Stewed Mutton Is Most Nourishing in Winter
Mutton has many cooking methods; according to ancient texts, there were over ten methods during the Yuan Dynasty; in modern times, the most comprehensive book, "Complete Halal Mutton Recipes," records 280 different ways to prepare mutton.
If categorized by method, they mainly include steaming, boiling, frying, stir-frying, smoking, stewing, braising, hot pot, mixing, and deep-frying. Among so many methods, which one is best? We interviewed Chef Yang, who has years of culinary experience.
Stewing mutton is the most common and also the best way to eat it.
Its greatest advantage is that you can eat both meat and drink the broth. The broth after stewing contains high nutritional value and is an excellent tonic for health.
Moreover, after stewing, mutton becomes tender and juicy, easier to digest. If suitable Chinese herbs or complementary nutritious ingredients are added during stewing, the tonic effect will be even greater. Examples include Danggui Mutton Soup, Goji Berry Mutton Soup, Huangqi Mutton Soup, Mutton Radish Soup, Mutton Tofu Soup, and Pig Trotter Mutton Soup.
In winter, many people enjoy hot pot mutton, which is also a form of stewed mutton. However, do not rush when eating—ensure the meat is thoroughly stewed and cooked. Otherwise, undigested rancid acid and Clostridium perfringens in raw mutton may lead to fatigue.
Grilled mutton skewers originated as a local specialty from Xinjiang, made by cutting fresh mutton into thin slices the size of a thumb, threading them onto iron skewers, dipping in seasoning, and grilling over fire. Grilled mutton is delicious, and it's best to use fresh mutton instead of frozen, minimizing nutrient loss and improving digestibility. Similar preparations include whole grilled mutton, stir-grilled meat, and charcoal-grilled lamb leg.
Braising mutton can preserve its original flavor and juice.
The most common method is yellow-braised mutton. Hot pot mutton is tender, preserving active nutrients in mutton well. However, the hot pot time should not be too short, otherwise bacteria and parasite eggs in the meat slices won't be fully killed. Deep-fried mutton is flavorful and tasty but results in significant loss of nutrients and high calorie content. Fried foods may also produce carcinogenic substances like benzopyrene, so it's best to eat less.