Fatback

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Fatback is firm and dense fat taken off the back of a pig, and can be bought with or without the skin. It can be used to make salt pork or lard, and it is sometimes used for techniques such as larding and barding. Fatback is also the name of a traditional dish that is served for New Year's Eve in the American South, when it is fried until golden-brown and crunchy, accompanied by black eyed peas and greens. The dish is supposed to bring luck and wealth in the year that follows. Originally, fatback became popular in the South during the Great Depression because it was the only cut of meat that hungry families could afford.