In the culinary world of old Beijing, Zhizi Grilled Meat is a unique feast of fireworks. This delicacy, originating from the imperial court of the Ming Dynasty and popular in street alleys, perfectly combines the tenderness of beef and mutton with the richness of spices with the unique support of a cast-iron griddle. After 300 years of precipitation, it has become a iconic representative of Beijing-style halal cuisine. For foreign tourists visiting Beijing, sitting around a hot griddle, watching the meat slices sizzle and emit a tempting aroma, is not only a culinary enjoyment but also an excellent way to immerse themselves in the street culture of old Beijing. Every bite hides a unique Beijing flavor code.
The historical heritage of Zhizi Grilled Meat contains the dual marks of the imperial court and the market. According to records, this delicacy can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, when it was called “eating roasted lamb”, an exquisite dish at imperial banquets, which was deeply loved by the royal family for its tender taste. Later, this craft gradually spread to the people, was improved and optimized by halal merchants to adapt to the eating habits of the common people, and reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty. Among them, Kaorou Wan, founded in the 25th year of Kangxi’s reign (1686), started as a vendor selling roasted beef by cart. After three generations of hard work, it finally established itself in Beijing and became an important inheritor of Zhizi Grilled Meat craft. Kaorou Ji, on the other hand, is famous for roasted lamb. With its exquisite craft and unique flavor, it is known as the “double pearls of Beijing roasted meat” together with Kaorou Wan. The roasted meat making crafts of the two constitute the Beijing roasted meat making craft, which is included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, continuing the 300-year-old taste inheritance.
The soul of this delicacy lies first in the “utensil” — the cast-iron griddle. The so-called “Zhizi” is a round cast-iron baking pan with dense grooves on the surface, which looks simple but hides ingenuity. The cast-iron material conducts heat evenly and has excellent heat retention, allowing the meat slices to set quickly at high temperature and lock in the internal juice without loss. The groove design can guide and store the oil produced during roasting, which not only avoids the meat slices being too greasy but also allows the aroma of the oil to infiltrate every inch of the meat, forming a unique taste of crispy outside and tender inside with rich fat aroma. Unlike modern grills, Zhizi has no hollow gaps, so food crumbs will not fall, retaining the original flavor of the ingredients to the greatest extent, which is the core difference between Zhizi Grilled Meat and other roasted meats. When roasting, charcoal burns under the griddle, and the fireworks of open fire interweave with the aroma of ingredients, forming the most vivid taste in the memory of old Beijingers.
The selection and marination of ingredients are the foundation of the flavor of Zhizi Grilled Meat. Authentic Zhizi Grilled Meat is divided into two schools: roasted beef and roasted lamb, with extremely strict ingredient selection. Roasted lamb mostly uses tender parts of Sunite sheep from Inner Mongolia or Tan sheep from Ningxia, which have tender meat without mutton odor and even fat distribution. Roasted beef prefers beef tenderloin and beef sirloin, with fine fibers and firm taste. The cutting process is also quite particular. The meat slices must be cut evenly thin and thick, which is not only convenient for quick roasting but also ensures juicy and not dry taste.
Marination is a key step to stimulate flavor. Different restaurants have their own secret recipes, but the core principle is the same — highlighting the original flavor of the meat with light seasoning. Traditional marination will add shredded onions, coriander segments, a little soy sauce, cooking wine and ginger juice, which can not only remove the fishy smell of meat but also enhance the freshness with the fragrance of vegetables. The marination time is controlled at 15-20 minutes to allow the seasonings to fully penetrate without masking the meat aroma. In addition to the main meats, classic side dishes are indispensable: pickled cabbage roasted with lamb relieves greasiness with sour aroma and neutralizes oil; onions and green peppers release sweetness during roasting, complementing the meat aroma; potato slices roasted until soft absorb full meat juice, full of fresh aroma in one bite, adding rich layers to the roasted meat.
The secret dipping sauce is the finishing touch of Zhizi Grilled Meat. Different flavors of dipping sauces can unlock various tastes to meet the preferences of different diners. Traditional dipping sauces are divided into four categories: spicy dry sauce, based on chili powder and Chinese prickly ash powder, with strong aroma, suitable for tourists who prefer heavy taste; five-spice dry sauce integrates star anise, cinnamon and other spices, salty and mellow, highlighting the freshness of the meat itself; garlic chili sauce is spicy and refreshing, with strong garlic aroma, which is very impactful with roasted meat; sweet and sour sauce is mixed with rice vinegar and white sugar, sweet and sour, with excellent greasiness relieving effect. For foreign tourists trying it for the first time, it is recommended to start with five-spice dry sauce or sweet and sour sauce, and gradually challenge more distinctive flavors. You can also try the classic way of old Beijingers — dipping the roasted meat slices in a little white sugar, the sweet aroma collides with the meat aroma, with a sweet and not greasy taste, which can better highlight the tenderness of the meat.
Mastering the authentic roasting and eating methods is the key to unlocking the complete charm of Zhizi Grilled Meat. Before roasting, you need to brush a thin layer of oil on the griddle to preheat it. Put the ingredients on the pan only when it is very hot to avoid the meat slices sticking. When roasting meat, control the heat well, turn the meat slices constantly with chopsticks to ensure even heating. Take out the meat when it changes color and the edges are slightly charred. At this time, the taste is the best. Over-roasting will easily make the meat dry and tough. There is also a skill to the roasting order: first roast the meat to let the oil soak the griddle, then roast the vegetables, which can absorb the meat aroma and taste better; finally, you can roast staple foods, such as roasted steamed bun slices, which absorb full meat juice and oil, crispy and delicious.
When eating, in addition to dipping in sauce directly, you can also adopt the classic “pancake wrapping method”: take a thin pancake, put on the roasted meat slices, shredded onions and green peppers, spread dipping sauce according to taste, and roll it up to eat. The softness of the pancake and the charred aroma of the meat blend with each other, with rich layers. There is also a trick to matching drinks. Old Beijingers prefer sour plum soup, which is sweet and sour to relieve greasiness and complements the fat aroma of roasted meat perfectly. The fresh and elegant jasmine tea can also neutralize oil and make the taste more refreshing.
Choosing the right restaurant can elevate the Zhizi Grilled Meat experience to a higher level. Restaurants with different time-honored brands and characteristics interpret the diverse charm of Zhizi Grilled Meat: Kaorou Wan (Xuanwumen Store), as a 300-year-old time-honored brand, is famous for roasted beef. The meat is tender and marinated thoroughly. The restaurant has an antique environment, allowing you to feel a strong historical heritage, suitable for tourists pursuing traditional flavors; Kaorou Ji (Shichahai Store) focuses on roasted lamb, roasted with fruit wood charcoal, with a light fruit aroma. The window seats can enjoy the scenery of Shichahai, full of atmosphere; Fugui Grilled Meat (Huangzhuang Store) is a hidden treasure shop in the alley, full of market atmosphere, with rich flavors of dipping sauces. Pickled cabbage with lamb is a must-try, with high cost performance, suitable for tourists who like fireworks; Dahuashu Grilled Meat (Hufangqiao Store) focuses on home-style flavors, with fresh meat and thoughtful service. It will guide diners on roasting skills, suitable for foreign tourists trying for the first time.
There are a few practical tips for tasting Zhizi Grilled Meat: first, popular time-honored restaurants have long queues during peak hours, so it is recommended to arrive 1-2 hours in advance or make a reservation through online platforms; second, meat slices are best marinated and roasted immediately, do not leave them for a long time to avoid affecting the taste; third, the griddle temperature is extremely high, pay attention to safety during meals to avoid burns; fourth, some restaurants provide vacuum-packed secret dipping sauces, which can be taken back as souvenirs to reproduce the Beijing flavor.
Beijing Zhizi Grilled Meat is never just a delicacy, but also the inheritance of 300-year-old intangible cultural heritage and a microcosm of old Beijing’s street culture. The jumping fireworks on the cast-iron griddle, the ingenuity in the marinated meat slices, and the flavor layers in the dipping sauce all hide the life wisdom and dietary aesthetics of old Beijing. For foreign tourists, what is roasted around the stove is not only tender meat slices but also a Beijing flavor memory full of fireworks. It is hoped that this guide can help you understand the charm of Zhizi Grilled Meat and feel the most authentic Beijing flavor beside the sizzling griddle.
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