Salt Pork has been widely known as a popular dish in Western countries, especially Spain. Appearing in previous centuries, this traditional dish is still an indispensable one in the daily meals of Western citizens.
We can not deny the significant role of Salt Pork in creating an extra flavor meal. Yet, due to problems such as diet restriction, veganism, personal taste, and so on, Salt Pork substitutes are completely necessary. The following article refers to more alternative ingredients for Salt Pork which can still guarantee your favorite dishes in your own way. Let’s get started!
Essential Facts About Salt Pork
Like bacon, the ingredients of Salt Pork are from fat cut from the back or belly of a pig, then preserved by salting. But it is not smoked like bacon. As we all know, it has great use in cooking because of the compatibility of flavor with most dishes. It harmoniously combines with beans, green vegetables, tomatoes, stews, stuffings, cakes, etc.
According to research by Nutritionists, Salt Pork is a recommended food for daily healthy and balanced meals, especially for pregnant women and young children. That is because of its rich nutritional contents, which you can not find in any other pork dishes.
So, if you are looking for some Salt Pork Substitutes, here are ten ingredients you can give a try.
10 Best Salt Pork Substitutes (Recommended By Professionals)
1. Bacon
We already know Bacon is a product that has many similarities with Salt Pork. But, since it is impossible to use pre-seasoned varieties (they are not suitable for your dish), we have to find unsweetened meats and season them with salt before using them as Salt Pork substitute.
Bacon is also multi-functional like Salt Pork. It can take part in almost all dishes. For example, you can mix Bacon with green vegetables, tubers, and fruits to create simple salads. Besides, cakes such as burgers, pizza bacon, bread, etc., are also excellent choices to combine with bacon.
Bacon is an easy-to-find ingredient and is available in all supermarkets, stores and especially easy to apply. So let’s find a piece of bacon right away to replace the absence of Salt Pork in your kitchen.
2. Olive Oil or Plain Butter
If you are on a diet or vegetarian, these two products will be the first choices when you have to replace meat in your daily meals. Differ entirely from the fat from Salt Pork – animal fat, Olive Oil, and Butter are two good sources of vegetable fats recommended by experts.
The use of Olive oil daily prevents cancer, heart disease, and many other illnesses. It also has great advantages for your skin and fit body. What’s more, Plain Butter is beneficial for reducing cholesterol and the risk of atherosclerosis.
These two ingredients are insoluble fat, so you do not have to worry about your weight or skin. Therefore, if you are pursuing a green lifestyle and minimizing meat, add them to your recipes every single day immediately.
You should remember that when using Olive Oil and Plain Butter, you need to pay attention to the taste of food. Because these two alternatives do not taste precisely like Salt Pork, it is necessary to check the flavor to ensure your dish is still delicious.
3. Salt Butter
One more type of butter that you should consider to be a Salt Pork substitute is Salt butter. The traditional Butter only brings out the aroma of the dish, but salted butter will make your plate seem to have the presence of authentic Salt Pork. Depending on your diet, you should consider opting for different butter to bring various tastes for daily meals. Undoubtedly, it will be a great combination.
For example, a vegetarian dish will get a bit extra flavor due to salty butter and a refreshing aroma. Your diet salad will be more delicious when it has the right amount of salt. Cake, Pasta can also combine with salted butter instead of traditional Salt Pork. Salt Butter is definitely all-purpose.
4. Flavored Olive Oil
Like salted butter, Flavored olive oil is also a suitable substitute for Salt Pork. If you are a fan of olive oil, you also need to change the flavors of your dishes to make them more diverse, avoiding the feeling of boredom with the bold flavors.
Some kind of flavored olive oil that you can choose:
- Garlic oil: make gourmet bruschettas (garlic bread) or baked goods.
- Chilli oil: suitable for spaghetti, pizza, roast meat.
- Truffle oil: one of the most refined flavored oils for pasta, soup.
- Onion and shallot oil: ideality of salads, croutons, raw-fish tartare, and pasta salads.
- Pesto oil: accompanied by the presence of basil, an aromatic herb. Be great for pasta or salad, focaccia, or on grilled or raw vegetables.
One of the significant things about flavored Olive oil is the wonderful combination of many types of ingredients. The variety in those combinations creates various product options.
But one thing to keep in mind when storing them is always to keep them in the refrigerator. And for this type of oil, direct use or low temperature will be more effective when heating because heating will significantly reduce the taste and nutritional content.
5. Beef Jerky
Another handy substitute for salted pork is beef jerky. Beef jerky is also processed and marinated with spice, but it is also used as an everyday snack. During picnics, exploration, needing a backup dish in any situation, beef jerky will be a good choice because of the extended use time.
And of course, beef jerky is also used as an ingredient to cook dishes without using Salt Port such as bread, salads, stews, and many more.
6. Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon is a popular dish in Europe and also an easy dish to combine with everyday meals. It has a particular salty taste, so it is a great idea to become a Salt Pork substitute in dishes such as pasta, bread, sushi, stews, and stir-fries.
We already know that smoked salmon is a dish with a high-fat content despite many different processes. But that does not make salmon less popular because the fat in salmon is beneficial for our health. It is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids along with many other beneficial nutrients.
However, you should also have an awareness of high sodium in salmon despite cooking for a long time. So those who are on a particular diet or staying away from salt foods should consider it carefully before using it.
By the way, smoked salmon is a great alternative you should try. There is plenty of ready-to-eat salmon on the market in a variety of flavors, so let’s take advantage of these available foods to find new recipes for your own meals.
7. Pancetta
Pancetta – the most resembling product of Salt Pork. Do you know that Pancetta has another name, Italian Bacon? This Italian Salt Pork has mostly the same features as the salted pork, such as being made from the back and belly of the pig but not smoked. It also has a similar salty taste to Salt Pork, so that you can use Pancetta in the same amount. Due to these points, this is the best ingredient to use when your kitchen lacks Salt Pork or Bacon.
There is only one difference between these two types of pork is the fat content. Pancetta has a higher fat content, and this will be a great plus for it to use for people on a diet.
When using Pancetta, you should freeze it for 30 minutes if you want to make slicing the meat easier.
8. Fatback
People usually use fat from the back of pigs (not including meat) to use as fat or oil in food processing. So Fatback can substitute for Salt Pork when the Salt Pork plays a part as fat in the dish. Besides that, Fatback is prevalent in areas with a shortage of olive oil or a substitute for lack of oil.
Fatback is also an indispensable ingredient for making sausages, Salt Pork, or Bacon. Undoubtedly, the dishes will have no unique flavor in the absence of Fatback.
The minus point is that this source of fat comes from an animal. Unlike the fat of olive or butter, there are no recommendations from nutritious experts to use this. It is not healthy and beneficial. They contain many risks of severe diseases such as heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and so on. So pay attention to your body condition, and everyone else’s when using Fatback for dishes.
Another thing is that Fatback comes from the pig’s back, so there is no taste or aroma. You need to spice up your dish if you do not use Salt Pork.
9. Smoked Ham Hock
Smoked Ham Hock requires your own preparation, as it is hard to buy the cooked one. But this is the best alternative for Salt Pork, according to some people.
You need to prepare the pig’s trotters, marinate, and simmer them for an hour. Then you can get a delicious, fresh Salt Pork substitute. Smoked Ham Hock also contains many nutrients you can not find in pork belly or back, like Salt Pork, or Bacon. Cause there is an abundant collagen content found only in trotters.
10. Cured Vegetables
Cured Vegetables are another great Salt Pork Alternative. We already know that doctors always tell us to use green vegetables as much as possible since it is healthy, friendly to the diet.
Cured Vegetables are an exciting innovation from traditional green vegetables. They are processed and seasoned, with a delicious aroma and flavors. It gives farmers more time to preserve green vegetables when the vegetable can run out at once. Moreover, it makes our daily meal day less dull.
Why should you try Cured Vegetables instead of regular vegetables? As a dieter or vegan, you will get tired of eating vegetarian dishes that lack flavorful taste and aroma. Using this unique vegetable will renew your old meals. You can also buy it and store it in your kitchen without worrying about losing taste and nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salt Pork as same as Pork Belly?
Besides using fatback, people typically use pork belly to make Salt Pork. So, Salt Pork is as same as Pork Belly. The only difference is it is salt-cured.
How To Make Salt Pork At Home?
It is not complicated to make homemade salt pork, but that process takes time.
Here are some simple steps that you can follow:
Step 1: Prepare all the ingredients (Pork Belly, Sea Salt, Sugar, Black peppercorns, Onion)
Step 2: Wash the meat with cold water
Step 3: Prepare a big bowl and place the Pork Belly on it
Step 4: Mix sugar, salt, and other spices well
Step 5: Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the meat
Step 6: Cover the bowl and refrigerate
Step 7: Let it infuses spices for two days (A funny fact: it can last in the fridge for one year!)
Step 8: After two days, rinse off the meat with water and pat them dry (you can use a cloth towel or tissue)
Step 9: Cook until the meat turns golden
Step 10: It is time to enjoy!
You can watch a video to learn how to make Salt Pork here.
Can I eat raw Salt Pork?
Although pork belly is being cured with salt, that is not enough to kill all the bacterias. So before you enjoy Salt Pork, you should cook it at a high temperature to remove all parasites.
Wrapping Up
In a nutshell, there are several Salt Pork substitutes that you can use instead of Salt Pork. Hopefully, you have found the suitable one from the list above to add to your recipe.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to comment in the section below! And, enjoy your meals!
