Salt pork question

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What uses for salt pork. How do you use it without over salting food. I see it in the grocery store but never used it. Any ideas?

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You can use it for flavor and seasoning. Some people like it as a main protein, but that's not my preference. I personally prefer it used as a flavoring.

It's like salt cod or, really, any other meat preserved by heavy salting. To use it, you soak it or boil it, changing the water out if necessary, before use to rehydrate and remove some of the salt to make it palatable. Then you can throw it in beans, fry it off and then saute aromatics in with it, smother down some vegetables or greens with it, etc. You let the pork belly cook into what you're making and only adjust the salt toward the end of cooking once you know that it's given off its salt.

Essentially, you can use it like you would bacon or pork belly. That's what it is, after all. Pork belly is just pork belly. Salt pork is (usually) pork belly that is heavily salted with the intent to cure and preserve. Bacon is pork belly that is less heavily salted, but also smoked to cure and preserve. Basically, if I would use bacon to flavor something and decide I want the pork and salt but not the smoke, salt pork's where it's at.

ETA: You can also use it straight. I forgot to mention that. You just have to be careful with how much you use and the saltiness of what you're cooking. A little is a lot when it comes to straight salt pork.

For a treat, fry it.

Get the sliced product. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Drain and pat dry.
Deep fry the slices at 350 until floating and golden.
Enjoy crispy, porky goodness.

Thanks TSinMS, many years ago my wife purchased by accident salt pork versus pickled pork and made red beans like normal. Served the family and we all spit it out bc of the amount of salt.

Not until reading TD that I have noticed the use for salted pork. My next question in trying to understand. If you are cooking salt pork for 30-40 min. while swapping out the water. Wouldn’t you be cooking out the flavors of the meat as well? When we make red beans we just throw the meat straight into the pot. Learn something new everyday. Thx

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If you are cooking salt pork for 30-40 min. while swapping out the water. Wouldn’t you be cooking out the flavors of the meat as well?

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I misspoke there. If swapping the water, that would be using cool water each time. If I were to boil it to remove some salt, it would be more of a relatively quick blanch than a long steep.

Always fry it, amd have black eyed peas and cornbread.

I use it for greens. It’s perfect.