How to Make Delicious Salt Pork Fatback: A Step-by-Step Guide

Salt pork fatback is an amazing ingredient that adds rich savory flavor to many classic dishes. From soups and stews to roasted vegetables and braised greens salt pork fatback can elevate the taste of your cooking to new heights. But to enjoy those delicious results, you first need to know how to properly make salt pork fatback at home.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make incredible salt pork fatback. We’ll cover choosing the right cut of pork, curing and cooking methods, creative recipe ideas, storage tips, and much more. With my simple step-by-step instructions, you’ll be rendering, baking, and frying up amazing salt pork fatback in no time!

What Is Salt Pork Fatback?

Let’s start with the basics – what exactly is salt pork fatback? Quite simply, it is a cut of pork from the back, sides, or belly of the pig that has been cured with salt. This salt-curing preserves the fat and adds tons of flavor.

Salt pork can come from a few different parts of the pig

• Fatback – This is the thick layer of pure fat along the back of the pig. No meat, just delicious fat that renders beautifully.
• Side Pork – Cured pork from the sides of the pig, contains both fat and some lean streaks of meat. Also called streaky pork.
• Pork Belly – The fattiest cut from the belly. When cured, it makes bacon. Salt pork from the belly contains more meat than other cuts.

No matter which cut you select, the salt-cured fat adds amazing richness and depth of flavor when cooked.

Choosing The Best Pork for Fatback

For the tastiest salt pork fatback, you want to start with high-quality fresh pork. Here are a few tips for selecting the best pork:

• Choose Fresh – Look for pork that feels firm and supple, not slimy or sticky. The color should be a uniform white or pink. Avoid any yellowing.
• Get Local – Visit a local butcher or farmer’s market to source quality pork from your area. The freshest pork makes the best fatback.
• Pick the Right Cut – Opt for fatback, side pork, or pork belly depending on how much fat vs. meat you want. Fatback has the highest fat ratio.
• Consider Heritage Breeds – Heritage breed pigs like Berkshire or Red Wattle have enhanced fat quality with delicious flavor.

When sourcing your pork, let the recipes you want to make guide which cut you choose. The meatier belly or side cuts are great for soups or baking, while pure fatback is perfect for rendering or frying.

Curing Salt Pork Fatback

Curing is the key process that transforms fresh pork into deliciously salty and savory salt pork fatback. There are a few different curing methods you can use at home:

Dry Curing

This technique involves coating the pork in a dry mixture of salt, sugar, and spices and allowing it to cure for 1-2 weeks. The dry salt mixture draws moisture out while preserving the meat. It’s the more traditional curing method.

Wet Brining

Wet brining submerges the pork in a water-based brine solution for several days. The brine solution contains salt, sugar, and aromatics for flavor. Wet brining leads to a more evenly cured and seasoned result.

Equilibrium Curing

This combines dry curing and wet brining by first dry curing the pork, then immersing it in a brine solution. It helps evenly distribute cure and seasoning throughout the meat.

I recommend equilibrium curing for the best salt pork fatback. The initial dry cure kickstarts the curing process, while the wet brine ensures even seasoning.

Rendering, Cooking & Serving Salt Pork Fatback

Once your pork fatback is cured, it’s time to cook it so you can enjoy all that savory, salty goodness! Here are some of my favorite cooking methods:

Slow Rendering on the Stove

For rich, flavorful lard or cooking fat, slowly render the fatback in a heavy pot on the stove. Cook over low heat for 1-4 hours until all the fat melts away, leaving crispy cracklings. Strain out the solids.

Baking in the Oven

Baked salt pork fatback makes for delicious crisp and salty bites. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until browned and sizzling.

Pan Frying

My favorite weeknight method! Simply fry up thin slices of salt pork fatback until browned and crispy, 3-5 minutes per side.

Flavoring Vegetables

Chop salt pork fatback into bits to add rich umami flavor to roasted veggies or cooked greens.

Enhancing Soups & Stews

Saute cured fatback to render fat for cooking, then add veggies and liquids for an insanely rich and delicious broth.

With so many options, you can enjoy your homemade salt pork fatback in whatever way sounds best for any meal!

Creative Recipe Ideas Using Salt Pork Fatback

Now that you know how to make and cook salt pork fatback, here are some of my favorite ways to use it in delicious recipes:

• Flavor collard greens, kale, or beans by sautéing chopped fatback with aromatics as the cooking base.
• Add crispy baked fatback bits as a garnish for salads, pasta, or roasted veggies.
• Use rendered fatback lard for the flakiest pie crust you’ve ever tasted.
• Sauté cubed fatback with onions as the start of a rich soup or gravy.
• Toss chopped fatback into any stew or braise for incredible umami depth.
• Fry eggs sunny side up in rendered fatback lard – take your breakfast up a notch!
• Bake beans or lentils with chunks of salt pork fatback for a classic comforting dish.

With its intense porky flavor, salt pork fatback is a fantastic ingredient to keep on hand. Get creative with it in your kitchen!

Pro Tips for Handling & Storing Salt Pork Fatback

Now that you’re a pro at making salt pork fatback, here are my best tips for handling and storing it after curing:

• Keep refrigerated for up to 4-5 months.
• Wrap fatback well in butcher paper or wax paper before refrigerating.
• For longer storage, wrap tightly in freezer paper and freeze for up to 1 year.
• Allow frozen fatback to thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
• Cook fatback within 1 week of opening the packaging.
• Refrigerate any rendered fat or leftover cooked fatback.
• Use refrigerated rendered fat and cooked fatback within 1 month.

Follow these guidelines and your homemade salt pork fatback will stay fresh and last for many delicious recipes to come!

Make Your Own Delicious Salt Pork Fatback

Be sure to choose high-quality fresh pork, cure it with salt using either a dry or wet method, and then cook the fatback in ways that sound good to you. Render it slowly, bake it up crispy, or pan fry for quick flavor. With rendered fat or cooked fatback on hand, you can quickly elevate soups, stews, beans, greens, eggs, and more in your everyday cooking.