Plain Boiled Lamb Head with Spiced Salt
A traditional Beijing dish, lamb head simmered in clear broth until tender, served with Sichuan pepper salt. It's a winter nourishing favorite and a perfect drinking snack.
Ingredients
7 items- Lamb head 1 (about 1.5kg)
- Sichuan peppercorns 15g
- Star anise 2 pieces
- Ginger 1 piece (30g)
- Spring onions 2 stalks
- Shaoxing wine 2 tbsp
- Salt 10g
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Singe any remaining hair from lamb head over an open flame, then scrub clean under warm water. Soak in clean water for 1 hour, changing water twice to remove bloodiness.
Place lamb head in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices and 1 tbsp wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off foam, then cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
In a large pot, add enough water to cover lamb head, add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, spring onion sections, and remaining ginger. Bring to a boil then immediately turn to low heat, maintaining a bare simmer for 1.5-2 hours until meat is tender (easily pierced with chopsticks).
Remove lamb head and let it cool slightly. Debone while still warm, then slice the meat against the grain into thin pieces (about 3mm). Arrange neatly on a plate.
Dry-roast Sichuan peppercorns in a pan over low heat until fragrant and slightly yellow, about 3 minutes. Grind to powder and mix with toasted salt at a 2:1 ratio to make spiced salt.
Serve the lamb slices with the spiced salt dip. Optionally, add garlic paste and cilantro on the side.
Tips
Always simmer on low heat, keeping the broth barely bubbling to ensure tender, juicy meat. Debone while the meat is still warm; the skin tightens when cold and becomes difficult to slice thin.
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