History

A popular legend ties instant-boiled mutton to Kublai Khan in the Yuan dynasty, but the story has little historical backing; written records of shuan yangrou as a Beijing dish start in the Qing. Yitiaolong dates its restaurant to 1785, and Donglaishun, founded in 1903, has its charcoal copper-pot technique on China's national intangible cultural heritage list. Jubaoyuan began in 1937 as a halal beef and mutton shop and added lamb hotpot in 2003. The city government's autumn food guide puts it first, and the hotpot season builds through winter.

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Common allergens: Sesame, Soy, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 600g lamb leg or shoulder, partly frozen and sliced paper-thin
  • 2 litres water
  • 6 spring onions, lightly crushed
  • 6 slices of ginger
  • 10 goji berries
  • 300g napa cabbage, cut into large pieces
  • 200g firm tofu, sliced
  • 100g glass noodles, soaked in warm water
  • 4 tbsp sesame paste
  • 5 tbsp warm water
  • 1 tbsp fermented tofu, mashed
  • 1 tbsp chive flower sauce, or 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Chilli oil and chopped coriander, to taste
  • Sesame flatbreads, to serve

Method

  1. Freeze the lamb for 90 minutes until firm but not solid, then slice it as thinly as you can across the grain, or ask a butcher to do it. Fan the slices out on plates and keep them chilled.
  2. Loosen the sesame paste with the warm water a spoonful at a time until it pours like double cream. Stir in the fermented tofu, chive flower sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, and divide among four small bowls with chilli oil and coriander.
  3. Bring the water, spring onions, ginger and goji berries to a gentle simmer in a hotpot or wide pan on a table burner and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the cabbage, tofu and glass noodles to the broth and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Hold a slice of lamb with chopsticks, swish it through the simmering broth for 10 to 15 seconds until the pink has gone, and dip it straight into the sesame sauce. Repeat, with the flatbreads on the side.

Tip from the editors. Slice the lamb while it is half-frozen and cook each piece for no more than 15 seconds; longer turns it dry and gamy.

Where to eat shuan yangrou (instant-boiled mutton)

Shuan yangrou (instant-boiled mutton) in Beijing

Donglaishun (Beijing APM) ★ 3.9

¥¥ HalalWangfujing

Donglaishun in Beijing APM on Wangfujing Street is a halal house for charcoal copper-pot instant-boiled mutton, a brand founded in Beijing in 1903.

OrderOrder the instant-boiled mutton cooked in a charcoal copper pot and dip each slice in the house sesame sauce.

TipThis branch is on the fifth floor of the Beijing APM mall; the brand dates to 1903 and is known for halal instant-boiled mutton.

Directions

Jubaoyuan (Niujie) ★ 3.8

¥¥ HalalNiujie

Jubaoyuan on Niujie is a time-honoured Muslim hot pot house serving fresh sliced mutton and beef in coal-fired copper pots in the Hui quarter of Beijing.

OrderOrder thin slices of mutton and beef for the coal-fired copper pot and dip them in sesame sauce.

TipThe shop sits next to the Muslim market on Niujie, so pair a meal here with a walk along the street and its halal shops.

Directions

Man Heng Ji ★ 4.3

¥¥ Hot potXisi Baitasi

Man Heng Ji holds a Bib Gourmand for charcoal copper-pot instant-boiled mutton from Sunite lamb, with sweet sesame shaobing, in Ping'anli, Beijing.

OrderOrder the instant-boiled mutton, choosing lean or fatty cuts, and finish with sweet sesame-sugar shaobing.

TipThe branch stands on the south-west corner of Ping'anli West Street and Zhaodengyu Road; book ahead or come off-peak.

Directions

Beiping San Xiongdi Hotpot (Guijie) ★ 4.0

¥¥ Hot potDongzhimen GuijieUntil 03:00

Beiping San Xiongdi on Dongzhimen Inner Street in Beijing serves old-style instant-boiled lamb in copper pots on Ghost Street, open until 03:00.

OrderHand-cut fresh lamb and the prime top cut, with house sesame sauce, sugared garlic and red willow skewers.

TipThe 03:00 close means a quiet table after the evening rush; Ctrip lists a waiting area and folk performances at the tables.

Directions

Ritan Shuanrou (Ritan Park) ★ 4.2

¥¥ HalalGuomao Cbd

Ritan Shuanrou, the original shop at the east gate of Ritan Park in Beijing, serves halal instant-boiled mutton in small cloisonne copper pots.

OrderInstant-boiled mutton in the small copper pot, dipped in sesame sauce, with sugared garlic.

TipThis park-gate shop is the original; the Chaoyang district guide says it is on the 2025 Dianping Bichibang list, and it serves in small copper pots.

Directions

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