The Craft of Linqu Whole Lamb Preparation Techniques

The art of making Linqu Whole Lamb originated in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, with a history of over 100 years. The Linqu Whole Lamb Feast is a famous traditional dish in Linqu. It uses castrated black, red, or white goats that have been grazing for over three years and weigh more than 25 kilograms. Depending on the different parts of the goat, various seasonings are used and cooked through methods such as frying, deep-fry and boiling, roasting, grilling, stewing, braising, simmering, and stir-frying to create 127 different dishes, each with unique color, aroma, taste, appearance, and nutritional value. The Linqu Whole Lamb culinary technique is distinctive, resulting in dishes that are tender, light, and moderately flavored, with a balance of sour, spicy, crispy, and tender qualities. The dishes are not gamey and have a rich, fresh aroma that is widely loved. In 2016, it was listed in the fourth batch of representative projects of Shandong's provincial intangible cultural heritage.