How Much Does Salt Pork Cost Today? A Detailed Look at Pricing

Salt pork, also known as fatback, is a versatile and flavorful cured meat product made from fatty cuts of pork. Its high fat content makes it ideal for cooking applications where extra moisture and richness is desired. From stews to baked beans, salt pork imparts delicious porky flavor into any dish. But with fluctuating meat prices, you may be wondering – how much does salt pork cost today?

In this comprehensive article we’ll take a close look at current salt pork prices from various vendors. We’ll examine pricing per pound and per package size. You’ll also learn what impacts salt pork pricing so you can make informed purchasing decisions.

Factors That Influence Salt Pork Pricing

Several key factors impact the retail price of salt pork

• Pork market prices – Since salt pork comes from pork, fluctuation in pork commodity prices directly affects salt pork costs. When pork industry supply is low, expect to pay more for salt pork.

• Processing costs – Salt pork is not simply raw pork – it undergoes a curing and preservation process. This specialized processing adds to the overall production costs.

• Branding – Premium heritage brands or artisanal producers may charge more for their salt pork products. Large mainstream brands tend to price lower.

• Shipping expenses – Online vendors must account for shipping costs from supplier to consumer. This can drive up the price versus in-store.

• Convenience packaging – Pre-portioned salt pork packages in the meat case often cost more per pound versus bulk options.

• Grocery markups – Grocery stores apply their own margins on top of wholesale salt pork pricing. Smaller indie grocers may have higher markups.

Now that we’ve seen what factors impact salt pork pricing, let’s look at some real-world price examples from major grocery retailers.

Salt Pork Prices at Select Grocery Chains

To research current pricing, we checked salt pork options at 5 top US grocery chains:

Whole Foods

At Whole Foods, Wellshire Farms salt pork sells for $6.99 per lb for a 12 oz package. This is a heritage pork brand without artificial ingredients.

![Salt pork product page on Whole Foods website showing $6.99 per lb price][]

Kroger

Kroger offers Open Nature salt pork for $4.49 per lb sold in a 16 oz package. This is Kroger’s generic value brand of meat products.

Albertsons

Albertsons house brand salt pork goes for $5.99 per lb for a 16 oz package. The Albertsons brand sits in the middle price-wise.

Safeway

Safeway’s O Organics salt pork sells for $6.49 per lb in a 8 oz package size. It is certified organic pork which demands a premium price.

Walmart

At Walmart, Farmland salt pork ranges from $2.98 – $4.56 per lb depending on package weight. The 32 oz package offers the best value per pound.

As you can see, salt pork prices can vary widely depending on the specific brand, package size, and retailer. Walmart consistently prices lowest among these major chains.

Comparing Specialty Meat Shops and Online Prices

Beyond big box stores, you can also buy salt pork from specialty gourmet shops, local butchers, and online mail order sites. Here are some current price points from those channels:

• ScanSpecialties – Artisanal salted pork for $6.49 per lb
• D’Artagnan – Heritage Berkshire pork salted belly at $18 per lb
• US Wellness Meats – Pastured pork fatback for $7.99 per lb
• Local butcher shop – Housemade salt pork $5.99 – $7.99 per lb

The takeaway is that salt pork from premium outlets can cost over double the price versus basic grocery store offerings. You pay a premium for attributes like heritage breed, pastured, organic and artisanal preparation.

Buying in Bulk Often Saves

When purchasing salt pork, you can realize significant savings by buying in bulk quantities. As we saw with the Walmart example earlier, the cost per pound decreases as the package size increases.

This bulk pricing effect is seen across retailers, especially when purchasing full slabs or whole pork bellies for DIY curing. Places like restaurant supply stores, warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club), and butcher shops offer bulk pricing incentives. You can easily save $2-3 per pound buying bulk versus pre-packaged.

The chart below compares per pound pricing on different salt pork package sizes:

As the data shows, buying 5+ pounds at once yields drastically lower per-pound costs. The savings add up, especially for larger households that use a lot of salt pork.

Hunting for Sales, Coupons and Discounts

Another way to save on salt pork is to keep an eye out for periodic sales, coupons and promotions. For example:

• Check weekly ads and clip digital coupons from grocery apps
• Look for seasonal markdowns around major holidays
• See if bulk salt pork ever goes on sale for 10% off or more
• Sign up for specialty food site email lists to receive exclusive discounts
• Price match between retailers if you spot a better deal somewhere else

With a bit of research, you can time your purchase around a sale period and maximize your savings on salt pork. Even a few dollars off per package can make a difference over time.

Freezing for Later Use Cuts Down on Waste

Salt pork has a relatively long shelf life of 1-2 months when properly stored. But an even better way to preserve it longer while saving money is to freeze any unused portions.

Break down bulk packages into freezer bags in typical recipe-sized amounts. Thaw only what you need for a particular dish. This prevents accidentally leaving pieces to go rancid in the fridge. With a freezer stockpile, you can buy in bulk when prices are best and freeze extras.

Current Salt Pork Prices Range Widely

As we’ve shown in detail, the cost for salt pork depends heavily on factors like brand, retailer, package size, and purchase channel. Based on the pricing research summarized in this article, here is the range of what to expect:

• National grocery store cost – $3 – $7 per lb
• Specialty gourmet shops – $6 – $18+ per lb
• Bulk pricing – Under $3 per lb

For highest value on budget, consider purchasing larger packages from big box chains when they go on sale. But for niche heritage and organic options, specialty purveyors merit their higher premiums.