Pork, cured, ham, separable fat, boneless, unheated
Whole food · Pork Products
Photo: Wikipedia
This is the unheated, separable fat from a cured ham, a pure, wobbly slab of rich, salty pork flavor. Its texture is smooth and yielding, melting on the tongue with a deep, savory, umami essence from the curing process. Nutritionally, it's a dense energy source, composed almost entirely of fat with minimal protein and carbohydrates.
Calorie split: 6% protein · 1% carbs · 93% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its unparalleled ability to add a profound, salty, meaty depth to foods, whether melted into beans, used to fry potatoes, or simply enjoyed as a savory bite. It's a cornerstone of flavor in many traditional cuisines, prized for transforming simple ingredients.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its extremely high fat and sodium content makes it unsuitable for frequent consumption, especially for those managing heart health or blood pressure. To counteract, use it sparingly as a flavoring agent rather than a main component, and always pair it with high-fiber vegetables or whole grains to balance the meal.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of dietary fat for energy and satiety.
- Provides fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin E.
- Adds intense, savory flavor to dishes without needing much.
- A traditional ingredient for rendering cooking fat (lard).
- High in monounsaturated fats, similar to olive oil.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The process of curing ham with salt and sometimes smoke was a crucial preservation method for centuries before refrigeration, making this fat a valuable, long-lasting source of calories and flavor.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 35.6 g |
| Energy | 515 kcal |
| Energy | 2153 kj |
| Protein | 7.5 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 53.0 g |
| Ash | 2.0 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 1.9 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.44 g |
| Sucrose | 0.00 g |
| Glucose | 0.44 g |
| Fructose | 0.00 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 4.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.50 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 11.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 143 mg |
| Potassium, K | 174 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 616 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.1 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.02 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 15.8 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.23 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.02 mg |
| Niacin | 2.6 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.34 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.19 mg |
| Folate, total | 0.00 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 0.00 ug |
| Choline, total | 30.7 mg |
| Betaine | 1.9 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.31 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 13.0 ug |
| Retinol | 13.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 44.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.76 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.01 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.18 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.18 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.11 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 48.0 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 1.2 ug |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 1.2 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 17.4 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.64 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 11.1 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.15 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 5.4 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.09 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.05 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 23.9 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 1.2 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 22.4 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 22.1 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.38 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 6.9 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 6.2 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 6.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.29 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.29 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.27 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.12 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.41 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.25 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.25 g |
| TFA 18:2 t,t | 0.16 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.16 g |
| Cholesterol | 61.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.05 g |
| Threonine | 0.29 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.30 g |
| Leucine | 0.54 g |
| Lysine | 0.54 g |
| Methionine | 0.15 g |
| Cystine | 0.09 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.28 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.20 g |
| Valine | 0.36 g |
| Arginine | 0.46 g |
| Histidine | 0.33 g |
| Alanine | 0.46 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.64 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.00 g |
| Glycine | 0.57 g |
| Proline | 0.37 g |
| Serine | 0.28 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.16 g |
FAQ
What is the difference between this and regular pork lard?
Lard is rendered (melted and strained) pork fat. This is the solid, unrendered fat as it comes from the cured ham, so it retains its salt and cured flavor.
Can I use this for baking?
While you can render it into lard for baking, using it unrendered will impart a strong, salty, savory flavor that is typically unsuitable for sweet baked goods like pie crusts.
Is it the same as 'salt pork'?
They are very similar. Salt pork is typically from the belly and is salt-cured but not necessarily smoked. Ham fat comes from the leg and is part of the cured ham product.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 5.15 kcal/g · 6% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.4 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 3.54 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.