Meat Dishes in Mongolia 2024-2025

In -40 °C hot and nourishing meat dishes sustain nomads from the inside. Moreover, the outdoors space is used as a freezer to store meat. The winter diet is based on meat, while dairy products prevail in summer. The staples of traditional Mongolian cuisine are the so-called "five stouts," and horses obtain the top position among these. The other four stouts feature sheep, goats, camels, and yaks. The most popular meat specialties include authentic Mongolian barbecue named "Khorkhog" cooked open air with the heated rocks inside the metal jug together with lamb/goat meat. This dish is consumed both in winter​ and summer. Another specialty is Mongolian meat dumplings like the famous "buuz," "khuushuur," and "bansh;" some of them boiled, some steamed, and some—fried in oil like pancakes. The most uni​que must be "boodog," typical for the steppe area. It is made of a young goat or more often a marmot. According to ancient methods—heated stones are placed into the animal's carcass itself, which is also stuffed with vegetables and spices. Other local cooking gems made with meat include hearty noodle stew, a variety of meat-based soups, and also dried beef jerky. All the listed delicacies are particularly popular and best available throughout the winter months, namely from October through March.