When it comes to enhancing the taste of your dishes, smoked pork back fat, also known as fatback, is a versatile and delicious ingredient that shouldn't be overlooked. Despite its name, fatback can be used in a variety of ways to add flavor and juiciness to your meals. Whether it's cured with sea salt and herbs or used as an ingredient in sausages, charcuterie, and pâté, fatback can elevate your cooking to a whole new level. In this article, we will explore what fatback is, how to use it, and the differences between fatback and lard.
What is Fatback?
Fatback is the solid fat that comes from the back of a mature pig. It is a slab of hard fat found on both sides of the pig's backbone. This fat can be cut into tiny pieces or finely ground to be used in various preparations, such as sausages, charcuterie, and pâté. It can also be inserted into leaner meats to make them moister and more flavorful. Additionally, fatback can be rendered and used as a cooking medium or an ingredient in pastry. It can even be salt cured and thinly sliced, or seasoned and whipped with salt and roasted garlic to create a special appetizer on its own.
How to Use Fatback
There are several ways to use fatback in your cooking:
- Addition to Ground Meat Preparations: Fatback can be added to dishes that use ground meat, such as sausages, pâté, hamburgers, meatloaf, and meatballs. It adds flavor and moisture to these dishes, making them juicier and more delicious. The amount of fatback to add depends on the amount of fat already present in the meat, but a general guideline is around 20 percent. To ensure a homogenous blend of fat and meat, it is best to grind pieces of fatback and meat together.
- Ingredient in Charcuterie: Fatback is commonly used in charcuterie, such as cured salami and mortadella. For salumi, the fatback is ground or chopped coarsely and piped into casings, then hung to cure and dry out. Mortadella, on the other hand, is a type of salumi where finely ground forcemeat with fatback and pistachios is stuffed into a casing and steamed. The resulting slices of mortadella have a harmonious blend of meat and fatback.
- Insertion into Leaner Meats: To add flavor and juiciness to lean cuts of meat or poultry, you can insert strips or pieces of fatback. As the meat cooks, the fatback melts, enhancing the taste and texture of the dish. This technique, known as larding, can be done using a larding needle. Another similar technique is barding, where thin slices of fatback are wrapped around a lean piece of meat and tied in place before roasting.
- Rendered Fatback: Fatback can be rendered to obtain lard, which can be used as a cooking medium or ingredient. Rendered fatback, or lard, has a high burning point, making it suitable for sautéing at high temperatures. It can be used in dishes like veal scaloppine, chicken breast, or pork medallions. Additionally, rendered fatback can be used in recipes in place of butter, although its meaty flavor makes it less suitable for delicate uses like pastry doughs.
Fatback vs. Lard
While fatback and lard are both pork fat, they have some differences. Fatback is the solid slab of fat from the back of a pig, whereas lard is pork fat that has been rendered, or melted and strained. The rendering process gives lard a smooth and scoopable texture, while fatback remains solid and fibrous. Another difference is that fatback comes only from the back of the pig, while lard can be rendered from various fatty parts of the pig. This means that fatback and lard are not interchangeable in recipes. Lard has a milder flavor compared to fatback, making it more suitable for delicate dishes.
Varieties of Fatback
While fatback is typically associated with the two hard slabs of fat on either side of a pig's backbone, there are a few different variations:
- Streaky Pork: Streaky pork is a section of fat found between the solid slabs of fatback near the backbone and the bacon at the belly. It has streaks of pink meat running through the white fat and is commonly used in many Asian dishes.
- Salt Pork: Salt pork is fatback that has been salted and cured to extend its shelf life. It is an important ingredient in Southern cooking, adding flavor and juiciness to dishes like greens. It was also commonly used in pioneer larders in the 19th century.
- Lardo: Lardo is a type of Italian salumi made by curing fatback with salt, herbs, garlic, and other seasonings. The curing process lasts for six months or more, resulting in a delicious and flavorful product. Different regions in Italy have their own variations of lardo, some of which have received a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) from the Italian government.
Where to Buy and Store Fatback
Fatback can be purchased at butcher shops and through meat purveyors, especially those specializing in pork. It is advisable to pre-order fatback, as it may not always be readily available. Additionally, there are online purveyors that sell fatback. When storing fatback, keep it tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for four to five days. If you don't plan to use it immediately, you can freeze fatback for six months to a year. It's best to freeze it in small individual packages so you can defrost only what you need. Salt pork can also be stored in airtight plastic in the refrigerator or freezer for six months to a year.
Smoked pork back fat, or fatback, is a versatile and flavorful ingredient that can enhance the taste of your dishes. Whether it's used in ground meat preparations, charcuterie, or as an insertion into leaner meats, fatback adds juiciness and flavor. Understanding the differences between fatback and lard can help you make the right choice for your recipes. So, don't overlook this delicious ingredient and start experimenting with smoked pork back fat in your cooking today!
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