fatback

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "fatback" is the hard fat from a hog’s back, usually salted and cured. It’s a traditional ingredient for flavoring beans, greens, and country cooking.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

I reckon they's two camps, one that eats the 'fatback,' and one that don't. Either way, it's in the soup beans everwhere.

Pronunciation

[FAT-bak]

Meaning & Usage

- Pork back fat, often salted or cured (noun)

Mae:

What’s in the pot?

Earl:

Beans with fatback for flavor.

- A traditional cooking ingredient (noun, cultural)

Mae:

Tastes like home.

Earl:

Nothin’ beats greens cooked with fatback.

other spellings: pork back fat

★ Fatback is all fat with no meat - unlike bacon. It was prized in country kitchens for stretching meals and adding flavor when lean meat was scarce. ★

Origin

From Old English *fætt* (fat) + *bæc* (back). In American cooking, especially in the South and Appalachia, it became a staple preserved meat product by the 1800s.

Notes

Still used in traditional Southern/Appalachian kitchens, though less common in modern cooking. Found in soul food and country cooking alike. Sometimes confused with salt pork, but fatback is pure back fat while salt pork may include belly.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "fat-back."

Kin Topics

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Common Questions

Is fatback the same as bacon?

No - bacon has meat and fat, while fatback is almost all fat.

Is fatback the same as salt pork?

Close, but not exactly. Salt pork may include belly fat; fatback comes from the hog’s back.

Do people still use fatback today?

Yes - especially in traditional Southern and Appalachian cooking, often for beans and greens.