Barding is wrapping lean meat in strips of fat (most commonly bacon) to
keep it moist while roasting.

I've finally come up with a use (other than rendering to make shmaltz)
for those two large chunks of fat present just inside the body cavity of
a fresh chicken.

I've been pulling them out, then loosening the skin over the breast meat
and sliding those chunks of fat between the skin and the meat, then
folding the skin back down over the front to hold them in place.

I've done this with the last two birds I have roasted to see what would
happen. What I have found is that this eliminates the need to start them
breast down then having to flip them over to finish them breast side up
half way thru the cook to keep from ending up with dry breast meat.

The breast meat is turning out much moister, and most of that fat is
cooking out to the point where there is virtually nothing left of it by
the time the bird is done. :-)

This really works!

These birds are up on a rack over a drip tray in the toaster oven so
they are not soaking in their own drippings.

I'm considering trying it with the next turkey I roast. I have about 5
lbs. of chicken fat in the freezer that I'd planned on rendering, but
have never gotten around to it...

I got the idea from posts I'd seen (and tried) that involved mixing
herbs with butter and doing the same thing. Sliding those pats of herbed
butter between the skin and the breast meat.

I've not yet tried adding fresh herbs to this combo. I've just treated
the outside with dried herbs, spices and granulated garlic like I always
have.
--
Peace! Om

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