Stewed Lamb in Pianguan

Stewed Lamb in Pianguan

　　Stewed lamb is the most revered dish among the people of Pianguan. Nutritionally, it is considered the king of all foods, and its flavor is richly aromatic. To enjoy truly good stewed lamb, one must understand four key aspects: selecting the right season, choosing the right sheep, preserving freshness, and slow-cooking the stew.

　　① Selecting the Season. As locals in Pianguan say, “August lamb is like ginseng,” and “slaughter sheep after Light Snow, and pigs after Heavy Snow.” After Light Snow, the ground freezes and grass withers, causing sheep to lose weight, resulting in lean and tough meat. In spring, sheep are not only too thin but also lose their winter coats while grazing on fresh grass, making the meat both tough and pale, with a strong gamey taste that is unpleasant to eat. In summer, although home-raised lambs can fatten up early for slaughter, the hot climate makes the meat overly fatty and greasy, with pale bones lacking marrow and a lingering strong smell, making both color and flavor subpar. After the beginning of autumn, as the weather cools and plants set seed, the nutrition-rich environment prompts sheep—both big and small—to instinctively store nutrients for winter, leading to rapid weight gain, excellent meat quality, delicious flavor, and high nutritional value. By the time of Light Snow, the sheep’s nutrient reserves reach their peak, and the frozen ground provides ideal conditions for preserving the meat, making lamb at this time the most delicious.

　　② Choosing the Sheep. Sheep come in various types: wool sheep, goats, rams, ewes, castrated sheep, and wethers. Among them, wool sheep are tender and fat; goats have a more distinctive flavor; ewes, having given birth, tend to have tougher meat; castrated sheep lack freshness in taste; rams have a strong, gamy, and foul odor, making them the least desirable; wethers are the best. Among these, four-teeth green mountain wethers are the finest of the best. Within a flock, they lead the way, avoiding grass that other sheep have grazed on or trampled. In areas with rocky cliffs, they specifically seek out tender grass growing on the rocks. They refuse to drink polluted water. They won’t fatten up before the beginning of autumn, which is why high-quality mountain wethers are only available in autumn.

　　③ Preserving Freshness. Stewed lamb should be cooked fresh, with the whole sheep stewed in one pot for the best results. Therefore, in villages where sheep are slaughtered, the cooked lamb is often divided into portions for the whole community to take home and share, a practice called “sharing a meal together.” If not cooked and eaten immediately, freshly slaughtered lamb should be frozen for preservation. Otherwise, the flavor will be greatly diminished.

　　④ Slow-Cooking the Stew. This refers to the method of cooking the lamb: the heat should not be too intense. The lamb, with bones and all, is cut into one-inch cubes, first placed in a basin, mixed evenly with a small amount of wine, covered, and left to marinate briefly before being put into the pot. This ensures the meat becomes tender quickly, has a rich flavor, and the bones separate easily from the meat once cooked. When adding the meat to the pot, don’t use too much water—just enough to barely cover the meat. Do not add any seasonings at first, only heat and stir. Once the water boils and the meat changes color, stop stirring. Cover the pot tightly and simmer over low heat for about an hour before adding seasonings. In Pianguan, only ginger, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns are used to season the stew. About half an hour later, just before serving, stir chopped scallions into the pot with the meat, then serve. In Pianguan, stewed lamb is not served on plates but in individual bowls, ensuring a delicious and hearty meal. It can also be eaten with cakes or oat noodles, all of which are premium delicacies. It also makes an excellent topping for noodle sauces. For storing cooked lamb, the method is the opposite of that for raw lamb—it should only be refrigerated, never frozen. Freezing affects both color and flavor, diminishing the taste of the stewed lamb.

　　Source: Office of the People's Government of Pianguan County