Raw sheepskin

Raw sheepskin

　　Have you ever heard of raw sheepskin? Raw skin is a type of raw food here, such as thinly sliced raw pork, raw chicken, or dried raw beef. These are served with a dipping sauce made of vinegar, pepper powder, chili flakes... and eaten along with the blood-red meat—pretty similar to how Japanese or Cantonese people enjoy sashimi. But the flavor is incredibly fresh and delicious, though it can easily cause health issues, such as trichinosis or other problems. However, the concept of raw sheepskin is absolutely not about eating raw meat like that—the preparation of raw sheepskin is very particular. First, a high-quality castrated goat weighing around thirty pounds is selected. After slaughtering, instead of skinning it, the wool is removed by scalding with boiling water. Once gutted, the whole goat is prepared, and then dried Chinese toon leaves, dried mint leaves, and dried perilla leaves are placed inside the hollowed-out stomach in a ratio of 2:1:1. The stomach is stuffed full, then tightly sewn up with hemp thread.

　　Once everything is ready, a blazing hot charcoal fire is lit, and a rotisserie is set up—one that allows the goat to rotate freely. It is roasted while being turned over, and fragrant walnut oil is continuously brushed onto the goat until the entire animal turns golden yellow and glistening.

　　At this point, the aroma of roasted raw sheepskin wafts through the entire village. The fragrant scent of roasted lamb, Chinese toon, mint, and perilla fills every alleyway, truly a feast for the nose. Passersby find the whole village breathing in the fragrant mountain air.

　　Once the whole goat is roasted, the first step of eating the raw sheepskin is complete. Then, skilled Hui women from the village are invited to slice the raw sheepskin—and they must slice and serve it at the same time. Of course, the dipping sauce for the raw sheepskin must also be prepared meticulously; otherwise, all previous efforts could be ruined. The sauce must use top-quality pepper powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and locally grown chili powder from native red soil—absolutely no machine-processed ingredients. The goal is to preserve purely natural products. Adding any other seasonings will only diminish the original authentic flavor of the raw sheepskin.

　　Aside from its pure and rich taste, the atmosphere of eating this raw sheepskin is also truly remarkable. Once the whole village knows that a family is preparing raw sheepskin, you’re more than welcome to join—the hosts will never turn anyone away. Everyone takes turns eating. When it’s your turn to slice, you serve everyone; when it’s my turn, I serve everyone. Round after round, group after group, they keep eating until only the skeleton of the goat is left. Since it's all naturally produced by the household, once it’s all eaten, the host can just fetch more from their garden or kitchen. In that kind of setting, you shouldn’t be reserved—if you act too hesitant, the host might misunderstand. They may think you look down on them, dislike their home, or are unhappy about something. This dining culture isn’t about filling your stomach—it’s a showcase of the simple, genuine folk customs. You really should experience it in a Hui village if you get the chance. It’ll definitely be an enjoyable and memorable experience.