What the Heck is a Chicken Paw? This Colorado Walmart Sells Them
Sure, I know people cook with chicken feet. I never have because the idea of cooking with feet of any species freaks me out a little. How is it different than eating any other part of an animal? I don't know; it seems more obvious, I guess. Obvious that this was once a living "walking" animal. Plus, I own free-range chickens that might possibly be the most spoiled chickens alive.
So, you can imagine my pause when I saw that a Walmart in Elizabeth, Colorado, sells a poultry product called "Chicken Paws." Paws? What? Is this from some kind DogChicken? Oh no. Worse than chicken feet, they call these "paws." This one word gives this raw poultry product so much more personality
So, what is a Chicken Paw? It's basically a chicken foot with less lower leg bone attached.
Chicken feet are eaten all over the world. More common in places South Africa, Mexico, Jamaica, and especially in Asian countries. In China, you will find chicken feet in fine dining establishments and as shrink-wrapped snacks in corner stores. This YouTube video gives you a recipe for a Southern appetizer of Chicken Paws. I guess it's considered comfort food. Most Chicken Paw recipes, no matter what country, require lots of simmering in a flavorful sauce.
There are supposedly some health benefits to eating chicken feet. Ocean Palace in Houston explains on their website that "Chicken feet contain high amounts of calcium, which prevents your bones and nails from getting brittle and weak. Besides that, chicken feet are great sources of chondroitin and glucosamine, which reduces joint pain and inflammation."
For some this information will encourage recipe exploration and perhaps trying something new. For me, this pushes me that much closer to becoming a vegetarian.
I love my chickens. They are pets that give me eggs. Yes, they have names. Florence, Emerald, Mavis, Bonnie, Georgette, The Goodnights, Lucy, Ethel, Lady Crooked Foot, and Mr. Broken Crow.
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