Duoshi Ping'an Braised Donkey Meat

Duoshi Ping'an Braised Donkey Meat

　　As the saying goes, "Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground." Donkey meat is regarded as a delicacy among meats. It is highly nutritious, known to invigorate qi and nourish blood, enrich essence and strengthen yang, as well as nourish yin and tonify kidneys. Legend has it that Empress Dowager Cixi loved eating donkey meat. The imperial palace had chefs specializing in cooking donkey meat, and she often summoned renowned donkey meat shops from across the country to send their finest products as tributes. At that time, Duoshi’s "Du Family Donkey Meat" was one such tribute. In 2005, Duoshi’s "Ping'an Braised Donkey Meat" was named one of "Jinan’s Famous and High-Quality Flavor Snacks," in 2006 it was awarded "Most Popular Snack Among Consumers," and in 2008 it was recognized as "Jinan Intangible Cultural Heritage."

　　 Introduction to Duoshi "Ping'an Donkey Meat" As the saying goes, "Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground." Donkey meat is considered a delicacy among meats. Legend has it that Empress Dowager Cixi loved eating donkey meat, and the imperial palace had chefs who specialized in cooking it. She also frequently summoned famous artisans from all over the country to send their best donkey meat as tributes to satisfy her taste. It is said that Duoshi’s "Ping'an Donkey Meat" was among those tributes. The inheritor of Duoshi "Ping'an Donkey Meat," Du Shanping, is now in his forties. He started selling boiled donkey meat and doing business on Duoshi Street when he was just seventeen or eighteen. His father did not pass down the family’s traditional craft of "Du Family Donkey Meat"; instead, the skill was directly handed down to him by his grandparents. "Ping'an Donkey Meat" features a unique recipe and an exceptional taste, quickly becoming a locally renowned specialty snack. There are two methods of cooking it: one involves mixing prepared traditional Chinese medicinal herbs in proportion with freshly slaughtered donkey meat and simmering them together in a pot; the other method involves driving a live donkey into a specially built alleyway, continuously heating the passage with fire until the donkey sweats profusely. Thirsty, the donkey then drinks water mixed with medicinal herbs. This cycle is repeated multiple times, allowing the medicinal liquid to seep into the living donkey’s flesh, turning it into a "medicated donkey." The donkey is then slaughtered and cooked in a pot. In 2007, Duoshi "Ping'an Donkey Meat" was honored as one of "Jinan’s Famous and High-Quality Flavor Snacks" and received the title of "Second Batch of Jinan Intangible Cultural Heritage." "Ping'an Donkey Meat" carries forward fine craftsmanship and gathers the essence of culinary artistry to offer delicious delight. Currently, there are dozens of donkey meat processing households in Duoshi Town. Du Shanping hopes to work together with them to build an even stronger brand for "Duoshi Donkey Meat," spreading its fragrant aroma to every corner of the nation.