Salt cures meat through a dehydration process.
The salt draws out water content from the meat which helps it cure.
Salt Pork is basically just pork belly that is cured using curing salt.
Removal of the water and addition of the salt to meat creates a solute-rich environment where osmotic pressure draws water out of microorganisms, slowing down their growth. Doing this requires a concentration of salt of nearly 20%.
Curing meats and even salt pork is pretty easy.
Curing salt pork is very easy and all you have to do is just rub a piece of pork belly with a spiced salt and leave it for several days in the refrigerator.
The salt rub flavors the belly and draws out some of the moisture, making it firmer.
The longer you leave it in the salt the saltier it becomes, so, by making your own, you can control the saltiness. As with making any cured meat, however, this recipe takes time, so plan to make the salt pork ahead.
It can be kept, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.
Since weighing the salt is necessary for an accurate measurement, you'll need a scale to make this recipe.
Salt pork is an essential ingredient in chowders and Boston-style baked beans. It's also great to have on hand because, just like bacon and pancetta, it adds nice flavor and fat to a dish.
Too cook salt pork you either deep fry the salt pork, bake the salt pork or even pan fry the salt pork.
If you want to pan fry the salt pork just add some cooking oil to a fry pan and add the salt pork to the fry pan and turn the heat on the low setting and allow it to fry for a minute or two and then turn the salt pork over to fry the other side of it.
It's best to cut the salt pork into 1/4 - 3/8 inch cubes before cooking them.
Then put the salt pork into a heavy bottom pot, preferably the pot in which you will be making the recipe and then turn the heat to medium high.
Fry the cubes until the fat is rendered and the cubes are crispy, like bacon.
Also salt pork and fatback are the same thing.
Salt Pork is essentially just fatback that has been salted as well as been cured to prolong the fatback shelf life.
Also you can substitute salt pork for pancetta.
Pancetta is the same cut of meat as American Bacon is and so salt pork makes a great substitute for pancetta.
Other meats that make great substitutes for Pancetta are besides salt pork are prosciutto, smoked ham, and smoked sausage.
When salt pork goes bad it will usually become slimy in texture, change colors, have a bad and sour smell to it that may take your breath away etc.
Salt pork usually lasts up to 2 weeks out of the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the refrigerator so if that time has passed then the salt pork should not be consumed.
It's normal however for salt pork to smell a bit when cooked but the salt pork should not have a really terrible sour smell to it.
You can substitute pork belly for salt pork as they are the same meats.
Salt Pork is commonly made from pork belly so it's the same meat and can be substituted for it.
Salt Pork will last for up to 2 weeks without refrigeration and up to 6 months in the freezer.
If you refrigerate salt pork the salt pork will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 months but freezing the salt pork makes it last up to 6 months.
Salt Pork and Pork Belly are the same meats.
You may have also eaten salt pork or belly pork without even realizing it as it's used in a lot of dishes.
Salt Pork is most commonly made from pork belly meat.
You can freeze salt pork to extend the life of the salt pork and prevent spoilage.
Salt pork can be kept out of the refrigerator at room temperature for up to 2 weeks but if you plan to keep the salt pork longer than 2 weeks the salt pork needs refrigeration.
Refrigerating salt pork makes the salt pork last for up to 3 months.
If you freeze the salt pork you extend the life of the salt pork to 6 months.
Frozen salt pork lasts for up to 6 months before it goes bad.
Salt pork does eventually go bad so you need to use it up within 6 months of freezing it.
It used to be back in the old days that salt pork was cured really good that it would last without any refrigerator and could be taken on very long journeys without the risk of spoilage.
But salt pork made today is not as rigid and cannot last long without refrigeration.