Do I need to blanch lamb soup?

Boiling lamb soup usually requires blanching, which can remove blood foam and fishy smell. If you pursue the original flavor or use high-quality lamb, you can also choose to stew it directly without blanching.

Blanching lamb can effectively reduce foam and impurities in the soup, making the color clearer. Put the sliced lamb in cold water, add ginger slices and cooking wine, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, remove the lamb and rinse thoroughly. This method is particularly suitable for freezing lamb or parts with a strong fishy smell, such as lamb legs and lamb chops. The blanching time should be controlled at 3-5 minutes to avoid aging of the meat. When blanched lamb is stewed again, the soup base is purer and the taste is fresher. The method of not blanching is more suitable for freshly slaughtered lamb or specific cooking methods. For example, traditional methods such as Ningxia hand pulled lamb and Inner Mongolia water stewed lamb involve simmering them in cold water, believing that blanching them will lose some of their freshness. However, it is important to simmer over low heat throughout the process, skim off any foam in a timely manner, and use spices such as Sichuan pepper and white pepper to remove any fishy smell. This method requires high quality lamb meat, and it is recommended to choose lamb meat or specific parts such as lamb belly.

Whether blanched or not, it is recommended to pair stewed lamb soup with ingredients such as white radish and sugarcane to help remove gameiness. Using a clay pot or cast iron pot is more conducive to maintaining temperature. Blanched lamb can be stir fried with a small amount of oil before stewing, which can enhance the richness of the soup. For special groups such as pregnant women and children, it is recommended to blanch the food to ensure food safety and avoid adding too many hot and spicy ingredients.