Huajiang Dog Meat

Huajiang Dog Meat

　　Huajiang Dog Meat is one of the famous local delicacies of Guizhou, originating from Huajiang Town in Guizhou. As the saying goes, “Even in October’s lingering spring, Huajiang Dog Meat surpasses ginseng.”

　　Originally produced in Huajiang Town, Guanling County, Huajiang Dog Meat is prepared with meticulous care, and its nourishing properties make it highly sought after, with diners eager to have a taste. When eating Huajiang Dog Meat, it’s served with a bowl of spicy dipping sauce rich in seasonings—dip and eat while hot, spicy, fragrant, and numbing. You can visit the “Dog Meat Street” in Huajiang to enjoy it.

When eating dog meat, it’s important to first drink the soup to warm and soothe the stomach, which enhances the freshness of the meat's flavor. The soup is made from the original stock of dog meat and bones, known for its clear and refreshing taste.

　　Main Characteristics

　　Huajiang Dog Meat is made from healthy domestic dogs. It features a taste that is cool in summer and warm in winter, with delicious broth, smooth skin, tender meat, crispy yet not greasy fat, and remains enjoyable even after long-term consumption. Dog meat itself is believed to have special effects such as improving blood circulation, nourishing kidneys, strengthening the spleen, and moisturizing the lungs. It is considered an excellent tonic for improving health, driving out internal cold, and invigorating the body. Modern medicine has shown that it is effective against indigestion, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and obesity. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* lists that regular consumption of dog meat benefits those suffering from back pain, kidney deficiency, impotence, and qi stagnation. Truly, “The aroma of dog meat is so enticing that even immortals would jump over the wall,” and “When dog meat is boiling, even immortals can’t sit still.” The reason Huajiang Dog Meat is loved by people is said to be threefold: first, it can cure illnesses, especially helping lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients, and is particularly effective for the elderly, the weak, and children with bedwetting issues. For most people, eating dog meat in winter increases body heat, while in summer it helps reduce heat. For the strong, it purifies impurities, then it is simmered over low heat until tender, removed, excess moisture is drained, and cooked vegetable oil is applied to make the surface shiny. It is then sliced into 3 cm cubes according to serving size.

　　Main Preparation Steps

　　Knife Skills & Shaping

　　Scald and clean the dog (water temperature between 60–70°C), cut open the belly to remove internal organs and large bones, blanch several times in boiling water to remove blood and odor. Then cut into two sections, place in a clay pot with water and a few slices of ginger, bring to a boil over high heat, add a little bile juice, remove foam and residue, then simmer over low heat until tender. Remove, drain moisture, apply cooked vegetable oil to make the surface shiny, then slice into 3 cm cubes according to portion size.

　　Cooking Method

　　Boiling. Clean the pot and place on the heat. Bring the original dog meat broth to a boil, add the sliced meat, along with a little ginger, garlic, fish mint, coriander, scallion segments, pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, cardamom, and MSG to season. When serving, take a small bowl (one per person), add an appropriate amount of roasted chili powder, pour hot dog oil over the chili to bloom it, then add salt, minced ginger, mashed garlic, fish mint, coriander, scallions, pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, original broth, and MSG to taste.

　　Related Benefits

　　Dog meat can help cure illnesses, especially lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients, and is especially effective for the elderly, the weak, and children with bedwetting issues. Most people increase body heat by eating dog meat in winter, and reduce heat when eating it in summer. The strong benefit in building health, the weak in replenishing qi—suitable for all ages. Huajiang Dog Meat shop owners do not skin the dog but instead, like slaughtering a pig, use boiling water to scald off the fur, remove internal organs, and braise slowly in a small sandpot. Water is added only once at the start, not replenished midway, preserving the original broth to extract all the meat fragrance. During braising, add Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, dried tangerine peel, star anise, mountain pepper, and cardamom. There are specific ways to eat: slice or cube the braised dog meat, serve in a bowl, pour the piping hot original dog meat broth over it, add ginger, scallions, pepper, coriander, and MSG. Also serve a side of spicy chili sauce for dipping—hot, spicy, numbing, and fragrant, refreshing and delicious. Add a glass of wine, and it becomes even more delightful.

　　Preparation Overview

　　Huajiang Dog Meat is a nationally famous flavored snack. Its cooking method is unique, and the ingredients, processing, and seasonings are very particular. According to the Li ethnic master chef from the “Guizhou Huajiang Dog Meat Restaurant,” making Huajiang Dog Meat requires selecting an adult male dog of around 30 jin (approx. 15 kg) to ensure a balanced mix of lean and fat meat that is tender but not tough. Then, like slaughtering a pig, the dog is killed, all the blood is drained, the skin is not removed, and the fur is scalded off with boiling water. Dog skin is fragrant, thin, chewy, and good for the skin, hence it is never removed. In other regions, when making dog meat, live dogs are often beaten to death, hanged, or even poisoned, then simply skinned, leaving the blood trapped in the meat, resulting in poor flavor. Additionally, dog meat from poisoned, diseased, or long-dead dogs cannot be properly skinned or cleaned of fur, so the presence of skin without fur on Huajiang Dog Meat is also a mark of reliable quality. After completely removing the dog’s fur, bones, and internal organs, the meat is placed in a specially made clay pot, along with Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, dried tangerine peel, star anise, mountain pepper, cardamom, mint, and other seasonings brought from Guizhou, as well as some herbs used to eliminate the earthy smell of dog meat, and slow-braised over low heat. Low heat is used to prevent the broth from becoming too thick. Water is added only once at the beginning, not replenished, preserving the original broth to fully extract the meat’s aroma. Typically, the dog meat is braised until it is about 80–90% cooked, resulting in a clear and delicious broth, and tender, pure-flavored meat.

The way Huajiang Dog Meat is eaten is also quite unique. The braised dog meat is sliced thin or cubed and neatly arranged on a plate, with dog meat broth seasoned with ginger, pepper, scallions, coriander, and MSG on the side, as well as a dipping sauce made from dozens of seasonings. When eating, the dog meat is dipped into the piping hot broth, instantly cooking the 80–90% done meat, then a bit of the broth is poured into the dipping sauce, which melts and blends instantly. Everyone dips and eats together—it’s hot, spicy, numbing, and fragrant.

Full Process of Making Guizhou (Huajiang Dog Meat): 1. Hair removal (water temperature between 60–70°C), rinse clean after removal. Bone removal: Start by cutting open the belly to remove bones... do not remove from the outside to avoid damaging the outer skin and keep the dog skin intact. Rinse after bone removal, then rinse again. This causes the dog meat to contract after the bones are removed. Then use a blowtorch to singe any remaining hair, rinse clean again. 2. Dog meat cooking process: Once the water boils, add dog bones and the deboned dog meat, then add cardamom (about 15), 4 liang of ginger, 1 liang of Polygonatum. Cook over medium heat until the skin is soft. 3. Base making process: Use lard and vegetable oil (soybean oil is also fine), stir-fry with ginger, garlic sprouts, and dog meat for 1–2 minutes. Add the original broth from the cooked dog meat, then add cardamom (broth seasoning powder), salt, dog meat flavoring, litsea cubeba powder, pepper, MSG, chicken essence, zhuanzhuan flavoring, chicken essence powder, then finish cooking. Add scallions, coriander, and red dates. 4. Dipping sauce process: Place coriander and scallions at the bottom of the dish, then add roasted chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, MSG (dipping powder), chicken essence, zhuanzhuan flavoring, litsea cubeba powder, salt, dog meat flavoring powder, then top with minced garlic. Pour high-temperature oil over it (key step in oil pouring)—the high-temp oil contains 1/3 small mill sesame oil, plus a small amount of pepper, but control the oil temperature. After pouring the hot oil, add fermented tofu (roasted peanuts and sesame seeds).

　　Technical Essentials

　　When stewing dog meat, use low heat and add enough water to keep the broth clear. Do not overcook the dog meat—just cook until a chopstick can pierce it. Fish mint is essential when eating.