Lardons are small pieces of fat, typically pork fat, which are used extensively in French cooking, as well as in some cooking from other regions. Lardons add a distinctly rich, salty flavor to food which some consumers find quite enjoyable. The term “lardon” is also used to refer to the strips of fat which are used to lard meat; in larding, strips of fat are threaded into a roast of meat to help keep it moist while it cooks.

Some recipes call for lardons in the early stages; many French soups and stews, for example, use lardons to provide a starting layer of fat for browning meats and vegetables. Lardons can also be cooked until they are crispy to add texture and flavor; crisped lardons may be sprinkled onto salads, roasts, and other dishes. They may also be added to quiches, omelettes, and an assortment of other foods.

In some regions, lardons can be found for sale, prechopped, in sealed packaging. In other cases, cooks may purchase a piece of fatback and slice it into lardons. Fatback in a fatty cut of pork from the back of a pig which is also used to make bacon. In areas where lardons or fatback are not available, some cooks improvise with fatty strips of bacon cut into small pieces.

The pork used to produce lardons is typically cured so that it acquires a salty, slightly smoky flavor and so that it will keep for an extended period of time. Salt curing can also integrate other spices such as pepper and bay leaves, so it is possible to find lardons with a wide range of seasonings. Some cooks like to cure their own fatback, if they have access to fresh pork; this allows them to control the salt and spicing. Lardons should not be confused with rendered lard, pig fat which is processed to make it uniformly smooth and creamy.

Although the thought of adding small chunks of pure fat to food might seem kind of odd, lardons really do add a distinctive flavor without making food feel greasy or oily. Pork fat is also a great frying medium, which is why lardons are used to brown and cook vegetables and meats. When crispy, lardons have a rich, salty flavor which could be likened to potato chips and other fat-rich, salty, crispy foods. When used as the base of a soup or stew, the lardons themselves are almost undetectable, but their rich flavor is certainly noticable.