Dazhou Lamp-Shadow Beef

Dazhou Lamp-Shadow Beef

　　Lamp-Shadow Beef is a famous and distinctive food product from Dazhou, renowned both in China and abroad. It gets its name because the meat is as thin as paper, shiny brownish-red, and shows shadows when held up to a lamp. This type of beef was first created during the Guangxu era by Liu Zhonggui from Liangping, who selected specific cuts from Xuanhan yellow cattle. After more than twenty processing steps and the addition of various spices tailored to the climate characteristics of each season, the beef is meticulously prepared. It is known for being crispy, fragrant, delicious, and perfect for savoring slowly. It is also rich in nutrition and can be stored for a long time without spoiling. It was first exhibited at the 10th Sichuan Industrial Encouragement Fair held in Chengdu in 1927, where it gained widespread fame and has since become well-known both domestically and internationally. It has not only repeatedly won provincial and ministerial-level awards for excellence but has also been included in state banquet menus and served as a premium gift for international dignitaries. It sells well all over the world and remains popular through the years.

　　Lamp-Shadow Beef is made by slicing carefully selected beef hind shank tendons, produced entirely by hand. It features a bright red color and a spicy, fresh, and crispy taste. Its glorious history can even be traced back over a hundred years to the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu era.

　　The story goes that during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, a man surnamed Liu from Liangping County in Sichuan ended up in Daxian, making a living by selling smoked and cured meats. Initially, he made five-spice beef slices that were thick and tough, hard to chew, often getting stuck in people’s teeth, which led to poor business and weak sales. Later, after much thought, Boss Liu gradually improved his knife skills, slicing the beef thinner and larger. He then marinated it to infuse flavor, followed by roasting it. When selling, he would drizzle it with sesame oil. This preparation resulted in beef that customers found crisp, fragrant, and delicious, leading to increased purchases. Word spread quickly, and soon it became a local delicacy. Seeing the profit potential, others began imitating the method to make a fortune. In this way, the fame of Lamp-Shadow Beef spread throughout Sichuan.

　　The ingredients and preparation method for Dazhou Lamp-Shadow Beef are as follows: Select lean meat from the hind leg of a yellow ox, ensuring it is free of raw water. Remove sinews and membranes, trim neatly, and slice into extremely thin, large pieces. Rub the slices with salt that has been stir-fried and finely ground, then roll them into cylinders. Place them in a bamboo colander and let them air-dry in a ventilated area to remove blood. Take the dried beef slices and lay them on the reverse side of the bamboo colander, then roast them over charcoal fire to dry out the moisture. Steam them in a basket for half an hour, then slice the meat into pieces one and a half inches long and one inch wide. Steam them again for half an hour, then remove and let cool. Heat cooking oil until hot, add a small amount of ginger and Sichuan peppercorns, then remove the wok from the heat. Ten minutes later, place the wok back on the heat, remove the ginger and Sichuan peppercorns, then evenly coat the beef slices with fermented glutinous rice sauce and fry them in the oil. Stir gently with a spatula while frying. Once the beef slices are thoroughly cooked, remove the wok from the heat and take out the beef slices. Leave the cooked oil in the wok, place it back on the heat, and add five-spice powder, sugar, chili powder, and Sichuan pepper powder. Add the beef slices and stir-fry until evenly coated, then remove from heat. Add monosodium glutamate and roasted sesame oil, mix well, let cool, and it’s done.

　　Since its inception, Lamp-Shadow Beef has enjoyed high recognition both in China and abroad for its unique handmade craftsmanship and distinctive flavor. In the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), Lamp-Shadow Beef won the first-class award at the 10th Industrial Encouragement Fair held in Chengdu. In the 19th year of the Republic of China, it took first place at the Daxian Industrial Encouragement Fair. In 1978, when national leaders visited countries such as Nepal and Pakistan, they gifted Lamp-Shadow Beef to foreign friends. In the 1980s, Lamp-Shadow Beef was designated for use in state banquets at the Great Hall of the People and the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.