My in-law, Joan visited the USA a few weeks ago. She isn’t computer savvy, so I decided to enlighten her with my facebook page. When I showed her the photo of my Curry Chicken Back, she braced herself and exclaimed: “no sah, dis a chicken back inna pike heel!”
If you were raised in Jamaica, or even if you reside elsewhere in the world and have Jamaican born parents, chances are; you have had chicken back at some time or another in your life. Chicken back is considered “poor people” food, simply because it’s comprised of more bones than meat. Poor people’s food? Puleeze…I beg to differ. When you can “tek you hand and tun inna fashion” ain’t nothing poor about chicken back and it’s divine taste. First of all, our chickens are free from hormones and preservatives. I won’t even go into the second of all. I rest my case, as there is no need for me to elaborate on our food in Jamaica. All I can say is: If you truly want to taste a piece of organic meat, chicken back or chicken with no back, go to Jamaica.
Back to the chicken back: Now I personally love bones: beef bones, fish head, chicken bones, chicken feet, chicken back…you get the point. I love them all! The flavor of the pot, lies in the bones. It’s a no brainer. I refuse to go to the supermarket and purchase deboned meat (unless there is absolutely no way around the cut). I want and need my bones, like I need air to survive. My grandmother made the most d’luscious curry chicken back. We often ate it with some boiled dumplings and banana, or just plain rice. Everyone in the household usually went from hungry to happy, in a split second.
I have been living in the USA for years, but I haven’t forgotten about the chicken back, and the chicken back hasn’t forgotten about me. I will never forsake my chicken back. I have to have my chicken back and use them in a variety of dishes. Now, if you haven’t noticed, presentation for me is paramount, and I believe in eating healthy. So even if it is the poor people’s chicken back, you already know…. I’m going to pimp out the dish.