Actually, the meat is like bacon but fattier than normal American bacon, which is a bit different from bacon in the UK or in Canada in the first place.   We put ours in with the greens this year, cooking by boiling first then added to the cooking greens.  Fried is good, too but don't fry the greens. : ).

Lots of folks simply use ham and let it do at that. 

Grits is for breakfast most of the time...quite good with butter and pepper.