Liaocheng boasts a long-standing culinary culture and numerous famous dishes, including Wei's Smoked Chicken, Eight-Piped Fruit, and Guada (a type of fried dough). Among them, Wei's Smoked Chicken, praised by the renowned writer Lao She as the "Iron Rooster of Liaocheng," is a top-quality delicacy and a perfect gift.
Wei's Smoked Chicken was created by Mr. Wei Yongtai in 1810 (the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty), boasting a history of over 200 years. Wei's Smoked Chicken is renowned for its unique flavor, meticulous ingredient selection, balanced seasoning, and refined preparation. A well-made Wei's Smoked Chicken has a shrunken, cracked skin, exposed breast and leg meat, a chestnut-red color, tender meat, and crisp bones, with a vibrant color, delicious taste, and a lingering aroma. In 2009, the "Iron Rooster of Liaocheng" preparation technique was listed in the second batch of Shandong Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Yanggu Cloth Bag Chicken is a traditional famous dish of Yanggu. It has been passed down through generations in the Zhang family on North Street in Yanggu City. The preparation method is unique. The whole chicken is deboned, its internal organs removed, and its cavity stuffed with sea cucumber, squid, dried shrimp, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and ham. Water-boiled meatballs are placed in the neck, and a hard-boiled, peeled egg is placed behind the cavity. All ingredients are then added and steamed. Steaming produces a milky-white broth, hence the name "Milk Broth Chicken in a Bag"; deep-frying turns the broth red, resulting in "Red-Braised Chicken in a Bag," also known as "Phoenix Laying Eggs." It has been designated a "Famous Shandong Dish" by the Liaocheng Consumer Association. Gaotang Old Tofu is renowned both within and outside the province. Carefully processed, Gaotang Old Tofu is bright white, tender yet firm, with a clear but not bland broth, and fragrant but not greasy oil. It is refreshing and has a delicious aroma of beans and oil. Sitting at a stall and enjoying a bowl of tofu pudding is a true pleasure, especially when paired with a braised egg and a sesame flatbread—it's simply irresistible.