# Ref; And..pulled the trigger! First Fatty in progress!



## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

Preface; God I hate Saran Wrap.

So I decided to do a combination of Farmland pork sausage <1lb> and roughly half pound of beef or so. 

I'm going to fill this with pepper jack, a cheese from a goat farm around me <It's part cow, part goat milk> and some type of cheddar. Turkey Stuffing, Cranberry sauce..and a dabbling of Pepper Jam, Gotta have dat spice!

Unfortunately, I -really- hate Saran wrap. I am utterly convinced a better solution has to exist then using it. Or maybe buying walmart brand saran wrap is the problem. I can never get it to tear nicely, it just ends up some horrid ball every time I try lol. I'll get pictures as I go. Right now I just did the rolling out in a bag phase.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 20, 2018)

You need to get a saran wrap cutter, I have one on my saran wrap & one on my foil. They just slide across the end & cut it perfectly.
Al


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> You need to get a saran wrap cutter, I have one on my saran wrap & one on my foil. They just slide across the end & cut it perfectly.
> Al


That is def on the list. Tinfoil I never have a problem with..but me and Saran Wrap are ancient enemies Al ;)


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

Here we go! Picture time! I forgot to take a picture with the cranberry and pepper jam on it..and I believe I might have over filled, wasn't easy to roll this..so I'm sort of vaguely hoping that I just end up with it not leaking out all over when smoking it. <Also raining now, so not sure when I'll be able to smoke this>


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## atomicsmoke (Jul 20, 2018)

I use the cutter that comes with the large costco roll. Works nicely for a while until it dettaches from the box. I hate the saran wrap cutter LOL


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## SonnyE (Jul 20, 2018)

I see you went to waxed paper. I like waxed paper and foil myself.
For the same reasons you hate plastic wrap.
However, as you probably found out, waxed paper and meat like each other. A LOT.
Often too much. But you can eat waxed paper if it can't be removed entirely.
But you may fart candle dust if you eat too much.

I find Ziploc bags are very friendly for making stuff. I use a quart sized one to make jerky patties with ground beef, and a form I made. I just slit the side seams and have a nice plastic form.
But plastic wrap has always been a PITA for me, too.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 20, 2018)

I don't think you overfilled the fatty, I think you didn't spread it out enough. I've never had issues using plastic wrap as I use the costco roll that has the built in cutter. Parchment paper works a whole lot better then wax. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. 

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

I thought that could be a problem..but trying to shred soft cheese was just a headache. I might try it frozen then shred it for fatties...

The other issue I have is my bacon weave isn't pretty; next time I might try to roll it flatter <Also it would help if the bacon pieces were all the same length! Some where a candid 2 inches shorter!>

I sprinkled my bacon weave with a touch of honey garlic weber rub!


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## gmc2003 (Jul 20, 2018)

Sorry I can't lie, but that is one butt ugly bacon weave. Who sells bacon with that much difference in length? If you can't shred the cheese then try to shave the cheese. I like to keep about a half inch or so away from the sides of the fatty, and probably about an inch or more from the bottom when rolling(the side furthest from you).

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> Sorry I can't lie, but that is one butt ugly bacon weave. Who sells bacon with that much difference in length? If you can't shred the cheese then try to shave the cheese. I like to keep about a half inch or so away from the sides of the fatty, and probably about an inch or more from the bottom when rolling(the side furthest from you).
> 
> Chris


Walmart..Walmart does. That was the Walmart Brand. Every time I buy bacon <regardless of brand as of late> it's sort of really odd lengths. I got a pack where half the pieces looked full sized in the pack, when I opened them, they were actually mangled halves.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

Rolling smoke at 250f on applewood. I put the Temp Probe in after the picture don't worry!


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## gmc2003 (Jul 20, 2018)

Man, I've never experienced that, and hope I never do. It almost sounds like Walmart is selling factory seconds on bacon.

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> Man, I've never experienced that, and hope I never do. It almost sounds like Walmart is selling factory seconds on bacon.
> 
> Chris


I've had it happen with brand name and GV bacon. Sure, for breakfast it's not bad..but I'd need to probably open two packages to get all even sized bacon. So, as we learned now, my ability to make a bacon weave is bad though ;) Sort of as I figured it would be. My ABTs never look good either cause of that LOL.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 20, 2018)

I would need a few drinks after dealing with saran wrap and crappy bacon like that!


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

SmokinVOLfan said:


> I would need a few drinks after dealing with saran wrap and crappy bacon like that!


Eh.. Well I mean, I have seen people just wrap pieces and tooth pick it, so I don't feel to bad LOL


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

So I went out to hit it with another load of apple chips, took a pic to snap a picture.

144f Internal.

Going to run her to 165f, let her rest for about 30 mins in the oven or so...

Can I vac seal half a fatty? Like if I bagged it up, then shoved it in the freezer to part freeze so the cheese doesn't splat out, will it be good that way?


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

She hit 165f..quick run under the broiler to crisp the bacon a bit..which sort of rolled back. So. I mean, not the best idea.

Plated shot to follow when it cools down a bit so I can cut it with out any explosion.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 20, 2018)

It's not pretty..but it tastes good. Wish I had used less cheese, and more cranberry sauce..I love that canned cranberry!


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## gmc2003 (Jul 21, 2018)

Looks much better now that it's cooked. As for vacuum sealing sealing. I wait until the next day to slice it up and vacuum seal it. That way the cheese and other fillings won't run out. 

Point for sure.

Chris


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 21, 2018)

It came out pretty good!


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 21, 2018)

I already want to make another one with pancakes and rasberries in it LOL. People may have gotten into it over night, so there's less then half now. Gonna try to vacc seal some for another day after I have some for dinner...

Also thinking of a surf and turf one..scallops and some strips of steak..


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## ab canuck (Jul 21, 2018)

Fatties are great no matter the look imo. lol Sounds like a good mix . Like for me. 
 Have you tried to use the ziplock to roll it up? I put my burger in large ones, snip the corners to let air escape when rolling it flat. Then open up the ziplock part and use scissors to slice the sides up to the cut corners. Open stuff it then use the bag to roll it. Then pick it up place on bacon weave. Bacon weave I use grill matts then roll all or if up around the rolled meat. Then you can put in saran, or I just leave it in the matt if I am cooking that day. Just my 2 cents.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 21, 2018)

ab canuck said:


> Fatties are great no matter the look imo. lol Sounds like a good mix . Like for me.
> Have you tried to use the ziplock to roll it up? I put my burger in large ones, snip the corners to let air escape when rolling it flat. Then open up the ziplock part and use scissors to slice the sides up to the cut corners. Open stuff it then use the bag to roll it. Then pick it up place on bacon weave. Bacon weave I use grill matts then roll all or if up around the rolled meat. Then you can put in saran, or I just leave it in the matt if I am cooking that day. Just my 2 cents.


..Sure wish I had! I haven't gotten a grill mat yet; I should, but I haven't! <I saw some at fleet farm, but they had zero info on them. I wasn't really sure what the material was>.

I actually plan to get a 1.5 gal zip lock or some thing. Just to make it a bit bigger, so it rolls better. Won't help the bacon weave being small and horrid looking, but having an extra few inches for actually rolling woulda helped me alot!


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## crazymoon (Jul 22, 2018)

TKRFV, I think your fatty looks great and I'd love to have a piece !


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 22, 2018)

I wanna do another one like this; with either more finely cut cheese or less..and it could use more cranberry and pepper jam. I expected the pepperjam to be more pronounced but it sort of just didn't ooze out around as the thing cooked as I expected.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 22, 2018)

I wonder if spreading the jam out over the fatty will help. 

Chris


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 22, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> with either more finely cut cheese or less.



That's difficult to hear, "less cheese...," but I understand...lol. You could always try putting some of the ingredients into the meat too. I mentioned before, I can't really imagine cheese with stuffing. But, I'd try straight sharp cheddar or other distinguishing cheese, maybe even parm, if I "had" to do it..lol. Some chunky cranberry sauce, with the whole cranberries in it, put into the meat might be good, since you liked the flavor. This is redeemable! You've entered your own fatty territory... totally new type of fatty! Perfecting it through trial and error is what makes it so good, right? Then you can serve it up and be like.. :cool:..."MmmmHmmm, it's good..." :D


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 22, 2018)

I actually should determine if the Chandoka melts well or not too <I've never..tried to well melt goat cheese before>.

I'm waiting to see in the next few days if there is enough rasberries to make a batch of pancakes. I have far to many fatty ideas now, and not enough bacon on hand.. LOL


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## gmc2003 (Jul 22, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> I have far to many fatty ideas now, and not enough bacon on hand.. LOL



I see another fatties anonymous candidate on the horizon. 

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 23, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> I see another fatties anonymous candidate on the horizon.
> 
> Chris


I'm already thinking 'Hey, can I use back bacon for this?'

Obviously not as a weave, but I'm wondering if I did it with butcher's twine...


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## nanuk (Jul 23, 2018)

maybe you could just add some bacon slices and weave them in...  somehow?  (toothpicks?)


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jul 23, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> Walmart..Walmart does. That was the Walmart Brand. Every time I buy bacon <regardless of brand as of late> it's sort of really odd lengths. I got a pack where half the pieces looked full sized in the pack, when I opened them, they were actually mangled halves.


I buy a brand called Farmland and it is very consistent. If you have that available then maybe give it a try. 

George


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## GATOR240 (Jul 23, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> Preface; God I hate Saran Wrap.
> 
> So I decided to do a combination of Farmland pork sausage <1lb> and roughly half pound of beef or so.
> 
> ...




I agree! I really hate Saran Wrap - with or without the cutter - even when I remember to turn the ceiling fan off in the kitchen!


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 23, 2018)

RiversideSm0ker said:


> I buy a brand called Farmland and it is very consistent. If you have that available then maybe give it a try.
> 
> George


I actually saw their pork sausage <it's what I used> but not their bacon. Hrm.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 25, 2018)

I rolled a second one today, not likely being cooked today. I put in the rest of that can of cranberry, a trio of cheese, pepper jam, and jasmine rice. It was much easier to roll this time as I cut back on how much stuff I put in. To be fair I don't really ..roll my fatties so much as I fold them up and pat it together like a stuffed meatloaf I suppose!

I did the rolling pin trick for the bacon weave, and it either just plain looked better, or this package had better bacon. Definitely going to remember that handy little trick for the future.

I just hope she'll be alright sitting in the fridge overnight. Tonight looks like left overs or just a quick burger at McDonalds. No point in doing a fattie when my pops won't be around to get the first crack, since he was pretty disappointed he wasn't here for my first one!


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## gmc2003 (Jul 25, 2018)

It will be fine with an overnight stay in the fridge. It may even be better as all the fixin's will sort of meld together.

Chris


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 25, 2018)

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

No stuffing this time? Rice sounds good.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 25, 2018)

KrisUpInSmoke said:


> I'm looking forward to seeing it.
> 
> No stuffing this time? Rice sounds good.


No Stuffing..I did a a big pot of jasmine rice <was gonna do fried rice this week> and used some of that! 


gmc2003 said:


> It will be fine with an overnight stay in the fridge. It may even be better as all the fixin's will sort of meld together.
> 
> Chris


I sure hope so..! I love getting the pepper jam heat!


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 26, 2018)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j9aiLnkesNDGoFYf9

This is the second one...I let it rest 20 mins or so..and..still messy. And..apparently the shredded cheese didn't melt.


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