair of bamboo chopsticks on the bowl, and hand it over to the customer with a big smile. The customer takes a bite, savoring the flavor—and instantly, the warm, steamy skewers drive away the chill and fatigue, leaving them feeling cozy and thoroughly satisfied. Often, they’ll have a second bowl, and some even bring a small pot to buy extra to take home and share with their family.

　　Cangzhou Sheep Intestine Soup is the more refined name nowadays; in the past, it was simply called sheep intestine skewers, pronounced “yang chang zi” in the local Cangzhou dialect, sounding like “yang chang—zha.” Cangzhou is located in the eastern part of the North China Plain but also encompasses the Mengcun Hui Autonomous County within its jurisdiction. The Hui ethnic group is a major community here, so it’s no surprise that snacks centered around beef and mutton are common. Thus, Cangzhou’s sheep intestine skewers have become representative. Before liberation, sheep intestine skewers were already a popular breakfast item in Cangzhou. Most patrons at the skewer stalls were laboring men. Even today, most customers enjoying sheep intestine soup are still men. Every morning, many hardworking laborers bring their own corn flatbreads, buy a bowl of sheep intestine skewers to soak in the broth, and can refill the soup as much as they like. After filling up, they head to the train station to unload coal or to the docks to carry goods—a task in Cangzhou dialect called “kang da ge,” meaning “carrying big loads,” referring to hefty men hauling cargo. These workers love sheep intestine skewers for a reason: the walls of sheep intestines contain a lot of fat, and sheep udders are also fatty, providing more calories. As the saying goes, it “lasts longer,” meaning it keeps hunger at bay. Other tissues provide protein, offering some nutritional value. Back then, there were no machines—digging earth or unloading coal was all manual labor. Cangzhou (then called Cangzhen) had waterways via the canal and land routes via trains, making it a transportation hub with plenty of cargo-handling jobs. There were many laboring men engaged in heavy work, so sheep intestine skewers sold exceptionally well. Another reason for their popularity was their low price—back then, the cost of one jin (500g) of lamb could buy 20 bowls of sheep intestine skewers. Poor folks worked hard, earning just enough for a few jin of cornmeal a day, so they couldn’t afford lamb. A bowl of sheep intestine skewers was considered a treat.

　　Nowadays, sheep intestine skewers are quite different from those of the past. Today, when people praise a certain vendor’s skewers, they usually compliment the clear, flavorful, clean, and hygienic broth. It wasn’t always like this in the past—those old skewers weren’t washed much at all. Over-washing would rinse away not only the undigested grass in the intestines but also the fat lining the walls, which was exactly what the laboring men wanted. Elders say the old cooking broth used to float with lots of sheep fat and bits of grease, and many customers, when the vendor was too busy, would help themselves to extra ladles of broth, scooping up more fat bits. In those days, biting into a skewer, you might see greenish bits—but people said that was part of the charm. As a joke, some claimed it was only authentic if you bit into a piece that looked like sheep dung. Just a bit of humor.

　　The reason sheep intestine skewers became a Cangzhou specialty is tied to the city’s large Muslim population. The Hui people primarily consume beef and lamb, eating both the meat and organs. The leftover offal is rarely eaten by the Hui themselves because, according to traditional Islamic dietary laws, parts like the colon, embryo, and lymph nodes are considered unclean. The Hui mainly eat sheep offal soup—made from organs like the heart, liver, lungs, and stomach. Precisely because the Hui don’t eat these offcuts, early sheep intestine skewers were originally stuffed with pig blood. It’s said that in some southern parts of China today, Muslims still discard such offcuts like trash during ritual slaughter in mosques—no one eats them. But in Cangzhou, someone, at some point, collected these scraps, boiled them, and sold them as cheap meals for the poor. Over time, they evolved into Cangzhou’s famed dish.

　　Thanks to the large laboring population as its main consumers, sheep intestine skewers secured their place in Cangzhou. So, when people today claim that sheep intestine skewers from a certain place are the oldest or rank first, while others rank second, it’s inaccurate. Originally, sheep intestine skewers existed only in the urban area before spreading elsewhere. Other regions only maintained them due to concentrated Hui communities with ample raw materials.

　　How Cangzhou Sheep Intestine Skewers Are Made

　　The method is as follows: First, add 50 jin (25kg) of water to the pot. Once the water boils, add 30 jin (15kg) of fresh meat, one set each of sheep offal and bones. Boil over high heat (preferably with firewood), skimming off the foam. Then add the seasonings, along with half a jin (250g) each of scallions and ginger, plus appropriate amounts of other spices, and simmer for 40 minutes. Key seasonings include angelica, cinnamon, cardamom, dried tangerine peel, and almonds—all added in precise proportions. Too much will overpower with medicinal taste; too little won’t eliminate the gaminess. When serving, chop cooked lamb and offal from the broth, place in a bowl, pour in the sheep soup, and top with minced garlic sprouts and spicy oil. The dish has a bright, milky-white sheen; the broth is rich and nutritious. The sheep intestine skewers are tender yet not greasy, aromatic and enticing, with no gamy smell. The broth itself boasts a uniquely refreshing fragrance. In Cangzhou, those who’ve eaten sheep intestine skewers often describe the experience like this: the first time, they eat with their eyes closed—afraid of the gaminess; the second time, they squint—savoring the flavor; the third time, they stare wide-eyed—indulging in the treat. The more you eat, the more addictive it becomes, the more you crave it. Many locals love sheep intestine skewers, believing they’re warming and help relieve asthma and stomach colds. There are many varieties of lamb soup, each with unique qualities. “Tianhua” (sheep brain) soup boosts brain health and improves vision—it’s low in fat, detoxifying, and beautifying. The broth is rich, the taste delicious, and it’s a favorite among the elderly and those with neurasthenia. “Koutiao” (tongue) soup strengthens the body and enriches blood, ideal for those recovering from illness. “Dousi” (tripe) soup is rich yet lean, “Naila” (cheese curd) soup is sweet and crumbly, and there are also “Mafengwo” soup, “Sankongqiao” soup, sheep offal soup, and more—totaling 72 varieties.