Shang County Mutton Soup: Achieve Creamy White Broth with One Trick and Red Soup Recipe

Shang County Mutton Soup: Achieve Creamy White Broth with One Trick and Red Soup Recipe
I've been away for years, but I can still whip up the authentic mutton soup from my hometown, Shang County! It's not as precise as what the older generation makes, but I try my best! Even as a local, every family's recipe differs slightly in ingredients, so feel free to adjust to your taste! The most important thing is that it tastes good! The mutton soup mainly involves boiling mutton bones in a large pot, then adding chunks of fresh mutton and cleaned offal into the pot. Once cooked, they are drained and sliced thinly, then briefly blanched in boiling water before being placed in a bowl and filled with piping hot mutton broth. Finally, sprinkle with green onions for a steaming, fragrant bowl of mutton soup. Pair it with a warm flatbread for the perfect meal! Friends passing through my hometown, don’t forget to give me a thumbs up! This recipe is my exclusive formula, so if you don’t like it, please just move on quietly.

Materials

Mutton Leg One (cut into large pieces)
Spices One bag

How To Make

  1. Soak the offal and mutton bones in cold water with a dozen peppercorns for two hours. The white block in the middle is mutton fat, which will be used later.

    Soak the offal and mutton bones in cold water with a dozen peppercorns for two hours. The white block in the middle is mutton fat, which will be used later.
  2. Place the mutton and offal in a pot of cold water, preferably with a large mutton leg bone for a whiter broth (do not add the mutton fat yet). I used the leg I brought back from Shang County. Once the water boils, skim off the foam and blanch for 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another pot of water for later use to replace the mutton's water, which is essential for a rich broth. Every family has their own methods for stewing mutton, so feel free to adapt this process to your liking.

    Place the mutton and offal in a pot of cold water, preferably with a large mutton leg bone for a whiter broth (do not add the mutton fat yet). I used the leg I brought back from Shang County. Once the water boils, skim off the foam and blanch for 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another pot of water for later use to replace the mutton's water, which is essential for a rich broth. Every family has their own methods for stewing mutton, so feel free to adapt this process to your liking.
  3. After skimming off the foam and blanching for 3 to 5 minutes, discard the water and replace it with fresh boiling water. Be sure to add enough water at once; adding water midway will affect the broth's quality. Add the mutton and spices, along with a small piece of dried orange peel. Note: Keep the broth boiling; otherwise, it won't be creamy white. The aroma in the room is amazing! In my hometown, we stew whole sheep in large iron pots over open fires, producing a very creamy white broth. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! If you're cooking at home, it's best to cover the pot to save time.

    After skimming off the foam and blanching for 3 to 5 minutes, discard the water and replace it with fresh boiling water. Be sure to add enough water at once; adding water midway will affect the broth's quality. Add the mutton and spices, along with a small piece of dried orange peel. Note: Keep the broth boiling; otherwise, it won't be creamy white. The aroma in the room is amazing! In my hometown, we stew whole sheep in large iron pots over open fires, producing a very creamy white broth. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! If you're cooking at home, it's best to cover the pot to save time.
  4. Here I'm showing you the mutton spices I just added in step three, which I bought pre-packaged from the supermarket. They’re quite comprehensive! Using a muslin bag makes things easier. The spice bag already contains a piece of dried orange peel, but I added half more to enhance the aroma, as my elders used to do during the New Year celebrations.

    Here I'm showing you the mutton spices I just added in step three, which I bought pre-packaged from the supermarket. They’re quite comprehensive! Using a muslin bag makes things easier. The spice bag already contains a piece of dried orange peel, but I added half more to enhance the aroma, as my elders used to do during the New Year celebrations.
  5. After cooking for over two hours, gently touch a piece of mutton against the large bone. If they easily separate, it's almost done.

    After cooking for over two hours, gently touch a piece of mutton against the large bone. If they easily separate, it's almost done.
  6. Here's the trick: simply remove the orange peel and spice bag. Add about 20 grams of milk, or just a little, and stew for another ten minutes. You’ll have a rich, creamy mutton soup in no time! This is my family’s secret recipe! If you have plenty of mutton bones, you can skip the milk, as the broth will still be very creamy.

    Here's the trick: simply remove the orange peel and spice bag. Add about 20 grams of milk, or just a little, and stew for another ten minutes. You’ll have a rich, creamy mutton soup in no time! This is my family’s secret recipe! If you have plenty of mutton bones, you can skip the milk, as the broth will still be very creamy.
  7. Remove everything from the pot, debone the mutton and offal, and cut into pieces. You’re ready to enjoy the mutton soup! I made a stew with some mutton kidney that my kids devoured in no time, along with mutton liver that I forgot to snap a photo of because they gobbled it up too quickly.

    Remove everything from the pot, debone the mutton and offal, and cut into pieces. You’re ready to enjoy the mutton soup! I made a stew with some mutton kidney that my kids devoured in no time, along with mutton liver that I forgot to snap a photo of because they gobbled it up too quickly.
  8. Grab a bowl and scoop some mutton. Pour some mutton broth over it, sprinkle with salt and green onions, and it’s ready to enjoy! If you like it peppery, add some white pepper. Pair it with warm flatbread or steamed buns for a delightful meal! This is what creamy mutton soup should taste like! Each child eagerly comes for a big bowl! I typically let the kids finish the clear soup first, then I’ll prepare the spicy broth, which you can follow in the next steps.

    Grab a bowl and scoop some mutton. Pour some mutton broth over it, sprinkle with salt and green onions, and it’s ready to enjoy! If you like it peppery, add some white pepper. Pair it with warm flatbread or steamed buns for a delightful meal! This is what creamy mutton soup should taste like! Each child eagerly comes for a big bowl! I typically let the kids finish the clear soup first, then I’ll prepare the spicy broth, which you can follow in the next steps.
  9. Now let's make the spicy mutton soup; the piece of mutton fat mentioned in step one can go into the pot now, along with local red chili peppers.

    Now let's make the spicy mutton soup; the piece of mutton fat mentioned in step one can go into the pot now, along with local red chili peppers.
  10. Let it stew for about ten minutes, then remove the mutton fat and red chili peppers. I forgot to take a picture of the chili peppers!

    Let it stew for about ten minutes, then remove the mutton fat and red chili peppers. I forgot to take a picture of the chili peppers!
  11. Chop everything together or blend it with a blender for convenience.

    Chop everything together or blend it with a blender for convenience.
  12. Put the chopped red oil into a large bowl. Let it cool naturally to solidify. For quicker results, you can refrigerate it in the fridge; it will solidify in an hour.

    Put the chopped red oil into a large bowl. Let it cool naturally to solidify. For quicker results, you can refrigerate it in the fridge; it will solidify in an hour.
  13. Once solidified, I cut the oil into small pieces and freeze them. Whenever I want mutton soup, I can take a piece out, add it to the pot with fresh water and reserved cooked mutton pieces, and throw in some vermicelli and cabbage. Then I can enjoy my hometown’s mutton soup! Alternatively, you can use it to make mutton oil flatbreads, which are also delightful.

    Once solidified, I cut the oil into small pieces and freeze them. Whenever I want mutton soup, I can take a piece out, add it to the pot with fresh water and reserved cooked mutton pieces, and throw in some vermicelli and cabbage. Then I can enjoy my hometown’s mutton soup! Alternatively, you can use it to make mutton oil flatbreads, which are also delightful.
  14. Or you can add the chopped mutton fat from step 11 into the pot and cook it briefly. Enjoy a bowl of pure spicy mutton soup while it’s hot! Scoop out the remaining layer of mutton fat in the pot with a spoon, put it in a bowl, and let it cool to solidify. You can cut a piece whenever you need to use it.

    Or you can add the chopped mutton fat from step 11 into the pot and cook it briefly. Enjoy a bowl of pure spicy mutton soup while it’s hot! Scoop out the remaining layer of mutton fat in the pot with a spoon, put it in a bowl, and let it cool to solidify. You can cut a piece whenever you need to use it.
  15. Friends from Shang County, does this image look familiar? Add water to the pot, along with a piece of red oil and a large spoonful of mutton, bring it to a boil, then add cabbage and vermicelli for a big pot of soup! It’s perfect for the chilly winter months!

    Friends from Shang County, does this image look familiar? Add water to the pot, along with a piece of red oil and a large spoonful of mutton, bring it to a boil, then add cabbage and vermicelli for a big pot of soup! It’s perfect for the chilly winter months!
  16. Let’s have a bowl; I can’t wait! During the Chinese New Year at home, when relatives visit, it’s typical to serve them this spicy mutton soup. The mutton soup is always the highlight at the end of the meal, as a matter of etiquette. Even when I’m away, I can’t help but think of that steaming bowl of mutton soup during the New Year.

    Let’s have a bowl; I can’t wait! During the Chinese New Year at home, when relatives visit, it’s typical to serve them this spicy mutton soup. The mutton soup is always the highlight at the end of the meal, as a matter of etiquette. Even when I’m away, I can’t help but think of that steaming bowl of mutton soup during the New Year.