Liangshan Slow-Braised Fish 梁山糟鱼
Liangshan Slow-Braised Fish is featured among the local specialties of Shandong.
Liangshan Slow-Braised Fish (梁山糟鱼) is made from small fish layered with salt and Sichuan pepper over dried garlic stems and leaves. Long, gentle cooking is central to this Liangshan (梁山) farmhouse preparation.
How it is made
A 2013 Dazhong Net account describes cleaning the fish but leaving their scales on. Washed, dried garlic stems and leaves line a large iron pot; the fish are placed head-to-tail in layers, with salt and Sichuan pepper scattered over each layer. Water only just covers the fish before the lid goes on.
Wood burns slowly beneath the pot. After several hours, the open flame is extinguished and the charcoal embers keep the contents warm through the night. The fish are ready the following morning.
Where it comes from
Dazhong Net connects this household method with the area’s floodwater pools in the lower Yellow River (黄河) and Wen River (汶河). Larger catches were cleaned and dried, while smaller fish went into this dish. Fish longer than four cun were considered unsuitable because their bones were harder to soften and their flesh less easy to season.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-26. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.