Tag: Fatback

According to North Carolina culinary history, fatback has been a staple in Southern cooking since colonial times. The term fat back refers to the firm, white fat from the back of a pig, which is used for flavoring, moisture, and rendering into lard. It is distinct from other fatty pork products like bacon or salt pork, as it contains little to no meat.

One slice of fatback can contain a significant portion of a person's daily saturated fat allotment, with some sources reporting upwards of 40% of the daily value per serving. So, is fatback healthy, or is it a dietary hazard? This article delves into its nutritional profile, health implications, and its role in culinary traditions.

Before modern refrigeration, salt-cured pork was a household staple across many cultures for its preservation and rich flavor. This tradition, rooted in resourcefulness, laid the foundation for what is known today as poor man's bacon, referring to affordable and flavorful alternatives to conventional streaky bacon.

According to a 2018 BBC report, researchers ranked pork fat as the 8th most nutritious food out of over 1,000 raw foods, a surprising fact that highlights the value of what is considered pork fat. This ingredient is not a single product but refers to several forms derived from different parts of the pig, each with unique properties and culinary applications.