My maternal grandfather, born in 1899, referred to side meat as just any meat that might compliment an abundance of fresh vegetables at a certain time of year. The meat was not the main course, nearly irrelevant, the vegetables were the important & preferred dish. The meat? Just an add on if you were so lucky to have it. Side meat.
Middle meat? thinking that's another subject as to the quality or cut of meat you happened to be getting off the animal at the time. Eating high on the hog was getting ham, chops, loin, etc. Middle meat was everyday meat, the upper cuts saved for company, Sunday dinner(that's about noon to 1PM BTW, supper is the evening meal) or special occasions.
A sayin? Again my maternal grandfather. As a youngin, I asked him why he had a gun. He looked me in the eye with a very serious expression that I've not forgotten, & said;
"You never know when a bad man might come in off the pike"
