Somewhere between bacon and lard, you’ll find Streak o’ Lean. It has a long and varied history in traditional southern foodways, having been used for everything from seasoning to rendering for fat. This recipe showcases it on its own, dredged in flour and fried. One of the tastiest recipes from my childhood!
I debated with myself for a long time about whether to post this recipe. A really long time. Not just because almost no one will know what it is. Those folks are going to be few and far between.
But mostly because old-time southern food has such a bad reputation. It doesn’t need me adding fuel to the fire with old recipes that just reinforce that stereotype. Yet, despite all those reasons nagging me, I still wanted to do it. So, here it is. Streak o’ Lean.
Who’s ever heard of Streak o’ Lean? Speak up. (testing, testing, is this thing on?)
— This post was originally published on November 30, 2012. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 13 Minutes (plus a few hours inactive time)
Servings: 6
Primary Ingredient(s): Salt pork, milk, flour, oil
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
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“My grandma always called it “white side”. I remember her always serving it with white rice with tomato gravy(some sort of stewed tomato combo) and fried cornbread. She made these little silver dollar sized fried corn cakes that had just the right amount of grated onion in the batter. I miss her and her cooking. Thanks for sharing this recipe.”
— Matt
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“Thank you for this! My late pop would make this once a year- pretty much only recipe he really knew. He’d serve it with fried potatoes covered with salt… Some of my best memories…”
— JB
What the Heck is Streak o’ Lean?
To start with, you’ll hear it called various things depending on what part of the South you’re from. In my area, it’s mostly streak-o-lean (Streak of Lean). Some folks run that all together, and it comes out sounding like “stricklin.” It’s also called fatback, side meat, white meat, and just plain salt pork.
You can think of Streak o’ Lean as kind of the opposite of bacon. Where bacon is smoked and has a streak of fat among the lean meat, streak o’ lean is salt-cured and has a lean streak among the fat. It’s salt pork that’s prepared by coating it in flour and then pan frying.
Now, before you send the food police around to my house and start proceedings to revoke my official food blogger’s license, just wait a minute. As crazy as the food world is today about bacon, if I had said I was flouring and frying bacon, some of y’all would be in a swoon right now. You know you would.
And besides, this is not something to be eaten every day of the week. As a matter of fact, the best I can remember, it has been at least 10 years since I last cooked Streak o’ Lean.
Although it can still be found on restaurant buffet lines in rural areas of the South, it’s really one of those once or twice a year (maybe decade) kinds of recipes. But be warned, once you’ve had it, you’ll never forget it. You’ll crave it. You will look for it at every buffet, and you’ll make any excuse to “just have a little bite.”
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- Part of our southern food traditions.
- Budget friendly (okay, it’s just flat out cheap).
- It’s just plain delicious!
Ingredient Notes
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- Salt Pork — Salt pork is very easy to find anywhere throughout the South. It should be available in most other areas because of its association with baked beans.
- Peanut Oil — I use peanut oil for any frying because it has a high smoking point. Canola or vegetable oil can be used as well.
- Black Pepper — No salt is needed because… *salt* pork.
- All-Purpose Flour — Makes a lovely crispy fried coating.
- Buttermilk or Regular Milk — You’ll soak the salt pork to draw out some of the salt before cooking.
Note that the amounts given in the recipe are merely estimates. It’s very hard to give exact measurements because it’s one of those old recipes where you use what you need at the moment.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Cook Streak o’ Lean
So how do you cook Streak o’ Lean? Well, you start with some salt pork. It’s the same thing that you use to season a pot of greens or a pot of baked beans.
Pro Tip
Salt pork is available in one whole piece or in slices. You can slice it yourself with a very sharp knife or purchase the pre-sliced to make preparation very simple.
- The first step is to soak the salt pork. This step draws out a lot of the salt, and believe me, you don’t want to skip this. I know some restaurants that don’t soak it at all, just fry it up, but I prefer to draw out some of the salt first. Remove the salt pork from the milk, letting most of it drain away. Discard the milk.
- Place the salt pork on a board or pan and sprinkle it liberally with ground pepper.
Pro Tip
Any kind of milk or cream works fine for drawing out the salt. Some cooks, instead of soaking, will boil the salt pork for about ten minutes, drain it, and then proceed with the recipe. If you’re short on time, that works as well.
- Then flour it well on both sides.
- Heat about a ¼ inch of peanut oil in a heavy skillet. When the oil is hot, carefully lower the prepared pieces of salt pork into the pan. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned, crispy, and cooked through – about 3 minutes on each side.
- Put the finished slices on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
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Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the milk soak. I know that many people go straight from the package to the skillet, but I prefer taking a couple of hours to draw out some of the salt before cooking. As an alternative to the milk soak, you can boil the pork for about 10 minutes, drain and dry it well and then proceed with the recipe. This option is good if time is short. As always, you do you.
- Slice evenly for consistent cooking. If you’re slicing yours from one piece, keep your slices an even thickness as possible so that the whole slice cooks at the same rate.
- Use a heavy skillet. Cast iron and stainless steel both hold heat well and create a nicely crisp exterior.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed. Too many pieces in the skillet will lower the oil temperature and lead to poor results.
Serving Suggestions
Streak o’ Lean is one of those foods that fits just about anywhere on the menu. Serve it with breakfast in place of bacon alongside hot grits, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. Or for lunch or supper with traditional southern vegetables (butter beans, creamed field corn, and sliced fresh tomatoes).
Questions About Streak-o-Lean
Streak o’ lean and pork belly are similar, but they come from different areas of the pig. Pork belly comes from, well, the belly, and streak o’ lean comes from the side (why it’s also called “side meat”) and is fattier. It’s also not bacon. Bacon is cured pork belly.
Most pork sold today already has the rind removed. If I was lucky enough to have a piece of pork with the rind, I’d leave it on just for nostalgic reasons. You might prefer to remove it, though. It’s totally up to you!
The slices should be nicely browned with a crispy exterior and no raw or rubbery texture remaining. It only takes a few minutes on each side.
More Old Southern Recipes You’ll Like
If you enjoyed this recipe for Streak-o-Lean, then you’ll also want to check out these:
Chicken Jallop
Southern Fried Quail
Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
Southern Country Fried Steak
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
Streak o’ Lean
Ingredients
- 12 ounces salt pork sliced
- 1 ½ cups milk or buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- peanut oil for frying (1/4-inch deep)
Instructions
- Place the sliced salt pork in a container and cover with milk or buttermilk. Let sit for several hours to draw out some of the salt. Remove the salt pork from the milk. Discard the milk.12 ounces salt pork, 1 ½ cups milk or buttermilk
- Pepper each slice of salt pork and then dredge lightly in flour.2 teaspoons ground black pepper, ½ cup all-purpose flour
- Add peanut oil to a depth of a ¼ inch to a heavy skillet. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Carefully add the prepared salt pork slices to the hot oil. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through (about 7-8 minutes).peanut oil
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
Notes
- Salt pork is very easy to find throughout the south. It should be available in most other areas because of its association with baked beans.
- I use peanut oil for any frying because it has a high smoking point. Canola or vegetable oil can be used as well.
- Instead of soaking the salt pork in milk, some cooks will boil it for about ten minutes, drain it and then proceed with the recipe. If you’re short on time, that works well.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I grew up on a farm and we cured our own meats, not smoked just salt cured! I still love “real” country ham or “middlin” meat (bacon or fat-back). This post comes at a good time since this is basically how I fix my hog jowl for New Years since I still do the traditional meal I grew up on which is hog jowl, blackeyed peas, and greens for New Years dinner. I roll the jowl in cornmeal and then fry it in the manner you described and it is delicious!! My husband is a northerner and he had never tried it until we were married. When I bought the jowl he said he wasn’t going to eat any of that stuff, but after it was fixed he now looks forward to eating it – which I only fix the one time a year. We also love the salted pork like you fixed with gravy and biscuits!
I’ve had pork jowl, blackeyed peas, and greens every New Year’s Day for my whole life, Lenoria! It just wouldn’t be New Year’s without it, would it?
Yes, I recall this delicacy showing up a few times in my childhood and youth. Was it the same thing as what my folks called “side”?
I’ve heard it called all kinds of things, Stella. My daddy called it “white meat.”
I’m 71, from the deep south, and have eaten what my mother called “White Side” all my life, though not very often. It is exactly the same as “Streak o’ Lean. Mama cooked it quite a bit and she did soak it; I don’t, and she never floured it so neither do I. Just fry it until crispy. Country ham is just about as salty and lots of people eat that regularly. Hardee’s has a Country Ham Biscuit that is delicious. Some McDonald’s have that as well. I do try to eat healthy most of the time, however sometimes that food we ate from childhood is worth it. Drink some orange juice or eat a banana to even out the sodium. My in-laws used “Fat Back” for seasoning and it was total fat; couldn’t stand it.
I’m a born and bred south Mississippi girl, who grew up in a family of 8. Occasionally my father would cook supper for us to give my mother a break from cooking. One of the things he loved was fried “salt meat,” tomato gravy and a fabulous bread he fried in an iron skillet. We called it galette. Being descended from French ancestors, this word was used for skillet breads and sweets. Thanks for the memories you brought back to mind. And to everyone else who posted allowing us a glimpse into their family and community memories!
Thanks for sharing your memories, Marcia!
Have lived in the South all my life (81) and remember fried “fat back” well. However, I have just learned more about it in the last year (I moved to a small town). My African-American friends told me about their mothers flouring the meat and cooking it in the oven. I have also learned about tomato gravy. Apparently quite popular and I never knew. I was a city girl.
Because I wanted to make these treats for our community breakfast, I decided my only help was going online. Bingo! Found out everything I need to know. Can hardly wait until morning to see how they like. I’m sure I will learn some fine-tuning points from my friends.
Thank each one of you have taught me so much!. Love Ya!
I grew up eating this. In fact, I’m planning to go to the meat market tomorrow to buy some. My daddy never soaked it in milk or used flour. He just threw it in a cast iron skillet and fried it like bacon. I love to eat it along side fresh red potatoes cooked in milk and butter. That’s my supper menu for tomorrow night! :)
Hope you enjoy it, Sonia! We don’t have it often, but when we do we thoroughly enjoy indulging!
I live in South Carolina, I bought a pack of “Streak O’ Lean” the other day and googled it and found this. I was raised southern, and this is a rare treat. I’m going to eat it with no regrets
I had this a lot as a child growing up on the Chesapeake. My Grandfather was a waterman and we had big breakfasts very early. My Grandmother called it “Fried fat-back”, we called it delicious. She would fry the crab cakes, oysters, spot (a local fish), and eggs in bacon grease. We didn’t know what hush puppies were, or biscuits and gravy (yuk!).
When I was a little girl my grandaddy used to cook this sometimes, but he used to just throw it in the pan no butter milk or flour.
I want to try it with the flour to see how different it tastes.
My husband is a CrossFit, biking, kayaking healthy eating man. But every year on his birthday he makes me laugh with his B’day dinner request.” I want Fried fat back, butter beans, and coleslaw. “Then a pain in the butt to make Carmel icing for his cake. I have to call my mom every year to ask how do I fry this? But this year I lost my mom so here I am on Pinterest and here it is! Thank you for posting this, but I was gonna say drudging it in flour makes a huge difference it doesn’t draw up as bad. I am looking forward to trying soaking it in buttermilk we always soaked ours in water.
Pamela,
Enjoyed your recollections of “Fat Back”. Funny how we spend so much time thinking about the simpler foods of our past. Growing up in East Texas, we never had seen a red bean. All we knew were pinto beans. Now that I live in New Orleans where the sun rises and sets on the “Red Bean”, I rarely eat pintos, although they will always be my favorite. As you know, salt pork/fat back is an excellent seasoning for them. Whether cooking in a stock pot or crock pot, I always render my salt pork first in a skillet with a little butter or oil, before adding beans. We could all write a book on the many different methods/recipes to prepare cornbread, but in my family, cornbread was strictly a yellow meal recipe cooked in a standard size black skillet. We would always melt a couple of tbs of crisco in the skillet and let it get hot enough to smoke, otherwise the cornbread will always stick. Once smoking, we’d pour in the batter and bake for about 20 minutes. Then we’d remove, give the skillet a shake to loosen the bread, then flip it over. This would allow it to brown and crisp on both sides. Using crisco rather than oil will make the edges crispier. Eat with fresh cold butter and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven!. I’m sure you have a special recipe that’s dear to you as well. This is such a wonderful site to share.
Regards,
Ben
Ben, this was the way my mom made pinto beans and cornbread. I guess I did not realize we were poor. We always had three meals a day, however. I remember the cornbread so well. Thanks.
I grew up eating this with pinto beans and corn bread…my Momma never soaked it or breaded it so it was SALTY to the max! I found your recipe today looking for a way to season crockpot pintos with it. We always just called it fat-back and my Daddy actually cured it himself. Believe it or not I’m only 25…when I tell my friends the way I grew up they say I sound like an old timer :) I take that as a compliment. My Momma came from a farming/logging family of 10, my Daddy from a farming/logging family of 5. I’m an only child of a logging Daddy and nurse Momma but grew up with A LOT of cousins and learning/doing/working in a very old-fashioned way. I have a family of 4 now myself and love the way I grew up :) thanks for reminding me of my childhood! So weird that something as crazy as fat-back brought all that back lol! Oh and what the person above referred to as “scrapple” we call it livermush here in western NC and we eat it as a breakfast meat or with pintos and cornbread :) very yummy!
Lana,
I’m obviously late to the conversation, but this made my heart sing when I read your recipe and all of the wonderful comments. I’ve spent the past 25 years attempting to explain to my friends, this wonderful of southern staples. My family was a transplant to East Texas from Southern Alabama shortly after the Civil War so most all of our cherished recipes hail from that area. I never heard this referred to as Streak O Lean, we just simply knew it as Fried Salt Pork. When purchasing the pork, we owned a rural family store and often bought “Green Pork Belly” in bulk, now more commonly known as green bacon. Some varieties/cuts/sources are more salty than others. My family tended to acquire the saltiest variety known to man. The belly (or cut slab) would literally be covered in dry salt, like snow. My Great-Grandmother would even scrub it with a bit of soap, first before soaking. Our standard method was to slice thin, (always with the rind on), begin soaking in a mixture of syrup water in the morning and just prior to the noon meal, pepper, flour and then deep fry. The texture and taste was amazing. We grew sugar cane and made our own syrup every fall (true cane syrup not to be confused with sorgum) so this is what was used. I now keep a can of Steens Pure Cane Syrup on hand for this very purpose. This wonderful tradition has nearly died out of our region although there is now a huge resurgence in all things “pork-belly”. Funny how food comes in and out of fashion like clothing. Thank you again for sharing. Ben Coleman
Thank you so much for commenting Ben. You’re absolutely right, food fads come and go and right now anything “southern” or “vintage” is very cool. I just shake my head when I see young cooks acting like they’ve discovered a new continent the first time they make pimento cheese, for instance. Good Lord…we never thought anything about pimento cheese until a few years ago when it started being popular outside the South. Same with pork belly in all its uses. It’s one of the most fashionable ingredients in food circles right now.
My family also grew cane and made syrup every fall. It’s hard to find any good cane syrup these days. Same with cornmeal. Very hard to find good quality, fine ground, white cornmeal. But we search out those ingredients because we enjoy bringing out and keeping alive those old food traditions.
I enjoyed your comment so much and I do hope you’ll continue reading the blog. I do both new and old-fashioned recipes so you never know what you’ll see here!
We have streak o lean biscuits almost every Saturday morning for breakfast. Have for years. I don’t wash it, just fry it in a pan (no oil) like bacon. Cut off the rind and put 2 or 3 slices in a fresh baked biscuit. Nothing better. I’ve seen my brother cook it just long enough to get some fat rendered, then remove it from the pan, dredge it in flour, let it sit a minute, then return it to the pan to finish cooking. Delicious. Nothing like living and eatin’ in middle Georgia. (Don’t tell my Doctor! : )
BTW – I never make cornbread without buttermilk.
Found this recipe because my husband requested streak-o-lean, creamed corn, sliced tomatoes and home-made biscuits tonight. I’ve cooked it maybe twice in fifty years of marriage. If you read current health literature, it seems that natural fats are no longer the bad boy they’ve been made out to be. I doubt s-o-l will ever be recommended, but now and then…… to make my husband happy……. He says his mom used to batter it in syrup before flouring it, I guess to make the four stick.
Hi Jan – never heard of putting the streak-o-lean in syrup! That’s a new one on me. Hope your husband enjoyed his dinner.
I remember streak o’ lean and Merry Acres buffet, too. When we would have fish fries outside in our back yard, it would not be complete without some streak o’ lean.