Fatback is a popular flavor additive in Southern American and soul food dishes, often used to flavor greens, beans, and other vegetables. It is uncured pork fat from the rear end of a pig and can be used in place of pork hocks or ham. It is commonly fried and eaten as a treat, and is also used to flavor noodles, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Many dishes are prepared using fatback as a flavor additive. Common in Southern American and soul food, fatback is used to flavor typically bland greens, beans, and other greens. Occasionally, fatback is served fried as a sandwich filler or as a type of finger food. These treat slices can also be fried until crispy and served as a type of crackle. Black-eyed peas and rice are also treated with the fatty meat to create a more flavorful and traditional soul treat.
Carved from the light fat from the pork loin, fatback is exactly what the name implies: it’s fat from the rear end of a pig. Unlike cured pork which is a cured piece of fat commonly containing small strips of meat, cured fat is uncured and contains no meat. Used almost exclusively as a flavor additive, fatback can be used in place of nearly any dish that calls for pork hocks or ham to be used as a flavor additive. Typically, fat is added to the dish as it cooks, and then any large pieces left untouched are strained as the dish is served. In some areas, the unmelted remains of a piece of blubber are considered a treat and are commonly fought over by children.
Vegetables and carrots are often flavored with fat when cooking the dish, and bean soup is also a likely candidate for pork fat. In some countries, such as Hungary, the blubber is commonly fried and eaten with eggs for breakfast or dinner. The blubber is also eaten as a treat by cutting it thinly into strips and frying it until crisp and golden brown. Similar to the cracklings of South American cuisine, this one is often considered a treat and is reserved for holidays and special occasions.
Noodles, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are also commonly cooked using shortening as an ingredient. In some recipes, the noodles for a macaroni and cheese dish are also cooked with a piece of fat to add flavor to the finished dish. Many cooks render the shortening to create a cooking oil or to add a slight bacon flavor to biscuits. From grits and gumbo to fried green tomatoes, cooks rely on fatback to add flavor to recipes around the world. Soups, stews, and casseroles are all made to taste slightly more like soul food by adding a small piece of pork fat straight from the back of the pig.
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