De salt meat in de rice

Bajan Rice and Peas seasoned with salted pigtails (Photo by Cynthia Nelson)

Hi Everyone,

Several years ago while standing in the cashier line at one of the supermarkets here in Barbados, a man (tourist) standing immediately behind me pointed to the small tray I had just put on the cash belt and asked what it was. I explained that they were salted pigtails. He nodded and asked, “Why are they sold in such small quantities?” (Pre-packaged trays of pigtails mostly have 2 pigtails, some may have 3), I explained to the visitor that the brine-cured pigtails are used as salt to season and flavour food, particularly Rice and Peas, hence the small quantity.