Without defining flavors, your dish can’t stand out. Stews and steaks with the right, delicious fine flavoring come out tasting unforgettable.
Picking a central flavor breathes life into a boring meal turning it into a premium dish. Salt pork has become one of the most popular flavoring items that suits just about all types of meals.
From potatoes and green veggies to stews, soups, and roasts, salt pork is a commendable versatile ingredient that is sure to focus your meal towards its unmistakable flavor.
The sheer fact that so many recipes call for salt pork can lead to it running out quickly at times. This is why you need a backup for all your favorite recipes.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of the best salt pork substitutes available. Each is a compatible solution for replacing salt pork without significantly altering the dish’s taste.
What Exactly Is Salt Pork And How Is It Made?
Salt pork is salt-cured pork extracted from pork belly or the fatback. With flank steak, you trade off tenderness for an intense, bold meaty flavor.
Most varieties of salt pork are slightly fattier than side bacon with stronger flavors, thanks to the prolonged curing period.
Fat, thick and derived from the lowest part of the pig, salt pork is extracted entirely from fat and is sold chopped into fine pieces that quickly cook crisp.
The extracted fat from salt pork can be used as a fat source in various recipes, imparting loads of flavor while giving your meal the fat that it needs.
Even though salt pork’s distinctive flavor is truly one of a kind, you can replace it and get similar results with any of the upcoming alternatives.
What Are The Best Substitutes For Salt Pork?
Salt pork instills such an interesting flavor into meals that many recipes call for it as a vital ingredient.
Here are the best substitutes for salt pork available so that you don’t have to give up on your recipe if you run out or can’t find any. Here are the very best salt pork alternatives.
1. Bacon – The Closet Alternative
Bacon is the best alternative to salt pork available, thanks to the closely matched cured flavor. Bacon is smoked primarily and cured, coming with a range of sweet and sour flavoring available.
You’re looking for unflavored, smoked, cured bacon with no sugar added. Look for regular cut bacon instead of bacon bits. Unlike salt pork, there’s no need to soak bacon when substituting.
Just about every store carries bacon, making it undoubtedly the most readily available, most highly feasible alternative to salt pork out there.
2. Pancetta – Runner Up Alternative
Pancetta, or Italian bacon, is the second-best salt pork substitute available. Like regular bacon, Pancetta carries a very close flavor to the salty, cured taste sensation, salt pork.
It’s also readily available in most markets. You’ll almost always find Pancetta in the shape of a roll when buying directly from a butcher or market.
Although both varieties offer widespread availability, rolled Pancetta is a favored product of northern Italy while flattened Pancetta is loved in the south and central regions.
Unless you’re in Italy, where Pancetta is favored sliced thinly and eaten raw, pancetta rolls are typically cut into cubes and then are served either cooked or uncooked.
If you end up buying a roll, unroll the Pancetta and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before slicing and using it as a salt pork substitute.
3. Olive Oil And Plain Butter
If you’re a health-conscious foodie, here’s a fantastic healthy salt pork substitute. Fitness lovers and those who want to reduce their fat intake can swap out salt pork for a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.
One of each acts as a replacement for one ounce of salt pork in your recipes. You may want to add a little extra salt to compensate for the milder saltiness of this alternative.
4. Smoked Ham Hock
Put a pork hock through a thorough salt brine and smoking, and you’ve got a tasty smoked ham hock and a great salt pork substitute.
The only drawback to using this tasty alternative is that you’ll need to soak your pork hock for an hour and simmer it for just as long.
Once well-cooked, the piece of smoked ham hock is an outstanding replacement for salt pork in every way.
5. Country Ham/Sandwich Ham
Don’t underestimate the flavor of good smoked country ham. All varieties of sliced ham from local delicatessens can take the place of salt-pork.
You’ll need to adjust your recipe by adding a little extra salt, but a few cuts of inexpensive sandwich ham will do the job.
The great thing about sliced ham for a sandwich is that it often comes cured and/or smoked. These varieties will go a long way towards mimicking the rich flavor you’re looking for from salted pork.
6. Beef Jerky
Did you know that beef and turkey jerky can impart a similar flavor to salt pork when added to your favorite recipes?
Jerky is salt-cured and air-dried, giving it a rich, savory, meaty taste that’ll infuse loads of flavor into stews, soups, sauces, and anything else salt-pork is normally added to.
Use sparingly because the taste of jerky can be overpowering.
7. Guanciale
Guanciale is an Italian delicacy that may be difficult to source.
If you can get your hands on this cured meat extracted from pig cheeks, otherwise known as pork jowl or jowl bacon, Guanciale is one of the most flavorful salt-pork substitutes available.
It is essentially the same product as Pancetta, just prepared from the cheeks instead, and can therefore be used in any of the ways that salt pork can for flavor.
8. Smoked Turkey Wings
Smoked turkey wings are tasty, easily available, and affordable. Use either the meat alone or cook the entire wings in recipes calling for salt pork, and you’ll reach a similar flavor.
All smoked meat products serve as reliable salt pork substitutes.
When you cook smoked turkey wings into a dish including the bone instead of stripping the meat alone, a deep smokiness is granted that may be a little too strong as an alternative to smoked pork.
9. Cured Or Dehydrated Vegetables
Now, cured vegetables aren’t something you’ll readily have access to, but they’re an excellent salt pork substitute if you have prepared beforehand.
Something as simple as cured onions or cabbage will add the salty, savory flavor you’re looking for. Dehydrated vegetables work in the same way but are much quicker to prepare.
Nonetheless, this is one alternative that you can’t have ready in a pinch. Curing takes two to three weeks on average.
10. Turkey/Beef Bacon
Bacon is salt-cured and smoked, and regardless of the flavor of the meat type, you’ll always get a characteristic smoky-saltiness that’s similar to salt pork.
Take your pick between turkey and beef bacon, but turkey does make the better option.
Blending bacon from a type of meat other than pork adds flavor notes of its own so ensure that you adjust your herbs and seasoning accordingly. Most recipes will need a little extra salt and a change of primary herb.
11. Duck Ham/Fat
Duck products, in general, are good salt pork substitutes. If you’re using duck ham, add extra salt. If you’re working with duck fat, we suggest rendering it down in chicken fat to reach a savory flavor that’s similar to salt pork.
Why Not Make Your Own Salt Pork?
Salt pork is such a versatile flavor-enhancing ingredient that many decide to make their own and keep it on hand.
Get yourself ready to incorporate this tasty prominent taste by making your own salt pork at home. It’s quick and easy. Simply follow these instructions.
Salt Pork Recipe
Buy yourself a cut of boneless pork belly that weighs around two and a half pounds, and get ready to make the tastiest salt pork around using these simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 10 Ounces Coarse Kosher Salt
- ⅓ Cup White Granulated Sugar
Optional Extras:
- 6 Crushed Juniper Berries
- 1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
- 3 Crushed Bay Leaves
- ½ Teaspoon Clove Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon White Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Ginger
Method:
- Combine your ingredients to create a rub – please note, the optional spices will add flavor but aren’t essential to salt pork (all you need is salt and sugar)
- Get out a large glass dish that’s large enough to submerge the boneless pork belly in salt
- Rub the pork belly with the salt-based rub
- Coat the glass dish with a thin layer of your rub
- Place the salted pork belly into the glass dish skin-side up, ensuring that it is thoroughly coated in salt
- Cover the salted pork belly with another layer of salt, and seal it up with plastic wrap
- Retain the extra rub you’ve made for later use, or you’ll need to make more
- Refrigerate for two days and then pour off the juices that have amassed
- Re-salt the pork using your rub, recover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a further two days
- Remove your salt pork from the dish and rinse well, clearing off all salty residue
- Dry the salt pork with paper towels until completely dry
Your homemade salt pork can safely be stored for up to two weeks in cheesecloth in the refrigerator.
The Best Salt Pork Substitute – Final Thoughts:
Salt pork is, without a doubt, an irreplaceable flavoring item that is quite challenging to replace. However, these eleven salt pork substitutes ensure that you’ve always got an alternative available.
Remember to always consider the saltiness of the ingredient you’re going to be adding in the place of pork and adjust your recipe accordingly.