The classical technique of covering lean meat or poultry with strips of fat, usually pork back fat or bacon, to protect it from drying during roasting. Lean game birds, veal roasts, and beef fillets lack the internal marbling that bastes meat from within, so the barding fat melts slowly over the surface, insulating the flesh and adding richness. Butchers tie the fat in place with string, and it is typically removed before serving or crisped alongside. The method dates from eras when meats were leaner and ovens fiercer, and it remains in the repertoire for traditional roasts where succulence matters more than leanness. Modern cooks sometimes substitute butter-soaked cheesecloth for the same protective effect with less saturated fat.