What Is Fatback?

Fatback is exactly what it sounds like: the fat from the back of a pig. A hard fat, pork fatback can be cooked whole, sliced, diced, or even ground, and it's used to add moisture, fat, and flavor to a wide variety of dishes. If you’ve seen little flecks of fat in salami or mortadella, that is fatback.

Fatback is also the name of a traditional dish in the South served on New Year’s Eve. It is fried or baked until golden brown and served with black-eyed peas and greens to bring good luck. Learn how to use fatback and some alternatives for similar, rich flavor.

How to Use or Cook With Fatback 

You can use pork fatback to make a liquid fat or savory lard by rendering it over low heat until the pieces shrink and reduce as much fat as possible. There are different types of fatback and many ways to use them.

• Lardo, a kind of Italian charcuterie, is made by curing fatback with salt and herbs. 
• Thin slices of fatback are used to wrap roasts and to line terrines.
• Ground fatback is used in different kinds of sausages and charcuterie to lend richness.
• Fatback can be used to flavor soup beans, rice and beans, and vegetables, such as greens.
• It adds richness to gumbo, grits, or fried dishes, such as fried green tomatoes. 

Substitutes for Fatback 

Because fatback is not commonly found in all grocery stores—and sometimes only at New Year's—you may need to find a substitute to use in recipes that call for it. Fatback does not have any meat, but other very fatty cuts of pork that do have some meat can sometimes be used in place of fatback.

Consider these alternatives for pork fatback:

• Pork belly is another flavorful cut of fatty pork. It is cut from the belly of the pig and can be used in sandwiches, tacos, and stews, or you can roast or braise it for a main dish.
• Bacon, which is cured pork belly, is another fatty cut of pork that adds flavor, fat, and moisture. It’s more processed than fatback. Bacon tends to have more salt and spices and a smokier flavor, which is something to keep in mind if you use it as a substitute. Bacon can satisfy a similar purpose in cooking as fatback, and it may be something you frequently have on hand.
• Streaky pork is located between the hard fatback and the pork belly and is named for the streaks of meat in the fat. It is mostly fatty. Bacon has more meat, and fatback has none.
  
• Salt pork is cured and salted fatback that has a longer shelf life. It looks similar to bacon but with more fat than meat, and it is not smoked. Use it the same way as fatback to add flavor and moisture to greens, beans, and other dishes.

Storing Fatback

If you’re not rendering the fat from it, a sizeable piece of fatback can last a long time with proper storage. Cut the fatback into smaller portions and wrap in plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for four or five days, or store it in the freezer for up to a year. Defrost the amount you need in the refrigerator.