Crispy-skinned Dog Meat from Wenshan

Crispy-skinned Dog Meat from Wenshan

　　Crispy-skinned Dog Meat from Wenshan

　　Dog meat is also especially famous in Wenshan, boasting a unique flavor. Near the city of Wenshan, by the brick factory on the Nanhuang Road of Xinpingba, there’s an old, well-established dog meat restaurant called Zhaoji Jiujium Dog Meat Restaurant. This somewhat shabby but long-standing eatery has reportedly been open for over ten years and is a renowned spot in Wenshan that specializes in crispy-skinned dog meat. It selects dogs around one year old — tender ones. Locally, there’s a saying: “first yellow, then black, thirdly spotted, fourthly white,” implying that yellow dogs are the best — the most fragrant and, of course, the hardest to come by. If you’re on good terms with the owner, you might get a heads-up when a yellow dog is available, but otherwise, it’s all about luck. The preparation of Wenshan’s crispy-skinned dog meat is unique: freshly slaughtered dogs are slowly roasted over charcoal fire — locally known as fire-roasted dog. Once the dog meat is roasted, it is cut into small pieces and deep-fried twice in oil to create the signature crispy skin. This type of dog meat is especially delicious when served with the skin on, cooked in a simmering pot along with various vegetables and meats, making for a hearty and flavorful dog meat hot pot. When eating, it's paired with a richly aromatic local dipping sauce — the fragrance of the meat and the sauce blend perfectly. What sets this dipping sauce apart from others is that it comes in a generous small bowl, containing botanical spices, stir-fried meat paste, mint, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds, peanuts, and small chili peppers, plus a uniquely local plant leaf called "la liu." This la liu is green, finely chopped, and emits a distinctive aroma — quite pungent, with a taste somewhat resembling that of heartleaf houttuynia (折耳根) and also like mint. It’s an exclusive ingredient not found in other regions’ sauces. There’s also a locally favored botanical spice called "mu jiang cao," which adds a sharp, nose-clearing note, giving the dish an unusual kick. The dog meat here is very affordable, with raw meat costing just 14 yuan per market jin. A full meal for a table costs around just over one hundred yuan.