Meats, Poultry & Fish

Because of the strong Asian heritage of much of Trinidad’s population, red meat generally makes up a small component of a dish rather than the main part of the meal. Also, Trinidad and Tobago are small islands that cannot sustain large herds of beef cattle or pig farms and many meat products must be imported from Venezuela or other South American countries at great cost. In addition, at least some portion of the population is Hindu and doesn’t eat beef or pork and the Muslim population abstains from pork. As a result, few dishes feature a large piece of cooked meat served with side dishes. Notable exceptions are holiday ham and turkey, and some steak cuts can now be found in finer restaurants.