# 1st Fatty Attempt = Epic Fail....HELP!!



## magnoliasmoker (Sep 3, 2013)

Ok, so I've been ruining my keyboard, drooling all over it looking at all these nice fatties I've seen you nice folks post. I couldn't take it any longer and had to try one myself. 

Tennessee Pride Hot Sausage, Colby Jack Cheese, Bella Shrooms, Red & Green sliced Bell Peppers with sliced Onion, Fiesta Blend Shredded Cheese, & Brown Sugar Ham Slices













20130901_132153.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






Added the Colby Jack...













20130901_132429.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






Next was the ham.....













20130901_132634.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






Added the veggies...













20130901_132950.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






A few shrooms....













20130901_133122.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






And finally the shredded cheese...













20130901_133222.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013






Ok, at this point, I "attempted" to roll the fatty. What ended up happening was the sausage instantly tried to crumble and break apart. I did everything I could think of to try to reassemble it, with no luck. Finally, I got pissed off and threw some foil in a glass pan and called it a meatloaf!! LOL!!!

It actually turned out pretty good, but wasn't the desired effect. And yes, it tasted better than it looks. So what did I do wrong? 













20130901_174407.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013


















20130901_174645.jpg



__ magnoliasmoker
__ Sep 3, 2013


----------



## tucson bbq fan (Sep 3, 2013)

Several thoughts and questions

1.  Did you use the foil to hold it together as you rolled it?   I usually use plastic wrap - instead of foil under the sausage to help roll it, but heavy duty foil could work (but the sausage will tend to stick more to foil than to plastic wrap).  I also use one of those sushi roll makers (sheet of bamboo rods that costs under $5.00)  You need something to hold it together as you roll it.

2.  How much sausage and how did you get it flattened?  How thick was the layer of sausage?  I usually use 1.56-2 pounds and put it in a gallon zip lock bag and flatten it out - ends up about 3/8-1/2 inch thick.

3.  Was the sausage cold or warm?  The colder it is, the easier to hold together.  I flatten mine out in the zip lock bag and put it back in the fridge for an hour many times before I add stuff  and roll.

4.  Looks like too much inside the fatty - too thick of an inner layer - and too close to the ends.  If you had succeeded in rolling this, you probably would have had an eruption at the ends and lost a lot of cheese.  I'd slice the vegi's and schroons down thinner and leave close to an inch at either end of just sausage.

Take a look at this post  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/147174/chicken-fattie-question   It shows the sushi roll and plastic wrap


----------



## magnoliasmoker (Sep 3, 2013)

Tucson BBQ Fan said:


> Several thoughts and questions
> 
> 1.  Did you use the foil to hold it together as you rolled it?   I usually use plastic wrap - instead of foil under the sausage to help roll it, but heavy duty foil could work (but the sausage will tend to stick more to foil than to plastic wrap).  I also use one of those sushi roll makers (sheet of bamboo rods that costs under $5.00)  You need something to hold it together as you roll it.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. I only used 1lb, maybe that was part of my problem. I took the sausage straight from the fridge, put it in a ziplock back with the corners cut off and flattened by hand, but didn't put it back in the fridge afterwards, immediately began putting the ingredients on. And yes, I used the foil to try to hold it together as I rolled it. I sprayed some non-stick spray on the foil prior to laying the sausage on it (didn't have any wax paper)


----------



## tucson bbq fan (Sep 3, 2013)

I suspect the main problem was too thin of a layer of sausage with 1 lb. spread across a gallon zip lock.  If the sausage came straight from the fridge, and you didn't take a siesta after flattening it - it was probably still cool enough to hold together - just needed to be thicker.

I would recommend plastic wrap instead of foil.  Plastic wrap stretches and can be "twirled" to get good compression.  Watch out for waxed paper - it gets wet and then starts tearing and falling apart!

good luck on the next one.


----------



## smoking b (Sep 3, 2013)

My guess would be it had something to do with the sausage you used. I've only ever used 1 lb. of sausage to make mine. I take it out of the fridge, put it in a Ziploc, flatten it, cut away the Ziploc & put my filling on.













PICT0533.JPG



__ smoking b
__ Feb 9, 2013






I add a good bit of filling to mine too & use the plastic wrap to help roll it up. I do put it in the freezer then just long enough to make my bacon weave. But anyway... that's what makes me think it was something with the sausage since I've never had any trouble doing it that way & I've made quite a few of them...

As suggested you could try using more sausage - a lot of people do them that way. Hopefully your next one will turn out great for you


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 3, 2013)

I would agree with using more meat and less fillings (especially the cheese). It doesn't take a bunch of cheese to go a long ways in a fatty. The best application of cheese in a fatty is grated in my opinion and no more than a 1/2 cup. I prepare all my toppings, then I make the bacon weave on saran and place in fridge. Then I take the meat from the fridge and flatten in the ziplock. Cut away the edges of the bag, invert onto saran wrap. Apply toppings, roll, wrap and roll in the saran. Pull the bacon weave out (still on saran) wrap fatty in bacon weave, wrap in saran and roll. Typically this goes into the fridge again as I usually am smoking them later.


----------



## magnoliasmoker (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks everyone! Hopefully next time it won't turn into another casserole


----------



## little smokey (Sep 12, 2013)

Smoking B said:


> My guess would be it had something to do with the sausage you used. I've only ever used 1 lb. of sausage to make mine. I take it out of the fridge, put it in a Ziploc, flatten it, cut away the Ziploc & put my filling on.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree with smoking B, I have used all kinds of sausage and only one pound and have been fine except when I used breakfast sausaage made at my local grocery market.  It rolled out fine but broke apart when it left the plastic wrap.  Stick with the chubs and not the store made and packaged stuff.


----------



## badmoont2 (Sep 12, 2013)

I use 1 LB. of ground meat but a lot less filling and I keep it away from the edges. I cut down each side of the zip lock add my filling and then use the zip lock  to help roll it up. I do a second roll for the bacon weave. To me hamburger sticks together better so you might make one of hamburger to get your rolling technique down. If everything works out you'll get a spiral of meat and filling, If it doesn't, well it still tastes great.

Interesting reading every ones different techniques, I'm going to try some of them the next time I do a fatty.


----------



## miamirick (Sep 12, 2013)

Try light freezing the meat after you put it in the ziplock,   Then lay out all your stuffing and when your ready to roll it the meat will still be a little harder and won't fall apart so much.      Also cut down on the stuffing    Also.  Place the ham first on the meat then it will help hold in the stuffings from leaking out while smoking.    Just keep trying and you will get it. ( and gain a few pounds while practicing)


----------



## poopypuss (Sep 13, 2013)

The gallon ziplock bag is the way to go, and the cheese on the first layer is putting 2 oils together, so you won't get a good seal.

I've always gone in this order from the bottom, and haven't had a problem:
weave (bacon)
ground meat (sausage, beef, or anything)
sauce
meat (sliced or shredded stuff)
veggies
cheese


----------

