Wuqi Lamb

Wuqi Lamb

　　Wuqi Lamb is a specialty of Wuqi County in Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. The sheep in Wuqi feed on the area's unique thyme grass (scientific name: Thymus serpyllum), which gives the lamb its tender, non-greasy texture, rich flavor without the usual "sheepy" smell, low fat and high protein content, distinctive taste, and lingering aftertaste. As a regional specialty of Northern Shaanxi, it enjoys widespread fame.

　　Sheep, belonging to the order Mammalia and family Bovidae, are found all over China with many breeds suitable for meat consumption. In Wuqi, goats and sheep are primarily raised, with goats being more common. Their meat is tender and not gamy, rich yet not greasy, and also offers medicinal benefits such as treating coughs, strengthening ears and eyes, and preventing tuberculosis and night sweats. It is not only the best food for local holidays and hosting guests but also one of the most substantial gifts in the region.

　　The delicious taste of Wuqi Lamb has long been famous far and wide. Anyone who visits Wuqi will try it, and it can even be eaten on its own without any staple food, satisfying one's hunger completely.

　　According to research, the lack of a "gamy" taste in the lamb is related to its frequent consumption of thyme. Thyme (commonly known as "dijiao") is a perennial shrubby aromatic herb of the Lamiaceae family. This plant has good medicinal value, helping dispel cold, relieve exterior symptoms, induce sweating, and alleviate pain; its stems and leaves are important aromatic plants and can also be used to extract essential oils. When locals suffer from stomachaches, they boil a bowl of thyme water to drink. When making fried flour (made by boiling oats or corn, drying them, and then grinding them into powder), a handful of thyme leaves is essential—it gives the fried flour a taste similar to fried steamed buns.

　　Thyme blooms continuously throughout the year, with tubular flowers clustered like chrysanthemums in red and pink hues. Whenever a gentle breeze blows, the fragrance wafts through the hills and valleys, and the numerous sheep grazing in the mountains consume large amounts of thyme. After June, the sheep become plump and are at their prime for consumption. The saying “June 6th, new wheat buns with lamb” indicates that lamb has begun to hit the market. During traditional festivals, every household slaughters a sheep, filling the air with the aroma of lamb. Sometimes, groups gather to “share a meal,” cutting the lamb into large chunks and simmering them slowly in the pot along with the bones until tender. Each person is then served a portion—this is called “hand-grabbed lamb.” A local proverb says, “Pork has bones, lamb has marrow.” Lamb marrow, found within the bone cavity, is the essence within the bone. When stewed together, the marrow flavor infuses the broth, delivering an authentic and delicious taste. Therefore, lamb is generally sold with the bone-in.

　　The Wuqi “Thyme” Lamb produced by Yan'an Yuanfang Group comes from six-month-old lambs. After quarantine and careful selection, it is processed using modern techniques such as vacuum packaging and high-pressure sterilization, with a scientifically formulated and expertly cooked recipe. The product is divided into two main categories—cooked products and raw frozen meat—with 13 varieties in total. The cooked products include five-flavor, spicy, halal, smoked, and southern-style flavors. The main products consist of eight varieties: lamb, lamb ribs, lamb trotters, lamb legs, premium lamb cuts, stewed lamb, lamb offal, and lamb blood. The raw frozen lamb is segmented by body part into five varieties: fresh frozen rolled meat, fresh frozen slab meat, leg meat, rib meat, and offal.

　　Wuqi “Thyme” Lamb won the Jizi Gold Award at the 8th Yangling Agricultural Hi-Tech Fair. In 2005, it passed the ISO9001-2008 International Quality Management System certification and was awarded the title of “Shaanxi Provincial Famous Product” by the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government. In 2007, the “Thyme” trademark was named a “Shaanxi Provincial Famous Trademark.”