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Fried Salt Pork
Cut pork in rather thin slices; freshen by pouring boiling water over slices; let stand a few minutes; drain; roll in flour, and fry crisp. Drain off all fat from frying pan except 2 tablespoons; stir into hot pan 2 tablespoons flour until smooth and bubbling; let cool a moment, and stir in about 2 cups milk. Stir and cook until smooth and thickened. Add pepper, and salt if necessary. Boil 2 minutes and turn into gravy dish.
A frequent camp meal is salt pork so fried, boiled potatoes with this milk gravy to spoon over them, and doughnuts or pie. Salt pork is indispensable in camp. "Green sass" (that is, dandelion greens, turnip tops, cabbage, etc.) is invariably cooked with it. It is not only good in itself, but diced and fried crisp it adds a scrumptious flavor to a whole range of dishes. For instance, pea soup and bean soup, corn or oyster chowder, good enough in themselves, become swell pickings when flavored with fat, crisp, salt pork.
A camp standby that hinges on two things: pulling enough salt out of the pork before it hits the pan, and not letting the flour scorch in the fat afterward.
- Freshening is not optionalSalt pork is cured hard and will be inedible straight from the package. Pouring boiling water over the slices and letting them stand draws out surface salt; for a heavily cured piece, give it two changes of hot water, or soak the slices in cold water for an hour and pat them dry.
- Slice thickness"Rather thin" is not defined; something on the order of 1/8 to 1/4 inch is a reasonable reading, since thick slices leave a core of fat that never fully crisps. A well-chilled or briefly frozen slab cuts far more cleanly.
- What to buySalt pork is cured side or fatback, unsmoked and unsweetened, usually sold in a slab near the bacon. Thick-cut bacon can stand in but brings smoke and sugar that change the gravy; if you use it, skip the freshening step and expect a darker, sweeter result.
- The gravy ratioTwo tablespoons fat, two tablespoons flour and two cups milk gives a pourable gravy, not a thick one. Cook the roux until it bubbles and smells nutty but stays pale, then add the milk in a steady stream while stirring to keep it lump-free.
- Salt lastThe instruction to add "salt if necessary" is deliberate. Fat and browned bits carry more salt than you expect, so taste after the gravy has boiled its two minutes and before you reach for the shaker.
- Heat controlMedium heat renders the fat steadily and crisps the pork without burning the flour coating. Over a camp fire, work at the edge of the coals rather than over flame.
- YieldThe recipe gives no quantity for the pork; the two cups of gravy is enough for about four servings over boiled potatoes.
- "Green sass"Dialect for garden greens. Dandelion, turnip tops and cabbage were simmered with a chunk of salt pork for both fat and seasoning; any sturdy green will take the same treatment in 20 to 30 minutes.