# Fatty- Strike 2



## chief1246 (Sep 5, 2016)

I'm 0-2 for fatties, was hoping to get some advice.  I can't seem to keep them together, they completely fall apart and I wind up just frying them up in pieces (which is still good, but defeats the purpose.)

My first attempt happened some months ago and was more of a breakfast fatty. It completely fell apart on the cutting board and I never could get it to roll up.  I blamed myself for over stuffing it.

This morning's attempt was a pizza/italian version with 1.25lb mild Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, cut up pepperoni bits, onions and peppers. I didn't think I put too much in this time.  I was able to roll it, but I did see it start to crack when I tried to fold/press the ends in.  I wrapped this one in plastic wrap and placed it in the freezer for about a half hour.  It started to crack as soon as I began unwrapping it and completely fell apart as I tried to get it on the smoker.

The sausage is made by a local butcher and I've never had trouble getting it to stay together in patties.  Actually, the two fatty attempts were made using two different types of sausage. This time I did not wrap in a bacon weave because it was a last minute idea and I was trying to avoid a store run.  Would the bacon make that big of a difference?  I thought I saw some posted on here before with no bacon weave, but could be wrong.

Any advice would be appreciated.  Some pics of the disaster ;) :













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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 5, 2016)

Looking at the amount of filling that may be too much. The only times I've had issues is when the fat content is low. The bacon weave will help over stuffed fatties stay together.


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## jay porter (Sep 13, 2016)

I roll mine in plastic wrap very tight. Once it's rolled up, I grab the ends of the wrap and keep rolling, forcing the sausage together at the ends and at any gaps in the meat. Then the roll goes in the fridge while I prep my bacon weave. After the weave is done, unroll the plastic, place the now-firm sausage roll on the weave, and roll again. Straight to the smoker. It's always worked for me.


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## sqwib (Sep 13, 2016)

Ditto on the bacon and plastic.














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you can make a Mancake that is foolproof.

Mancake


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## crazymoon (Sep 14, 2016)

C1246, maybe your butcher is serving up a low fat sausage? I agree with DS2003 about a lack of fat maybe being the culprit ?????


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## daveomak (Sep 14, 2016)

Try mixing the ground pork until it gets really sticky...  mixing pulls out the proteins or something like that....    then bag it in a gallon zip bag and roll out flat....  cut the bag open... place your filling in it....   roll it up...    THEN place in saran about 2-3 layers thick....  grab the ends of the saran and roll the saran tight...    place in the refer to get cold.....  pre cook the bacon on a wire rack at 325 ish until the bacon shrinks about 10%...   Pre cooking toughens the bacon....    unwrap the fatty and wrap the bacon weave around it...   and tighten the plastic wrap....    refer again...  then cook....   

Fatties are not a 10 minute project if you are trying to win a contest.....

I think cowgirl or squirrel has a tutorial maybe even sqwib....   and ecto1's wife has a u-tube video on making one.....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/251601/rolled-a-fatty-for-a-friend

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/87031/rollin-a-fatty-my-version

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/74531/making-a-fatty-the-night-before


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## smokeymose (Sep 14, 2016)

What Dave said. "Rollin a fatty my version" is the one I used on my first one.
Also you don't need the fancy butcher's stuff. Plain old Purnells, Old Folks or Bob Evans from the grocery work just fine, maybe better.
Dan


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## crankybuzzard (Sep 15, 2016)

All of the above is great advice!  Keep practicing, you'll get it!


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## thegreatmc (Sep 15, 2016)

Jay Porter said:


> I roll mine in plastic wrap very tight. Once it's rolled up, I grab the ends of the wrap and keep rolling, forcing the sausage together at the ends and at any gaps in the meat. Then the roll goes in the fridge while I prep my bacon weave. After the weave is done, unroll the plastic, place the now-firm sausage roll on the weave, and roll again. Straight to the smoker. It's always worked for me.



+1. I'll give points for this spot on advice. It sounds like your sausage isn't rolled tight enough. I will roll mine until it actually shrinks in length about an inch or two. It should almost be like an army bunk where you can bounce a quarter off of it.


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## chief1246 (Sep 17, 2016)

I appreciate all of your help; there are some great tips in here.  I see a couple things that I can do differently and probably do need a tighter roll. I like that idea about grabbing the ends of the plastic wrap while continuing to roll.  Not sure what the fat content of the sausage is; its not what I'd call extra lean by any means, but that might be something else to look into.

Might be a few weeks before I get the smoker out again, but I'll be sure to give it another try.  That Mancake looks pretty good too...may have to add that on the "to do list" as well.

Thanks again!


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## billyj571 (Oct 18, 2016)

just keep on trying you'll get good luck


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