Dongxiang hand-caught mutton is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Hand-caught mutton is a representative dish in Linxia. There is a popular saying: "When we talk about hand-caught food, we think of Linxia" and "When guests come, if we don't eat hand-caught food, it will be a waste to come to summer." Therefore, hand-caught mutton has almost become a masterpiece of Hezhou’s food culture. According to research, Linxia was called "_Han" in ancient times, and Hezhou sheep was also called "Zhan Sheep". It was once a tribute to the imperial court, and "Zhanhan Red Marrow Jie Mutton" has always been famous. Dongxiang Autonomous County in our state has deep mountains and deep ravines, drought and little rain, and the pasture has little water content, is fat, and is rich in nutrients. Therefore, Dongxiang mutton is fat and tender, with less fiber and fine meat. It is rich in protein and various trace minerals, and can be eaten for a long time. It strengthens the body's resistance and immune function, has the functions of warming the kidneys and strengthening the body, strengthening the spleen and stomach, beautifying the skin, and prolonging life. It is said that Hezhou girls have delicate skin, are beautiful and have a dewy face, with "red areas and white areas", which is related to eating mutton since childhood.

Hand-caught mutton is usually bone-in and mostly cut into strips or pieces. It is named after eating directly with your hands. Most of the sheep used to make hand-caught mutton are Jie sheep, and Jie lambs are the best. There are many ways to cook and eat hand-caught mutton, each with its own characteristics and different flavors. The most famous ones include Dongxiang hand-meat, bucket meat, braised mutton, etc. When entertaining guests to a banquet, if the local ethnic flavor is highlighted, a series of hand-caught dishes are usually served. If the dish is served on a single plate, mutton ribs are usually used.

Regional scope

Suonan, Chuntai, Liushu, Dashu, Beiling, Longquan, Dongling, Kaole, Yanling, Wangji, Gaoshan, Fengshan, Chejiawan, Minguchi, Pingzhuang, Nale Temple, Zhaojia, Wujia, Guoyuan, Baihe, Guanbu, Dongyuan, Hetan, Tangwang and Daban 25 towns

Specific quality

Dongxiang mutton is not only rich in nutrients, nourishing and warming, and has the effects of strengthening bones and aphrodisiacs, but also the meat is tender, not smelly or greasy, mellow and delicious, and extremely delicious.

Cultural allusions

Dongxiang mutton is very famous in history. As early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was a tribute to emperors. In the Ming Dynasty, there were records of "87 tribute soup sheep" ( Volume 1 of "Hezhou Chronicles" written by Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty), called "Han Chimui Jie Mutton", also called "Diyang", which is the county (including today's Dongxiang area), and there was no place called "Dongxiang" at that time. The name of the place, the word "Dongxiang" came from the Jie sheep with red bones and marrow at the end of Kangxi period in the Qing Dynasty. The imperial court named "_ Diyang" who wanted to eat red marrow. Dongxiang sheep is also called "_Diyang" from this origin.