Are you planning on serving a beef fillet for your holiday dinner? Did you purchase a cut of beef that has enough fat to make it juicy and flavorful? If not, you may want to consider larding it. Larding is an age-old culinary technique designed to add moisture and flavor to a cut of meat. In my experience, it is an easy and fairly inexpensive procedure that can turn a potentially dry piece of beef into a scrumptious masterpiece. Here’s how to do it:
Larding Supplies
Larding a piece of beef requires two items, a larding needle and lardoons. At this point you may be wondering, “What the heck are larding needles and lardoons?” Larding needles consist of a hollow tube with a pointed end. They are used to insert lardoons into cuts of meat that could use a little love. Larding needles are available for purchase through restaurant supply shops. Prices for larding needles vary and tend to range from $5 to $20.
Lardoons are made from a pig’s backfat. It is essentially thin strips of fat that are cut off of a block of lardo or fatback. It is also often confused with saltpork or pork belly, which comes from a different area of the pig. Lardo may be purchased through butcher shops, meat markets, specialty stores and southern grocery stores. Lardo is cured and pre-seasoned. It tends to sell for $36 a pound. I’d recommend that you buy fatback instead because it tends to be cheaper. Depending on where you live, you can generally purchase fatback for $1.50 per pound. It is white in color and may be frozen if necessary.
Inserting the Lardoons
Start by cutting the fatback into long, thin slices that match the width and length of the larding needle. If the fatback starts to get mushy during the cutting process, you can firm it up by placing it in the freezer or an ice bath for a few minutes. Once you’ve cut your lardoons out of the fatback, place one inside the larding needle. Next, insert the larding needle into the meat and then slowly retract it. Hopefully, the lardoon will break free from the larding needle’s hollow and remain inside the meat. If it doesn’t work on the first try, keep trying. Eventually the lardoon will break free from the larding needle’s hollow. Continue injecting lardoons into the meat at even intervals. Afterward, you may also want to consider wrapping the beef with bacon. It is not necessary though. Once the lardoons are in place, cook the beef fillet as you normally would.
Source: Personal Experience
Killeen Gonzalez has a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She is a former special events planner.
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