# Fat tie with ground beef question



## 69thunderbird (Nov 7, 2016)

Over the weekend I tried a fatty using a 50/50 mixture of 80/20 ground beef and ground round to make a 1 pound loaf. I mixed in about a 1/4 cup of Heinze 57 and some hamburger seasoning. Stuffed it with crispy bacon, fresh mushrooms, provolone and velveeta cheeses. I figured that once sliced it would simulate a stuffed burger, I did not wrap it in bacon. Put it in my smoker directly on the grate at 275 or so until the thermometer said 175 degrees. After opening the lid I found it had shrunk by 50%. I was disappointed in that, but it still had good flavor. 

Did it shrink so much because of my meat choice or something else? Should I use a ground sausage instead? I didn't even think about taking pictures until it was devoured. 

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice. I'm thinking of trying it again when some family visits after Thanksgiving.


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## SmokinAl (Nov 7, 2016)

I have made a bunch of fatties over the years & never had one shrink up like that.

But then I always use sausage. Maybe some of the guys that have made them with ground beef will see this & give you the answer your looking for.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Al


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## 69thunderbird (Nov 7, 2016)

Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking I'll go back to Italian sausage.


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## billyj571 (Nov 8, 2016)

_I've made a few beef ones only shrunk about 25% I use 75/20 ,........ 50% That's a lot  I'd be shocked to.._


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 8, 2016)

One of the tricks I've found for making a fatty with ground beef is to treat the ground meat like you would if mixing sausage.  Hand mix the ground beef very well until the myosin releases.  You'll know when it does because the meat mixture will get VERY sticky and hard to get of of your hand.  This assists with the binding and it also gets some of the fats almost into an emulsification mode.  That will help with SOME shrinkage, but not all, but it will definitely hold shape better for you.

A 275° pit is also going to be hot enough to cause a fat out situation, but like the folks said above, a 50% shrinkage isn't the norm, 20-25% is usually the extreme.


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## 69thunderbird (Nov 8, 2016)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> One of the tricks I've found for making a fatty with ground beef is to treat the ground meat like you would if mixing sausage.  Hand mix the ground beef very well until the myosin releases.  You'll know when it does because the meat mixture will get VERY sticky and hard to get of of your hand.  This assists with the binding and it also gets some of the fats almost into an emulsification mode.  That will help with SOME shrinkage, but not all, but it will definitely hold shape better for you.
> 
> A 275° pit is also going to be hot enough to cause a fat out situation, but like the folks said above, a 50% shrinkage isn't the norm, 20-25% is usually the extreme.



Thanks for the tip on mixing. I'll mix a bit longer next time I try one.


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## 69thunderbird (Nov 25, 2016)

Tried my stuffed rattle again yesterday while doing a turkey breast. Mixed the beef a bit longer and it came out great. Thanks for the advice!!


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