These six tips for removing the gamy flavor from mutton use common ingredients. The methods are also simple, having been figured out through practical experience.
NO.1: Radish Method
Before stewing or simmering mutton soup, you can prepare one white radish. Use a small knife to poke a few holes in the radish, then put it in cold water to cook with the mutton. Once the water boils, scoop out the mutton, place it in a fresh pot of water, and continue cooking. This will effectively remove the gamy flavor.
NO.2: Rice Vinegar Method
Cut the mutton into chunks and place it in a pot. Add an appropriate amount of water (enough to cover the mutton), then pour in a little rice vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove the mutton. Replace the water and continue cooking the mutton with other seasonings to completely remove the gamy flavor.
NO.3: Mung Bean Method
When preparing mutton, whether for soup, stew, or a hot pot, you can add a small handful of mung beans to the broth to cook with the mutton. There's no need to remove the mutton separately, making this a more convenient and quick method.
NO.4: Orange Peel Method
Save some orange peels when you eat oranges. When stewing mutton, add some washed orange peels to the pot. After boiling, remove and discard them. Then add a few more peels and continue cooking. Repeat this 3-5 times to remove the gamy flavor and leave a fresh, sweet orange aroma.
NO.5: Walnut Method
Before stewing mutton soup, prepare a few walnuts. Break them open (no need to remove the shells), wrap them in a cheesecloth bag to prevent shell fragments from leaking out, and cook them together with the mutton. Cook until the soup is ready, then remove the cheesecloth bag before serving.
NO.6: Hawthorn Method
Prepare 5 liang (about 250g) of hawthorn. When cooking the mutton, add the washed hawthorns and bring to a boil over high heat. Do not remove the hawthorns.
So, which method ensures the maximum retention of mutton's nutrients? Let's analyze:
Stewing, Braising, and Steaming: These methods preserve the original broth and juices. This maximizes the retention of nutrients and provides the best nourishing effect. When stewing, some nutrients dissolve into the soup. When braising or steaming, most nutrients remain in the meat, making it suitable for meat lovers. For soup, first simmer some lamb leg and backbone bones over high heat for half an hour until the broth turns milky white. Remove the bones, then add the washed mutton to the pot with scallions and ginger and simmer over low heat. The flavor is even better if you use a clay pot.
It's not hard to see that the key to cooking is to use fresh ingredients and simple, healthy methods. On a cold day, gathering the whole family to enjoy a delicious mutton dish provides the dual benefits of nourishment and cold prevention. How could you possibly miss out on such a wonderful thing?