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To fry salt pork bacon, first cut off all the rind as this causes grease to pop really bad. Place slices in pan of water and add 1 or 2 Tbsp. syrup or honey. The syrup helps the meat to brown. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat after a very short boil. The length of time to boil depends on how salty the meat is.
Remove from water and drain on paper towels. Fry in pan, preferably iron skillet, with very small amount of oil. Have a lid handy in case the grease pops. Also can be cooked in the oven, 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. This is great with biscuits and has no more fat than regular bacon.
Source: I grew up eating this as we had our own hogs and cured meat.
By Iva from Porter, TX
Boy, this brings back memories! My Mom used to dredge the salt pork in flour and then fry it. It was soo good! I haven't seen salt pork in the stores in many years.
Hi Iva,
Oh Boy!!! Does this ever bring back nice memories.
Back during WW ll, it was often very difficult to get
fresh meat even though you might have a handful
of rationing stamps. Our soldier boys needed to be
fed as good as possible and if they needed the meat, we wanted them to have it and we were so
The people who delivered our fresh whole milk 3 times a week would often trade milk to another farmer who raised pigs for a pig or maybe two. My father would paint the milkman's big house for half a pig, and milk delivery for a month. Talk about bartering...families had that down to a fine art.
Mother could keep all the fatback and belly fat to be
salted down and kept in a big white bucket in the
bottom of the ice-box. Yes, you heard me right. An
ice-box, not a refrigerator. So many times, our
breakfast or supper consisted of fried white or salt
bacon, hot biscuits, grits and tomato gravy. I can
close my eyes and still smell the aroma coming
out of her kitchen. Dessert was another hot biscuit
with homegrown north Florida cane syrup, and
Once in a while, I will still buy a little square of salt
bacon, and cook it just as you said...and I love it.
Just wish I could make the hot biscuits as good as
my Mother did...
Thanks for the memories.
Julia in Boca Raton, FL
