All pork-butchers sell salt pork for larding. Cut it in slices and then
by cutting the slices across it makes square strips or fillets.
The strips must be of a proper size to be easily inserted into the
larding-needle, and are about two inches and a half long.
When the needle is run half way through the meat, insert the salt pork
into it, pull the needle off and leave the salt pork inside of the meat,
both ends of it sticking out.
If it were running through, that is, if the salt pork were pulled off
with the needle, most likely the strips are too small; then pull slowly,
and when the salt pork is far enough into the meat, press on it with the
finger and pull the needle, it will then stay in its proper place. It is
better to cut a few strips first and try if they are of a proper size.
If, in pulling off the needle, the salt pork does not enter the meat,
the strips are too large.
If the strips are of a proper size and break while pulling the needle
off, then the pork is not good.
_Fricandeau_, sweetbreads, birds, etc., are larded in the same way.
For beef _a la mode_, it is described in the receipt.