Pengji Wangzhuang Dog Meat

Pengji Wangzhuang Dog Meat

　　“The sixty-year-old dog meat soup — classic flavor.” Where does this folk pun come from? It originates from the Wangzhuang Dog Meat Stall in Pengji Town, our county. Legend has it that Wangzhuang Dog Meat was first created during the Ming Dynasty, boasting a history of over 500 years. Currently, there are seven dog meat stalls in the village, among which the dog meat cooked by villager Wang Guangqian is considered the most authentic and renowned.

　　The dog meat cooked by the Wang family is bright in color, delicious in taste, tender in texture, free from fishy or off-odors, not greasy, and suitable for all ages. Due to its excellent taste and flavor, it is not only popular locally but also exported to cities and provinces such as Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, and Jilin.

　　The process of cooking dog meat by the Wang family is very particular. First, the selection of ingredients is strict. The Wangs mainly buy free-range domestic dogs, preferably those aged three or four years old, as such dogs have a high meat yield, tender meat, and produce a fragrant aroma when cooked; they do not buy sick or thin dogs; nor do they buy dogs from butchers who slaughter cattle and sheep, as it is said that dogs raised by such butchers consume a lot of meat, resulting in a gamy or off-putting smell after cooking. They try their best to choose dogs raised by farmers in a free-range manner, fed on leftovers and mixed grains — such dogs, when slaughtered and cooked, yield a rich and mellow flavor. Second, they maintain the traditional broth used for cooking dog meat. Cooking with old broth is key to preserving the unique flavor of the dog meat. After each cooking session, the container holding the old broth must be sterilized by rinsing with boiling water to ensure it remains clean and unspoiled for the next use. Third, mastering the right heat is essential.

　　The production process of Wang family’s dog meat is as follows:

　　1. Slaughter a healthy live dog, skin it, then cut the whole dog into several pieces and wash them.

　　2. Place the pot on the fire, add the meat, and boil it to remove scum. After it is half-cooked, simmer it over low heat for three hours.

　　3. When the meat is about 70% cooked, immediately remove it from the broth, add saltpeter for curing and coloring. Let it cool thoroughly, then place it in an old broth pot seasoned with more than ten spices including refined salt, dried tangerine peel, nutmeg, cloves, ginseng, apple, and fennel (both large and small), stew it for 2–3 hours, and it is ready to eat once taken out.

　　The dog, also known as "yellow ear" or "earth sheep," is one of the earliest animals domesticated by humans. Laozi’s Dao De Jing states: “Neighboring states can see each other, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard across borders.” In the Tang Dynasty, one of the “Five Stables” was the Dog Stable, a place where the emperor kept hunting dogs. Dog meat has a long history in Chinese cuisine, dating back to the Western Zhou Dynasty when it was already considered a delicacy. Records in “Records of the Grand Historian · Biography of Jing Ke” state: “After arriving in Yan, Jing Ke admired the dog butcher and the skilled zither player Gao Jianli of Yan.” This reveals that Jing Ke, the brave warrior who later attempted to assassinate the King of Qin, chose an assistant who was actually a skilled dog butcher. At that time, dog meat was served at imperial banquets and grand sacrificial ceremonies. One of the “Eight Delicacies” enjoyed by the Zhou emperors, known as “liver,” was a dish made by roasting dog liver seasoned with spices — this is the earliest recorded dog meat recipe in China.

　　Dog meat is not only highly nutritious but also helps prevent and treat various diseases. Li Shizhen, the great pharmacologist of the Ming Dynasty, wrote in the Compendium of Materia Medica: “Dog meat is best when sourced from yellow dogs, followed by black and white ones. It tastes rich, is sour and moist, and non-toxic; eating it greatly replenishes vitality.” He listed numerous benefits of consuming dog meat: boosts energy, lightens the body, harmonizes the five organs, benefits the spleen and stomach, warms the waist and knees, strengthens physical strength, and treats various ailments related to fatigue and injury.

　　Dog meat is a highly nourishing food, and is even more beneficial when consumed in winter.

　　Currently, due to a shortage of dog supply, the daily sales of Wang family’s dog meat amount to only about twenty kilograms. Even with the addition of the other six dog meat workshops, the total daily sales do not exceed one hundred kilograms. Because of the limited quantity, it is in a constant state of undersupply throughout the year.