# Fatty-Cake, Fatty-Cake, Smokin' MAN!!! Process & q-view



## forluvofsmoke

This is my 1st attempt, as I introduce you to another creation. This will be a double layer, and I’m covering many aspects of the process during the prep and smoke, so be ready for the works, with installments over a 2-day period.

This is a project I started dreaming up and writing notes on a few months ago, and I’ve been putting this off for way too long. The time has come to share another adventure during my quest for the ultimate smoke! 

I took a tip from another member who recently posted a reply to me:

****WARNING AND DISCLAIMER****

Reading/viewing the following thread may cause uncontrollable salivation/drooling. Do not continue until you have taken precautions to protect your electronics, and removed any unprotected power strips, etc. from the vicinity of your computer, as water/drool and electricity DO NOT MIX very well. It is also recommended that you wear casual clothing, and you may wish to have a roll of paper towels or other absorbent material within easy reach.

SMF, any of it's affiliates, nor the SMF member responsible for the opening post of this q-view cannot be held liable for any incidental or consequential damages resulting from this thread.


_****LOL!!!****_




*BREAKFAST FATTY-CAKE*


(for two 9” x 2” double layer cake pans as forms)


_*DAY ONE:*_

I began gathering my main ingredients and doing as much pre-smoke prep as I could.

I weighed out 2.5 lbs Tater Tots, hickory smoked with ½ qt water @ ~350* until browned and crisp (+/- 75 minutes), then chill in refrigerator in covered container. These will be used for part of the filling of the top section of the cake.

Onto my Smoke Vault Jerky Grate:



Ready to cool:


The tater tots are VERY crisp and have a light smoke flavor...very good...I'd do these again just for a side item!


I took 1 dozen grade A large eggs, scrambled with EVOO, a med/lg steamed and chopped vidalia onion in a 12” diameter pan, as a frittata (open omelet), seasoned only with cbp and light kosher salt, wraped in poly and chilled in refrigerator. This will be used in the bottom section of the cake.

Top of the wrapped frittata:


And, the golden brown bottom:




1lb-10oz of my home-made Canadian bacon slices for layering with tater tots:


To see how I made the CB, check here:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=83133


3.3 lbs sliced side pork, seasoned w/cbp and kosher salt, hickory smoked, to layer with the frittata on the bottom section:


To see how I made the smoked side pork, check here:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=91990


Pork Sausage from a locally-grown hog:




*END DAY ONE*


Please, join me on Tuesday (04-06-2010) for rest of the adventure as I show you how I'll put it all together!


Eric


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## bassman

Eric, you want me to bring the Kubota over so we can get that thing in the smoker?


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## caveman

Thank you for the warning.  I have my SMF drool bib on.  My keyboard Thanks you.  Looking good so far!!


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## forluvofsmoke

LMBO!!!! I'll see how it goes, but I may take you up on that offer!

Eric


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## meateater

Something tells me this will be good.


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## morkdach

ok its 4/6 and we are all waiting for rest of the adventure.
please


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## got14u

waiting not so patiently


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## rbranstner

ok its Tuesday and I don't see anything. hahaha


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## acemakr

Eric, are you there?


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## Dutch

Eric-
Some time today would be a great time to show us how to put this all together so we can see the finished product.

Anytime-no rush-the day ends at 11:59:59 pm, but some of us would like to see this fantabulious creation before bed time. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





We're an impatient lot, have you noticed??


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## forluvofsmoke

Holy Smokers!!!!!!!!! LMBO!!! Patience my friends, patience.

I just started the build, so pics will start coming as time allows. I have DSL problems as of late, so I'm using my wife's blackberry as an internet modem for my puter. Every time I unplug the blackberry to plug in for pic downloads to my puter, I have to go through the re-connect with the blackberry again. PITA, but it works. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Anyway, the pans of formed meat are chilling waiting to be filled with yummies, so I'll be back with process/pics soon.

Thanks everyone! Gonna be another fun day here!

Eric


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## mballi3011

Man it took alot of thought to come up with that one there Eric. Now I'm waiting also and Iwould like to see this new creation. So I guess I will have to come back what about thursday?? maybe


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## northern greenhorn

Well Eric, here we go again, so in order to protect myself better, I have on some chest waiters, a rain poncho, covered the keyboard, and have a mop standing by... you come up with some out of this world ideas, you need your own show on the Food Network... cancel Ace of Cakes, and any other cake shows... and bring on Erics Smoking Sensation Showdown... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





can't wait to see the final result of this one.


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## forluvofsmoke

Getting these pics up this morning is taking forever on the black berry...sorry about that.


I didn't form the meat into a ball before putting it into the poly lined pans, as you have to kneed it out quite a bit anyway.



Just working the meat outward from the center and up the sides...this helps keep the poly liner from moving and leaving the pan bare...this is a crucial step in being able to release the cake from the pan after assembly. Fill-in/repair any thin areas towards the top of the rim with a bit of extra meat and trying to keep the thickness uniform throughout...this is mostly by feel, and 1/4" or less is the target thickness:





I wanted ay least 1/2" above the rim of the pan for forming a good seal when it's all joined together:


The divider for the two layers is almost ready to wrap and chill...I measured the diameter just to be sure I was close, then wrapped and pressed it out a bit more:






So, we're about to start filling the meat with goodies. I took this time to post pics while the meat is chilling in the fridge for about 30 minutes.


Fillings to come soon!

Eric


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## forluvofsmoke

Pieces of smoked side pork went in first...approx. 3/4" in depth, laid in loosely so as to not damage the lower meat layering:




Then, 4oz of medium cheddar cheese:



Frittata measured too large, so I eyeballed it to cut it down to 8.5", but should have gone for 8 instead...no biggy...too big is fixable:






Trimmed and re-measured:



****EDIT:**** Frittata fitted and re-trimmed:



More side pork:



...and cheddar:




Cover fit test while still laying in poly...was still a bit too small of diameter, so I pressed it out more:



Ready to chill again. I used the poly wrap to slightly lift up the side meat to aid in forming it against the cover layer, pinching them together...then, I pressed the joint of the two downward while lifting slightly on the poly again...lastly, I removed as much air from the assembled layer by poking a small hole into the cover and gently pressing and working the air pocket to the hole, then pressed the hole close again. Having a good seal is a very critical step to avoiding any leakage of liquids:


Judging by the feel of it all, I think I have a patent seal of the 2 separate pieces of meat. This layer will be the bottom when it goes into the smoker.

One challenge I have to overcome with the fillings is that they are pre-cooked so they will not shrink, and the sausage is raw and will shrink quite a bit. As it shrinks it will tighten up against the fillings and possibly burst or tear apart, so the fillings are best to be left a bit on the light side instead of over filled to allow for the shrinkage.

To complicate things even more, adding a second layer without a covering (yeah, I know...I must be crazy, huh?) and being able to get a good seal and fit for the final joining of the two layers needs to be with relatively full pans so that the meat can be worked enough to get a good seal on the outside. This will be the second most challenging part of the entire process...next to getting the 4+" high & approx. 10# cake onto a smoker grate without destroying it.

That said, layer 1 is completed...next will be filling layer 2 and fitting them together. This will be very tricky, but I think I've got a good plan worked out...let's see if I can pull it off.

I'm off for more prep work! Back ASAP!

Eric


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## acemakr

Wow, a 4 to 6 pound fattie cake! Like Dutch said, The day ends at 11:59:60pm and we are an impatient bunch.


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## forluvofsmoke

Heh, actually, it's a single layer weight pushing 5lbs...this will be just short of 10#.

Top layer filling pics coming up shortly!

Eric


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## forluvofsmoke

I started with one layer of my hickory smoked tater tots:



Then came 2 layers of my regular Canadian bacon:



Then, another layer of taters:



Still have a bit more room for fillings? Sure, how about another layer of CB:



So, I'm nearing the final stages of prep/assembly...the tricky & critaical steps are yet to come. Placing the bottom covered layer onto the top (uncovered) layer while still in the pans with the poly liners. Then, sealing/joining the 2 layers together, quick-chilling in the freezer for about 30 minutes, and removal of the cake from the forms/pans and at the same time getting it onto a smoker grate. WHEEEEEW!!!!!!!!

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen! But, I do have a plan...


The two layers are chilling in the fridge right now...final assembly and off to the freezer will follow soon. Then, it's removal from the pans and onto the smoker grate.

Man, either I'm nuts, or I have a high degree of confidence in my skills and pre-planning for even attempting this! LOLOL!!!!!! Wish me luck!

_*ONE NOTE*_ before I forget: I'm using dry/stiff fillings and over-lapping the layering whenever possible to help with lateral stability, in hopes that the sides won't blow-out during assembly, smoking and finish handling. This may also help in keeping the lower layer meat from sagging too badly and forming itself into the grate to the point where I can't remove it. Inverting the grate with a board over the top of the finished cake will aid in removal. With the grate/cake inverted, you can simply press the meat back through the grate... and with a jerky grate it makes for pretty cool checker-board pattern on the bottom...you'll see.

Eric


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## bayouchilehead

I don't know what your plan is, but I would cover the top layer with wax paper then turn it over, put it on top of bottom layer and pull the wax paper out. Just a thought.


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## forluvofsmoke

Yeah, that was one of my first thoughts a few months back when this idea was first conceived. Then, I realized that the meat would shift as the sheet was removed due to sticking/friction, so I chilled both pans very well @ approx. 20* for over 30 minutes. Did the flip nicely after the chilling.

Pics to follow...just gotta upload from PB to SMF.

Eric


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## forluvofsmoke

This worked out beautifully! I even impressed myself with this part...a godd chilling @ ~20*F for 30+ minutes and the stage was set.


Here's the pair...the left is the lower layer, still covered with poly:



And, presto! I matched the pans up with the lower layer being raised and tilted slightly...as I began to increase the angle of the pan I also increased the speed at which I was tilting...when the pan was coming past 90 degrees, I just kept up the acceleration of the motion and it settled down within an 1/8" of centered...a slight shift and it was time for seam sealing:



Here, I'm gently lifting up the poly wrap, beginning with the bottom pan, then the top, so I can ease the top pan up slightly to reveal the open seam of the two separate meats:



All sealed up...I didn't use any additional sausage for the sealing process...time will tell if this was a mistake or not...to seal the seam up, I used one finger at a time and just touched the seam and pulled the lower meat up and the upper meat down, then worked slightly from side-to-side to join it up...felt and looked like it took really well...time will tell...:



OK, I'm breathing much easier now! LOL!!!

I have it in the freezer now, still in the pans. The cake is in an inverted position right now...for a reason...I have to place the smoker grate on top of the bottom layer after the pan/poly wrap is removed. The, I invert the grate and cake simultaneously (again, without destroying the entire masterpiece), remove the last pan and poly, and then hit a very hot smoker while the meat is still set-up well from the freezer. This should firm up the exterior meat quick enough (I hope) to help it all hold together without bad sagging issues or a side-wall blow-out.


Now, it's time for me to take final measures to assure the success of this project's outcome. I have 5 20# LPG tanks and only one has any left at all, and it's not very much. So, I'm off to the bulk propane distributor which is about 5 minutes drive away from my house for a refill or 2.

Man, this is going great folks! I'm so excited to be sharing another totally off-the-wall and wild ride through the thin blue smoke with everyone here!

Back ASAP with the final stage and start of the smoke!

Eric


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## smokin relaxin steve

I just showed a buddy at work.. he said "this guy shouldnt be worried about the sides of that thing holding up, but more like his heart holding up after he eats it" LOL!!!! but i say THATS A SIGN OF A FANTASTIC MEAL!


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## smokingd

WOW I can't wait to see how this turns out


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## werdwolf

Waiting

Who has the pic of the lion "Tic Toc"?


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## cruizer

Looking goood!! Can't wait to see how the finished product comes out.


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## forluvofsmoke

This is going like clock-work so far!



Ready for final prep, pan and poly pulls, and the dreaded flip onto the smoker grate...and, yes, that's snow on my pan from bringing this inside from my outdoor q-freezer:



1st pan gently lifted off with a straight upwards & light but steady force:



Poly wrap is off, and were about ready to flip onto the grate:











And, there you have it!!!!











Tossed it into the Smoke Vault 24 with cherry chips @ 350+*...then cut it back to 300* after 30 minutes...chuggin' along getting happy right now:



So, the method seems to be pretty flawless so far...time will tell the rest of the story...my fingers are tightly crossed!

Eric


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## autoferret

amazing!  i'm going to have to try this for the next party!


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## forluvofsmoke

I just found out that I have a digi-cam charger again!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I've been shooting with my cell cam for months...tough to get good shots, but life is better now! LOL!!!



2.75 hours in and stuck a probe in because of the growing bulge in the top and shrinking bottom layer. It appears to be shifting the weight a bit, and pushing the divider layer of sausage upwards along with the top covering. The lower layer's side walls were bulging some after the first hour, but I expected that...it is now disappearing for the most part.

I first peeked at it and saw the bulge. Thinking it may have some built up steam pressure, I stuck it with my probe tip...nothing happened, so I commenced to rig-up for probe insertion and monitoring IT's.


Temp was @ 65* 2.75 hours into the smoke...chamber temps of 275+...average of almost 300* for the first 2.75 hours:



A view from the under-side...checking on sagging into the grate...hard to see anything going on there right now...if you study it carefully, you will see some of the wire is partially hidden with meat...sagging some, but it should be alright for as far along as the smoke is:



I won't be going to work very early in the morning, as the snowplows will need to clean-up the highways...it's a mess out there right now. 4" of wet heavy snow in the past 6 hours and no sign of it letting up. Well darn, I guess I'll just have to finish my smoke project for today right?!?!?!? LOL!!!


So far, so good...and smoky!!!


More updates as this unfolds!

Eric


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## herkysprings

You are my hero. It doesnt even matter if this turns out edible.


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## caveman

Hey Eric!! I am at work right now. I showed this to my co-worker / friend who I introduced to fatties & he is now requesting that I learn this well so I can make him one for his birthday. He claims that he does not want that flour & sugar cake anymore. He wants fattie cake. LMBO. Of course your work, qview, idea & presentation are great. The saga continues & I am tuned in............


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## forluvofsmoke

I had to take a closer look at the Vault to find out why my chamber temps kept climbing...dialed it back from ~300* 3 times in the past 45 minutes...no, not out of water...check this IT:


Apparently I did just right with the starting temps and backing it down to 275* after the first 2 hours...the IT jumped from 65* to 143* in 1.25 hours.


Wanna peak? Are you SURE you wanna peak at this bad boy?!?!?!?



































_****************CONSIDER YOURSELF FAIRLY WARNED*************_



















OK, grate view first, then, the sweetest thing my Vault has had the priveledge of smoking for a few days...maybe weeks! HEH-HEH-HEH!



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Now, are you posalutely absitively sure you wanna see this!?!?!?!?
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I almost can't wait to get this up to temp, pull it out to rest and put a steel to a knife! Oh, wait...I'll need a serrated knife for this...no prob!


You *KNOW* I'll be back with more!!!!

Eric


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## forluvofsmoke

The IT's fooled the daylights out of me on this one. I was starting to think 8-10 hours in the smoke...I was on the forums when I jumped up to go check...made it in 5 hours!!!!!!!!!


5-hr IT's:








OK, I'm starting to come back down to earth now. The excitement, the anticipation in not knowing the outcome...but, this thing held together beautifully.

It's resting on the grate right now, supported by a cookie sheet to catch any drippings.

Slicing and dining to follow ASAP!!!!!!!!

Eric


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## caveman

Still with you Eric.


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## forluvofsmoke

Thanks, brother! Fightin' puter issues again...blackberry for a internet modem has my puter PO'd big time...had to restart and I'm finally done loading pics from digi-cam...upload to PB next, then here...

Hang in there...sorry about the delay.

Eric


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## caveman

Don't be sorry.  I have the popcorn ready to go with my large Raspberry Ice Tea.  Anytime you are ready.


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## forluvofsmoke

LOL!!!!! Thanks, Cave!


I'll pin-point a couple issues which are common with the pies I've smoked in the past...namely, meat stuck to the grate, and how to get it off without the cake/pie being destroyed.

I rested the cake for about 20 minutes...that's all I could stand to wait, as it was still over 170* when I pulled the knife out.

Ready to invert for inspection of the grate/sausage issue...I expect to have to manually release the meat, as always:



Yep, stuck again:



I released the sausage by pressing in each square of the wire grate with my fingers, so the meat would force back through to the opposite side...I did a bit of lifting with a silicone spatula...it wasn't too bad with the jerky grate though...nice grate marks, if you're into that sort of thing:



Sausage tracks on the jerky grate...left a bit behind, but no serious damage to my masterpiece:



It did leak out some cheese through the bottom layer of sausage. I suspect the smoked side pork punctured the sausage. I would put the egg layer on bottom next time. 1st slice is loose...ready for the moment of truth:



And that, my friends, is worth the wait..very thin sausage crust throughout...even the divider layer is thin...gotta love this!!!:









I pulled it off!

A few things I would recommend for others would be to keep any crisp/sharp fillings away from the bottom layer of sausage to avoid puncture/leakage. The sausage joints/seams held up very well without a massive amount of liquified fillings pushing against them. I lost some cheese out the bottom, but I'd say use at least a full pound instead of 1/2lb. Layer some cheese into the top layer of the cake as well...the tater tots softened up quite a bit during the smoke...expected...the cheese would have been a nice touch in that area, especially with the cb.

Starting temps could be around 300* without issues on sagging...that was what I was trying to avoid by starting so hot...it will happen no matter what you do, I think, but the jerky grate makes all the difference in how severe the grate sticking issue will be.

Flavors and textures were very nice throughout...so many layers to sample as I took a small bite and searched for what I wanted to try next. No additional seasonings other than during the initial prep and pre-cooking yesterday...very simple with good flavors.

Well, this one kept me busy for quite some time, but, man, what a ride!!!

If I think of anything else to add/change, I'll be back with comments. Questions are welcome also.

Thanks all...enjoy!

Eric


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## daddyzaring

Boy that looks awsome, I want a bite, or two, or three, or.......... lol


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## caveman

As the saga ends, is seems that the sausage once again lost out to our hero, whose never ending triumphs at the smoker goes to show; Man against meat is a daily struggle with taste over selection.  

Well done Sir.  I believe I have points for you & even one of your pics, the one with the thermo inserted, makes it look like a birthday cake.  Outstanding job.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Question: Did you not spray the grill with some pam before you placed the cake?


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## roller

Unbelievable...now that is my kinda food...Well done smoke brother well done !!!! A master piece...


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## meateater

*All I can say is don't talk with your mouth full!*


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## chefrob

you really need one of these........


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## forluvofsmoke

Ha-hah!!! Thanks, brother!

I left the grate dry...I could have put smoked side pork drippings on it from yesterdays smoke too. Thing is, the sausage has a lot of fat content so shouldn't stick, but the sausage actually wraps partly around the grate wires due to the heavy load above it...nearly 10lbs on a 9" diameter area, supported with a base of raw pork sausage...quite a feat, if you think about it. The stuck grate always does make for a challenging finish, but the issue is easily overcome.

Eric


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## caveman

Thank you Sir!  (Always taking notes.)


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## smokin relaxin steve

I couldnt wait last night... i was dieing to get into work this morning to see the end result... LOL!!!!!!

One Word: THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! (okay so i cant count)














:poi  nts:
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

























:PDT_Armataz_01  _37:


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## wildflower

That would be a 10 in any one's book, good planning and good job


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## thunderdome

THat could feed an army. 

Wow!


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## bman62526

Amazing!  Well deserved points...


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## scarbelly

WOW - That could be the best novel I have ever read!! 
Great pictorial process as well


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## forluvofsmoke

Man, that's hilarious!!!!!!!!! When I got about half-way through this, I was starting to wonder whether or not I would be getting fitted for a SJ before the fatty-cake was finished! LOL!!!

That was a pretty good first run, wasn't it? I just had my second slice of it tonight with dinner...1/2 of the fatty-cake is still in my fridge, with 5 of us eating on it...I still can't believe how well it worked.


Thanks to all for your interest. I knew this would be a rather hefty project to undertake before I started it...my original plan was for a triple-layer, and I just could not see it happening very well...maybe that's why I put it off for so long, and then, I decided a couple weeks ago to go after a more attainable goal, which would have a much greater chance for success.

Will I ever try the triple? With the degree of success and lessons learned from this double-layer project, it does have me thinking about the triple again...I think a change in the theme would be in order, of course. Oh crap! I can't believe I'm actually considering this again! LOL!!!


I'm sure that having a few fatty-pies under my belt before tackling this double-layer beast gave me some insight as to how it could be accomplished...and now, the double-layer is no longer a serious challenge for me, sooooooo...

You know, thinking back on it now, the pies are just one step away from this cake...the biggest difference in the level of difficulty is getting the two layers joined together and getting a good seal on the meat, and then of course, the flip onto the grate with half of the cake exposed (unlike with the pie flip) which really was pretty simple and easy...same basic method. How much more difficult could a triple be, anyway!?!?!? Right?????


Anyway, sure was fun to do this bad boy! Took some time, but I gained quite a bit more experience along the way.

And, I'm more than happy to have been able to share it with everyone here...that makes it more than worth the effort, just to be able give something back.

Thanks again everyone!

Eric


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## treegje

That must be a flavor explosion.


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## beer-b-q

The* Cholesterol Police* were on here wanting to know if anyone knows your address.  They said the *AMA* has a *Hit Contract* out on you...


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## badfrog

That my friend is truly a masterpiece; very impressive concept and execution.  
I would like that for breakfast with a little pico de gallo on the side and a tall glass of OJ.


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## l r harner

would maybe a bacon "pie" crust keep the gground pork off the great better 

ow jsut make the whole works on a ham steak :)


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## forluvofsmoke

Hmm, I hadn't thought about a bacon layer on the very bottom...it would change the texture of the crust, maybe not rendering out as much fat from the sausage or developing a crusted surface...it might stay too soft on bottom and want to fall apart, I'm just not sure about that...(just thinking about what ground meats do when they are covered with something). That is a very good thought, worth looking into further.

Really, the sausage wrapping itself around the grate has been an issue since the first fatty pie I made (single layer). They work OK on a regular wire grate, but a double layer like this one would probably be a disaster on wire grates...just too heavy...it would be like running multiple cheese slicers through the bottom of it. The jerky grate worked pretty well, though.

Thanks for having a look, everyone! These probably aren't something I'd want to make very often, because they are pretty labor intensive and time consuming. Man, it's a heckuva ride to build and smoke one though! Yeah, I must be nuts, but, I'm still thinking about the triple layer...it would be over 13lbs of goodness...someday...(sigh).

Let me just say, if you like a good challenge, and you like fatties, then this would probably be right up your alley. I can say the double layer is humbling to get together and get back off the grate after it's smoked. Something to look at with great satisfaction and pride...it's worth every minute to it takes to make it happen.

It kept me thinking, as I started putting it all together...with all sorts of questions running through my brain, like: am I doing this right?...man, did I forget something?...do I have the correct layering for the flip onto the grate so the bottom layer will be on bottom?...will it even hold together???

It kept me on my toes for a couple hours until I was down to the last couple of steps before the smoke. Tons of fun to pull it off for sure!

Thanks again, all! If you feel adventurous and want to give it a try, drop me a line with any questions you may have. Even if you'd like to do a single layer first (pie). This particular project seemed like alot more than I wanted to tackle at first, but it's not nearly as difficult as I figured it would be...on a scale of 1-10 for difficulty, I'd give it a 7.5, maybe 8...there must be tougher things to do than this when it comes to cooking, though, I can't think what they might be at the moment.

May your freezer(s) be full, and your smokes be plentiful!

Eric


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