Chewing the Fat

Chewing the fat is a way to describe small talk.  It can also be applied to friendly conversations.  It gives the impression of having a relaxing conversation.

Example: “What are you guys talking about?”  “Nothing much, we’re just chewing the fat.”

The history of ‘chewing the fat’ is not clearly understood.  It is another phrase that I learned a false etymology that was only exposed after I researched it.  I heard that a long time ago, the fat from bacon was considered a delicacy that would only be eaten (chewed) during special occasions or to show off someone’s wealth.  I guess having a fat pig shows you had enough money to feed it a lot or to buy it from someone else.  So, on special occasions, people would sit around and slowly chew the fat while having conversations.  It turns out that this is just not true and comes from an article called Life in the 1500s.  The article must have been influential because I have heard many of those (incorrect) stories before.

Native Americans (Inuit people) were known to chew on animal hides (skins) to soften them.  They chewed the hides in their spare time.  British sailors also carried salted bacon with them on long voyages.  Over time, the fat would become hard, so they had to chew it a lot to eat it.

Another explanation comes from the act of eating fat.  When people are chewing on the fat, their jaw is moving, kind of like how jaws move when we speak.

In any case, the earliest recording of the phrase dates back over 100 years.  It originally meant to grumble (talk negatively) or complain about something.  However, now it means to talk in a friendly and unimportant way.

Similar phrases include:  Chew the rag, Chew the cud
See Also:  Biting Off More Than You Can Chew 

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Reference:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/life-in-the-1500s/
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-che5.htm
https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=tNttOhz6_s8C&pg=PT1488&lpg=PT1488&dq=slang+and+its+analogues+chew+the+fat&source=bl&ots=x_CbTcI1Ls&sig=ACfU3U1fqggH_65uHoLC8FluqyL9yxP8Jg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQ-abliIbzAhXaeN4KHZyOCoQQ6AF6BAggEAM#v=onepage&q=slang%20and%20its%20analogues%20chew%20the%20fat&f=false
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-does-chew-the-fat-mean.htm