fatback
Salt-cured pork fat from a hog's back, used to season food.
Also called fat back, salt pork, side meat.
Updated September 21, 2026
fatback pronunciation
/FAT-bak/
Meaning
The hard white fat strip off a hog's back, usually dried and salted. Rural Southern cooks throw a chunk in the pot so green beans, collards, cabbage, or peas taste like somebody meant it. Folks also fry it crisp and eat it with cornbread. Closely related to salt pork and side meat, though those cuts may carry more lean streak.
How folks use it
- “Them green beans ain't right without a piece of fatback in the pot.”
- “She fried up some fatback for breakfast with biscuits.”
Origin and etymology
Plain farm English: fat from the back of the hog. Salt curing kept cheap pork through the year before refrigeration, so it became a staple seasoning meat across the South and Appalachia from colonial times on. North Carolina and mountain cooks still treat it as the difference between bland vegetables and supper.
Frequently asked questions
Is fatback the same as bacon?
No. Bacon is usually smoked belly meat with lean streaks. Fatback is mostly fat from the back and is often just salt-cured.