"Larding" a brisket

[Tim Y]

For Christmas, I got the book "Legends of Texas Barbecue" by Robb Walsh.
There is a technique decribed as "larding" where hard pieces of fat are cut from the underside of the brisket, cut into slices (or plugs), seasoned with olive oil and rub, and then inserted into the lean side of the brisket along with thin slices of garlic through slits cut into the meat deep enough to keep the plugs from popping out....
The recipe calls for about 12 plugs for an 8-10 pound untrimmed packer.

My question is:

Has anybody tried this technique and is there a noticable difference that the plugs add to the meat?
In theory, I see where the extra fat and flavor could help a lean brisket, but in practice I wonder if it's really worth it....

Just wondering....thanks

 

[K Kruger]

I have larded many roasts in my day. Brisket is not one of them. Imo, it is not worth the bother. Even Select grade brisket is not so lean as to require it. I do it mostly with game meats, like venison and the like.

That said, you can certainly do it if you'd like to try it. A larding needle is handy but not required. The technique noted in "Legends' is only nominally larding - and barely so. Far better is to use soft fat - not the hard fat from trimmings. Freezing it first helps get it into the slits you create. Oil not required.

 

[Noe]

Tim don't waste your time larding a brisket, not worth the trouble and you will never be able to taste the difference from a larded brisket vs non larded brisket.

 

[Phil Perrin]

The last couple briskets I did were fully trimmed,small(2-3 lb) ones from the local grocery store. I top them with bacon and it made a world of difference. But,like I said,they were fully trimmed. No fat on 'em what-so-ever. If there is a nice fat cap already on it,I might trim it down a little,but the few packers I've done have been pretty good without plugging.