side meat

American  

noun

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

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

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side meat British  

noun

1. informal salt pork or bacon

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Etymology

Origin of side meat

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

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.’

From Washington Post

It consisted of the three Ms�meal, meat and molasses, the meal being corn meal and the meat fat back or side meat.

From Time Magazine Archive

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

From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Joe took up the big meat knife and selected a piece of side meat to cut.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

In the kitchen they had grits and grease and side meat and coffee for breakfast.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers