A lard needle is used to push fat into meat for cooking, known as larding, to keep it moist and tasty. Lard is the traditional choice, but other fats can be used. The needle is sharp and hollow, leaving a streak of fat in the meat. Larding infuses flavor and can be blended with herbs and spices.
A lard needle is a needle designed to push fat into meats for cooking in a process known as larding. Larding is a very ancient technique for keeping meat moist and tasty during the cooking process and continues to be required in some recipes. Lard is the traditional choice of fat for this cooking technique, as it is cheap and readily available, although other rendered fats can also be used. A related cooking technique, barding, involves wrapping meats in strips of fat, rather than forcing the fat into the meat.
A typical lard needle has a very sharp point and a hollow body. A strip of fat or lard is forced into the lard needle, then the needle is pushed through the cut of meat to be larded. As the lard needle passes through the meat, it leaves the streak of fat behind. In one sense, lard could be seen as a form of artificial marbling, lacing a meat with fat so that it will cook to perfection.
Some cooks use a U-shaped lard needle that works in much the same way as a regular lard needle. Many lard needles also feature tiny teeth to grab the chunk of fat as it runs through the meat. Cooks can also make lard by injecting lard into a cut of meat with a large diameter needle, as long as they remember to gently pull the needle out as they force it out to avoid making a large deposit of lard in a small area.
As lard meats roast, the lard keeps the meat moist and infuses it with flavor. The fat will slowly come out of the meat so it doesn’t end up tasting greasy or greasy. Since dryness is a big problem with roasted meats for many people, especially large roasts, lard can be a useful cooking technique to experiment with. Many classic cookbooks like The Joy of Cooking and Julia Child’s words can help you learn larding techniques.
Seasoned fats are popular choices for larding as the seasoning will infuse the meat as it cooks. Lard can be blended with herbs, spices, or ingredients like garlic for a rich, released flavor. By using a lard needle, the cook can ensure that the seasoning seeps into the meat, rather than staying on the surface as is the case with things like rubs.
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