Eating mutton in Gansu will give you a headache.

In Gansu, eating mutton will give you a headache, because there are mutton all over Gansu, not to mention the city and state as the region, or the county as the space. Basically, all localities call their mutton "the best".

In fact, as far as a kind of food is concerned, whose "best taste" seems to be a false proposition. Taste habits play a very important role in evaluating food quality. So, whether it is delicious or not, you won't know until you eat it yourself.

How good is Gannan mutton?

In recent years, due to the unique natural environment and human geography, Gannan mutton is famous for its tourism. In fact, Gannan mutton has always occupied a place in the hearts of Gansu people. In short, it is a word: good. In recent years, because of work, I went to Gannan more than a dozen times a year and ate a lot of mutton. But from personal experience, Gannan mutton is neither so magical as the legend, nor so bad as people who don't like mutton say. Among them, price is the most direct sign. In recent years, the price of Ganjia grassland sheep in Xiahe County has been firm, and its sales volume has been rising continuously, reaching a maximum of 50 yuan per catty, basically staying above 40 yuan all the year round.

It is said that local herdsmen eat mutton, except salt, and basically do not put other seasonings, preferring hard mutton. I once ate freshly slaughtered mutton in the Sankoh grassland. Hard and unpalatable. But in another way, such as slicing with a knife, it feels completely different and tastes good. After eating mutton and a bowl of yogurt cooled in the river, the scene felt good. But one thing, after eating it, I found a heavy smell on my hands. In a well-known restaurant named XX Karin in Xiahe County, I have eaten the belly-wrapped meat called Ganjiayang, which is nothing special except fresh in form. Therefore, I personally feel that Gannan mutton is still quite satisfactory, and everything is normal. The imaginary sheep running on the grassland, the sky is like a quilt, like a bed, less fishy, super delicious, for me, it is just a scene.

In fact, there are many delicious foods in Gannan, far more than mutton. I like the bacon in Zhouqu. Some people say it is better to overlap. Highland barley wine is sometimes delicious!

How about Linxia mutton?

Hui people have a natural relationship with mutton. The characteristics of Linxia mutton are mostly good at processing technology, such as grabbing mutton by hand. Generally, Gansu people will directly associate Linxia, regardless of Linxia county. Of course, Dongxiang and Guanghe are more famous.

Even in Lanzhou or other cities in Gansu Province, mutton signs are everywhere, so everyone naturally puts them in Linxia.

Of course, there is a "secret recipe" for the processing of hand-grabbed mutton, and each family is different. In fact, it is instant-boiled mutton, and different spices "secret recipes" determine the different tastes of diners. In recent years, the price of handmade mutton has been rising all the way. With the help of "fine products", the freedom of mutton has become more extravagant for many people. Before, all counties in Linxia had a tradition of raising sheep, especially in mountainous areas, which is still an unforgettable memory of many people's childhood. Now more and more people are returning farmland to forests, and many places that used to be regarded as "grass mountains" have been banned from grazing. There must be few sheep grazing, and most of them are concentrated fattening. Of course, artificial feed that diners don't like is essential in the feed they eat.

Hand-grabbed mutton has a unique flavor, but most Gansu locals like it whether they return to Han or not. Experts often remind people who eat mutton that fat meat is delicious. Some people pay special attention to health based on the so-called "popular science" and refuse to taste fat meat, which is a loss of a unique experience, but everyone has his own hobbies, which is understandable.

A special way to eat mutton by hand is "ice grab". I remember the first time I ate cold mutton in Haishiwan when I was a child. A large piece of mutton was covered with white condensed fat particles. I'm a little worried: how to eat? The locals are all smiling faces: you don't know, in fact, the real hand grasp should be like this. Whether this is the case has never been confirmed. Later, in Linxia, I tasted the "ice grab" again: the long ribs were placed on the ice, clean, crisp and delicious, without any fishy smell.

How fragrant is Jingyuan mutton?

Up to now, it is not clear whether this kind of "braised mutton" popular in Lanzhou is a subsidiary of Lanzhou people or an invention of Jingyuan people. However, as a special mutton, it is very popular in Lanzhou. So that "thirteen kilometers" became the equal sign of "Jingyuan mutton" and "braised mutton".

This is a rare mutton variety in Lanzhou, which has been enduring for decades. Mutton, vermicelli, onion, etc. Stewed together. Mutton is soft and rotten and delicious. After eating meat, the staple food is usually to pour the sauce-colored soup into the rice or directly put the white flour into the mutton, which is really energetic. At that time, there were countless restaurant operators similar to "Jingyuan mutton" and "braised mutton" on the east side of 109 National Road, which is about 3 kilometers north of Lanzhou City. The pavement is not big and the facilities are simple, but Lanzhou people like it so much that they finally eat several famous shops there. Today, some of them have opened stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen. Some businesses that are still sticking to the "13 kilometers" are no longer the same. The storefront is magnificent and the facilities are the same as those in Lanzhou. There are still many Lanzhou people who like to spend money there.

"Thirteen kilometers" can be a beautiful memory that has nothing to do with distance in the hearts of many Lanzhou people.

Jiayuguan mutton in the counterattack

Jiayuguan is a completely immigrant city. At the earliest, most of them were employees and family members of JISCO. The rising city on the Gobi Desert has no taboos in diet and combines the strengths of others. I feel that mutton is a typical one.

Now I can't tell exactly when, "Jiayuguan Roast Whole Sheep" became a local brand. The first person who became famous in the mirror iron market was a small boss who barbecued with glasses. He is still very popular in the local area and makes a lot of money. Jiayuguan roast whole lamb, or it has two meanings. First, the local operators of roast whole sheep have long existed. As early as 1990, under the Great Wall Pass, there were many such operators, similar to the roast whole sheep in Xinjiang Nangkeng, which tasted good. At that time, most of them were for tourists, and a sheep was expensive. I remember that we once again ate roast whole sheep in a tent there, which attracted several southern guests to take photos with the roast whole sheep with red ribbons around their necks.

Jiayuguan roast whole sheep has another meaning, that is, in Jiayuguan, there is nothing that sheep can't bake. No matter which part of the sheep can be eaten, Jiayuguan people will roast it. As for the taste of barbecue, my personal feeling is that I prefer the characteristics of Gansu, and the seasoning is much more than Xinjiang roast mutton. Of course, it feels complicated to eat, but this style is enough to fill the fantasy of many people eating roast sheep in the desert.

There are also many "best" mutton.

The reason why the above four kinds of mutton are specifically mentioned is only because of their large scale of fame. In fact, in Gansu, "the best" mutton is everywhere. I wonder if you have tried the following?

"Huanxian Mutton": It's famous and delicious. Many Qingyang people with Huan County as the center like it very much. Just eat it.

"braised mutton in Huining": not very famous, but very distinctive. It is completely different from the "braised mutton" in Lanzhou. In fact, it is white water mutton, but it is made of thick soup, and the meat is extremely tender and delicious. The staple food is usually accompanied by flower rolls.

Minqin mutton is a unique existence. The practice of white water mutton is generally that the meat is rotten and tasteless. Meat and soup are served separately. Some Minqin people like this kind of biting to the point of obsession. There is a restaurant in Lanzhou, which has a small storefront and is often full. The way to order food is that the boss gives the amount of mutton and other side dishes according to the number of guests. To tell the truth, it feels like the "best" mutton I have eaten for many years. This restaurant has an important business, which is to vacuum package the cooked mutton and send it to Minqin people all over the world.

……

To be honest, I'm worried that people in Gansu will hit me when they see these words, because there are too many "best mutton" in Gansu, and I missed 1 million here. Well, it's the only way in the end. I thought of writing a good article, but now I find that I have no ability to control Gansu mutton at all.

Wish you "the best mutton in Gansu"!