Copper pot beef—A time-honored delicacy in Baoshan

Copper pot beef is a famous delicacy in west Yunnan’s Baoshan City. First cooked by horse caravans along the Tea and Horse Road in the ancient times, the delicacy is full of wisdom of local folks.

Horses were main mode of transportation of Yunnan in the old times and the horse caravan industry got booming. And it was no exception in Baoshan. In transporting goods from one place to another, Baoshan horse caravans always brought with them the copper pots, a kind of cooking utensils made by local craftsmen. When they traveled to Tibetan areas, they would use the copper pots to cook fresh beef bought from Tibetans. With natural ingredients, the cooked beef was so delicious. And the cooking methods were passed down from generation to generation. And this is the origin of Baoshan copper pot beef.

Today, pickles are often cooked with the beef to get rid of greasy taste. Moreover, Chinese cabbage, potatoes and scallions are also fine mates for copper pot beef.

Editor: John Li