side meat

noun

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

1. salt pork and bacon taken from the sides of a hog.

side meat

noun

1. informal,  salt pork or bacon

Word History and Origins

Origin of side meat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of side meat¹

C19: so called because it comes from the side of the pig

Example Sentences

“My grandmother … would point to a house and say, ‘Pat, when he was a little older than you, he’d be down there eating side meat.’

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On the main thoroughfare, no buildings were left unscathed: A derelict bath house had a hole blasted in its side; meat shops, pharmacies, a shoe shop and a beauty salon had been sprayed with shrapnel.

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A depressing reminder that Americans are now so blinded by partisanship that we can’t even tolerate another person’s choice of side meat?

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There were hams and shoulders, side meat and spare-ribs and belly.

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‘I done brought a nice mess of collard greens and I thought maybe we have supper together. I done brought a piece of side meat, too. These here greens need to be seasoned with that. You don’t care if the collards is just cooked in meat, do you?’

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