The Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb is a traditional delicacy that evolved from the whole roast lamb.
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NameQi Ji Whole Roast Lamb
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CategorySpecialty Cuisine
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OriginHebei Province – Shijiazhuang City – Wujixian County
The Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb is a traditional delicacy that has evolved from the whole roast lamb. It is an organic combination of whole roast lamb, various mutton dishes, and other dishes. The most critical aspect is removing the unique “fishy and gamey” taste of mutton to suit people's preference for a light flavor. One of the secrets of Qi Ji's “whole mutton cuisine” is using freshly slaughtered meat, including the head, ribs, legs, hooves, and all the internal organs. After being prepared with traditional methods, it can truly be called “whole mutton cuisine.” Due to the aversion of Han Chinese to the fishy and gamey taste of mutton, sensitive individuals would vomit at the smell. To make the whole mutton dining method more acceptable, the chefs of Qi Ji have spent years researching and conducting hundreds of experiments, combining various herbs, to develop a unique process for “removing the fishiness and gameyness.” The whole mutton feast, after undergoing these processes, not only retains the texture and nutrition of mutton but also completely eliminates any pungent odor, making it widely accepted by the public. As a result, “Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb” has created a rich atmosphere of “sheep culture,” providing customers with a more complete experience of “sheep culture” cuisine. Qi Ji is one of the ancient villages in Wujixian County. According to legend, during the Western Han Dynasty, there was a river within the village street, with residents living on both banks. To facilitate communication between the two sides, seven small bridges were built over the river, hence the name Qi Ji.
Origins
Historical records show that during the Sui and Tang dynasties, due to irrigation from the river, the local land was fertile, with lush water and grass, turning it into an excellent natural pasture. Sheep farming and slaughtering became a part of daily life for the people of Qi Ji. To this day, the people of Qi Ji still pass down orally the story of “a bag of smoke.” It tells of a skilled sheep butcher in Qi Ji who could slaughter a sheep and cleanly remove its skin in the time it took to smoke a pipe, with the head, legs, and internal organs separated clearly. After the reform and opening up, the people of Qi Ji began large-scale breeding of small-tailed Han sheep and invited Muslim chefs to incorporate fresh mutton into traditional techniques. At the same time, considering the characteristics of the Han Chinese, they focused on “removing the fishiness” and “enhancing the freshness” of mutton, developing a “roast mutton” and “whole roasted mutton” suitable for the Han Chinese palate. Since then, the tradition spread, and “Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb” became a traditional specialty snack with unique folk characteristics and superb flavor in the region.
Features
The “Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb” is a whole sheep banquet inherited from imperial banquets of the Yuan Dynasty. Legend has it that Genghis Khan loved to eat whole roast lamb. During the Qing Dynasty, whole roast lamb was also favored by the imperial court, which referred to it as the “Zhamu Feast,” often serving it to Mongolian princes and nobles. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty once wrote a poem praising the “Zhamu Feast.” The “Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb” is a new variety that emerged after improvements were made to the traditional whole roast lamb, and it is a dish that requires meticulous preparation. In Qi Ji, I once watched a roast lamb chef demonstrate his roasting skills on site. He swiftly turned the entire lamb, cut off the well-roasted leg, and sprinkled seasonings onto the mutton… The most astonishing skill was when he tossed the entire lamb high into the air and caught it steadily. According to the roast lamb chef, he was initially just a street vendor selling barbecue. Unsatisfied with his current situation, he devoted himself to research and finally developed a unique set of barbecue techniques that combined local traditional flavors with modern aesthetics, aroma, and taste, earning him a high salary from a Qi Ji restaurant owner. In addition to these famous chefs from across the country, there are also many local barbecue chefs trained in Qi Ji. The continuous integration of foreign and indigenous barbecue techniques has given birth to the unique features of “Qi Ji Whole Roast Lamb.”