Dongxiang Hand-Grabbed Mutton 东乡手抓羊肉

How it is made

The craft of making Dongxiang Hand-Grabbed Mutton (东乡手抓制作技艺) has a representative inheritor on Gansu's provincial intangible heritage list, a restaurant owner in Linxia. Cooks are also trained and certified in the dish. At the 2025 assessment of an east-west cooperation training course, run by a vocational training school at a farmhouse restaurant in Dongyuan township (东塬乡), trainees were examined in theory on choosing the breed of sheep, how seasonings are combined, the properties of the ingredients and how to divide the cooked meat.

Their practical test covered six steps: cutting the raw meat, choosing the seasonings, controlling the heat, chopping the meat, arranging the finished dish and keeping the cooked meat hot. Those who pass receive a provincial specialist certificate in making Dongxiang Hand-Grabbed Mutton.

Flavour and texture

A visitor from Tianshui (天水) described the meat as smooth and tender, free of any rank or gamey smell, and neither fatty nor greasy.

Where it comes from

In late 2025 Dongxiang launched three regional brands in Beijing: Dongxiang tribute sheep (东乡贡羊), Dongxiang Hand-Grabbed Mutton and Dongxiang food (东乡美食). One Dongxiang restaurateur, holding brand licence number 00001, said the dish had been known before only in the northwest, and that visitors now come to eat it at its place of origin. A Dongxiang whole-lamb banquet (东乡全羊宴) was put on display at the Beijing launch.

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