Leping Dog Meat

Leping Dog Meat

　　　Leping dog meat is a traditional dish with a history of over 2,000 years. In particular, Leping’s “steamed dog meat” is the most iconic local preparation, enduring for centuries without decline. The craftsmanship behind Leping dog meat is ingenious—visually golden and glossy, aromatically enticing, and incredibly flavorful.

　　Leping dog meat is a cold dish prepared using a combination of steaming and boiling methods. It is cooked over low heat without salt, resulting in tender, well-textured meat that is delicious, refreshing, and highly nutritious. Seasonings used when serving are distinctive and carefully selected. 　　

　　Leping dog meat is boiled and then served chilled in slices. During cooking, large amounts of fennel, star anise, garlic, and ginger are added, along with grain liquor. Once the water boils, some radishes and red dates are also put in. 　　

　　It is typically simmered over low heat overnight. At dawn, the dog meat is removed and spread out to cool on a bamboo tray. Then, with a shoulder pole—dog meat and grain liquor at the front, a small table, stools, and seasonings at the back—the vendor walks from street to street, village to town. These vendors especially favor areas near coal mines, calling out in loud voices: “Fresh off the pot——dog meat!” When a customer shows interest, they weigh and sell it by the jin (500g). Usually, the meat is weighed before being sliced, then placed on a plate sprinkled with red chili powder, sometimes with mashed garlic added—though this is considered a more basic way of eating it. It is then served on a small low table, paired with sips of grain liquor and bites of dog meat, while engaging in all sorts of casual chatter. The vendor only joins in when free, either listening or chiming in, careful not to neglect the customers. Typically, miners coming off their shift will have half a jin of dog meat and half a jin of liquor to invigorate blood flow and boost vitality—just the right remedy. 　　

　　Leping dog meat has tender skin, fragrant meat, and crispy bones. Dog meat without skin doesn’t congeal properly when cooked; among all meats, pork is greasy, beef gamey, mutton smelly—but only dog meat embodies “fragrance.” Only when the bones are crisp can the meat be easily separated from them, which is why Leping dog meat is served with skin on and bones off. Jiangxi Leping dog meat differs in preparation from Sichuan Huajiang dog meat, which is served in a hotpot and dipped in sauces, as well as from the Korean-Chinese style of Yanbian, where fattier dog meat is usually cooked with frozen tofu. Leping dog meat, however, is boiled and served chilled in slices, preserving the meat’s original flavor. Though those who sell it mostly run small businesses with just a peddler’s pole, the trade of Leping dog meat has always thrived. Diners are often drawn to the tender, aromatic meat and the rich, mellow grain liquor. Leping dog meat is only available from late autumn to the following Qingming Festival, reflecting the Chinese philosophy of harmonizing diet with nature. 　　

　　Elegance has its nobility, but the ordinary has its charm—and eating Leping dog meat is undoubtedly a piece of street culture. 　　

　　In fact, dogs were ranked among the six domesticated animals since ancient times, so eating dog meat is certainly a regional custom. It seems to have been especially popular among rough martial types: Fan Kuai, a general under Liu Bang of the Han dynasty, was once a skilled dog butcher; Lu Zhishen, the monk from *Water Margin*, after devouring a dog leg and plenty of grain liquor, toppled a mountain pavilion with a single shove. It also seems that eating dog meat builds strength—Fan Kuai and Lu Zhishen are cases in point, and miners’ fondness for dog meat stems from similar beliefs. After a long shift, miners, full of food and drink, happily stagger home in their coats.