Did You Know South Dakota Chickens Have Paws?!

I was minding my own business, walking in the meat section of a Sioux Falls grocery store, when I saw something I'd never noticed before...Chicken Paws!

Now, I've lived in South Dakota a long time, and I thought I had a pretty good grasp on everything concerning our local poultry population.

To me, it has always been that cats have paws and chickens have claws.

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Apparently, I was wrong.

In South Dakota, "chicken paws" are used in several ways:

Culinary uses:

• Stock and broth making - This is probably the most common use. Chicken feet are prized for making rich, gelatinous bone broth due to their high collagen content
• Traditional cooking - Some families, particularly those with European or Asian heritage, use them in soups and stews
• Pet treats - Many people give them to dogs as natural chews.

Agricultural/practical uses:

• Composting - They break down and add nutrients to compost piles
• Animal feed - Sometimes used as feed for other livestock or poultry

Cultural context:

While chicken feet aren't as commonly consumed in mainstream American cuisine in South Dakota as they are in some other cultures, they're definitely not wasted by resourceful cooks.

The growing interest in nose-to-tail cooking and bone broth has made them more popular among home cooks who want to use the whole bird.

You can often find chicken feet at local butcher shops, some grocery stores, or directly from poultry farms in the area.

Many people freeze them until they have enough to make a big batch of stock.

Are you thinking of using some chicken feet for a specific recipe? Check this out...