What Are Lardons?

Is there any foodstuff that has been more overexposed in the last several years than bacon? I don’t think so. I have no beef with bacon—it’s a top tier breakfast ingredient and can help make a burger extra indulgent and delicious—but I am faintly exhausted by the idea of bacon as a signifier for a sort of maximalist lifestyle. Strips of bacon live alongside mustaches and unicorns as something that you could find on a Hawaiin t-shirt or pair of boxers that someone is supposed to think is hilarious. Is bacon inherently hilarious? I don’t think so.

Besides, these strips of bacon are only one of the many delicious pork products available. Today we’ll be discussing another: the lardon. But what is a lardon, exactly? What does it taste like? Are lardons the same as pancetta? Let’s get sizzling with some answers. 

What are lardons? 

A lardon is a small cube of fatty bacon or pork fat used to add flavor and texture to a dish. It is particularly common in French cooking. The earliest usage of the term, according to the Middle English Dictionary, is from a 1381 cookbook. The book recommends putting lardons in cranes and herons. And really, if you’ve never had a heron or crane with lardons, it’s the only way to eat them.

Incidentally, lard is not the same thing as a lardon, but it is somewhat similar—it is also a pork fat product, though it is, essentially, rendered pork fat. 

Are lardons the same as pancetta?

Lardons and pancetta are quite similar; they’re both cured pork products that, when cooked, become soft in consistency and add rich, meaty flavor to a dish. In fact, they’re similar enough that you can use pancetta as a lardon substitute if you’re in a pinch. However, they’re not exactly alike.

The biggest difference, ultimately, is the seasoning. Pancetta comes standard with spices as part of the curing process, while lardons do not. And while pancetta is also available in the chopped variety, it’s more commonly round which gives a clear visual differentiator between the two pork products. Lardons are always cubed or in little batons.

How to make lardons?

The folks at Bon Appetit have a step-by-step guide for making the perfect lardons. It turns out it’s pretty simple. You need to start with slab bacon. Cut it into one quarter inch thick strips. Take these strips and cook them slowly over medium heat, keeping a close eye on them. Once most of the fat has been rendered out (but before they burn), take them off the heat. That’s it! From here, you can add them to any dish that could use a delicious, meaty note. 

How to use lardons? 

Unsurprisingly, lardons are extremely versatile. They provide some delicious pork flavor and fat to a dish, and it’s not hard to imagine a circumstance in which you would want to do that. 

French cuisine is rife with lardons: Quiche Lorraine, boeuf Bourguignon, coq au vin, and many more staples of Gallic gastronomy are prepared with a hearty helping of these rich meaty bits. But if you want to move beyond France, you can basically incorporate lardons anywhere that you would use bacon. And for some people, that’s pretty much everywhere.


About the Author

Matt Crowley

Matt Crowley is a comedy writer living in Los Angeles. He likes maple-flavored snacks, loves every kind of cheese, and is slowly learning to accept mushrooms.

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