Roast Sheep's Head 烤羊头

Slow heat for a whole cut

A whole head is slow-cooked over or beside the fire until the meat comes away from the bone, which takes far longer than a skewer does. Cheeks, tongue and other parts differ in texture and in how much time they need. Ask how the kitchen prepares and serves it.

Cuts this large are often cooked in sections rather than in one piece, because the parts finish at different speeds. Ask which way the kitchen works, since it changes both the waiting time and the price you are quoted.

Several textures on one tray

Expect a strong, fatty flavour and a mix of textures, from soft cheek to firmer tongue. Grilling adds smoke and a browned crust on the surface. Salt tends to do most of the work, so ask for extra spice only if you want it.

Tongue is denser and smoother than cheek, which pulls apart in softer strands. Fat around the bone carries the strongest flavour and the most smoke, so scrape a little off with the lean meat. Ask for mild seasoning if you want to taste the difference between the parts.

Using the whole animal

Head meat is a long-standing part of the meat repertoire across Xinjiang and Central Asia, and Hotan's food streets keep it on the menu for diners who want the whole animal used. It is usually a dish for sharing rather than a single plate.

Very little besides the meat

The head itself is the dish, with salt, cumin and chilli as the usual additions and onion sometimes served alongside. Nothing else is required, which keeps the flavour direct. Ask whether the kitchen applies a rub or marinade before the fire.

Whole head or a portion

Ask whether 烤羊头 is sold whole or in parts, since the two are priced very differently. For a first try, request cheek or tongue rather than the whole head. Confirm the price and the cooking time before you commit.

Prices are usually quoted for the whole head or for a share of it, so ask which measure the kitchen uses. If a whole head is more than your table wants, ask for cheek and tongue together. Settle the details before the meat goes on, because a large head takes time to prepare.

At the table

It arrives hot, often on a tray with a knife, and diners take pieces as they go. Wrap a flatbread around the meat if you want something to hold it with. Eat the softer parts first, because they dry out as the tray cools.

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