Smoking A “Fatty” Together…

Let’s be real here — the name “Fatty” isn’t exactly elegant, but this smoked bacon-wrapped stuffed meatloaf is a real crowd pleaser. Fattys are a delicious, meaty-cheesy-savory filled log of goodness that is just the thing for feeding a crowd at half-time with a few frosties on the side or treating you and yours to a delicious meal plus a few days worth of sandwiches with the left overs.

When embarking on engineering your first Fatty it might feel like you are trying to fold a fitted sheet, but I’m here to tell you it’s worth the struggle. It’s a journey of perseverance and flavour that is all wrapped up in a crispy bacon suit!…right enough talking, on with the main event!

Fatty Ingredients:

75% Beef Mince

25% Sausage Meat (or raw sausages with casings removed)

Streaky Bacon

Salt & Pepper to taste

Kezza’s Fatty Filling: (get as creative as you wish!)

Baby Spinach

Cream Cheese

American Cheddar

Swiss Cheese

Tasty Cheese

American Mustard

BBQ Sauce

Diced Jalapeños

Firecracker Chilli

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Bread & Butter Pickles

The Glaze:

Your favourite BBQ sauce will do or again get creative.

It’s time to spark up that Fatty…

Prep Station: Begin with a large sheet of cling-wrap laid down on a flat surface.

 

The Bacon Weave: On top of the cling wrap, create a streaky bacon “weave” to the size of the Fatty you wish to make. The basic principles are, weave strips of bacon over and under each other in a grid pattern to create a flat, even sheet.

 

The Meat Foundation: In a bowl, gently mix together the beef mince and sausage meat. If you’re using actual sausages, just perform a surgical extraction and liberate the meat from its casing. Season generously with salt and pepper or your favourite beef rub.

Evenly spread the meat mixture over your bacon weave, leaving a 1-2cm border of bacon around the edges. Keep the meat layer about 2 cm thick. This is the blank canvas for your filling.

 

The Filling Frenzy: This is your moment to shine. I used a mix of baby spinach, cream cheese, several types of cheese, mustard, BBQ sauce, and some spicy things like jalapeños and Firecracker chili. Threw in some sun-dried tomatoes and pickles for good measure. Basically, raid your fridge and make it a party. Lay all your filling ingredients in a long, happy line down the center.

 

Roll-Up Your Fatty: Using the cling-wrap, gently but firmly roll the entire thing into a “sausage” shape. Make sure the bacon weave is completely covering the meat. Pay attention to the ends of the Fatty – this is where the fillings can escape from if not tight. Once it’s rolled, tighten the cling-wrap and twist the ends to further minimise filling escape route. If you have the patience, let it chill in the fridge for an hour and up to 24hours. This step isn’t crucial but assists  with structural integrity, so worth creating the time.

 

Heat Things Up: Get your barbecue set up for indirect cooking and preheat it to around 175°C (350°F). If you’re not sure how cook indirect, a quick Google search will save you from a certain fat fire disaster.

 

Get that Fatty smokin’: Carefully remove the cling-wrap and place your Fatty on to a cake rack (with the bacon weave join face down), in to a suitable heat proof tray then on the grill (away from any direct heat), add some smoking wood, and close the lid. Now, you simply hurry up and wait.

The Thermometer Tango: After about two hours, grab your instant-read thermometer (we recommend the Solo by PureQ). You’re looking for a target internal temperature of the meat component of over 73°C (165°F) and the bacon should be looking crispy and nicely coloured. If it’s not there yet, give it more time. Don’t rush perfection.

Blaze the Glaze: Once the Fatty is cooked, grab a basting brush and apply a light to medium layer of BBQ sauce. This is another chance to add a little extra razzle-dazzle and make it your own. I used a honey sauce from the Mangafrye range on this Fatty, but your imagination is the only real limit. Close the lid for another 10 or so minutes to let the glaze set into a beautiful, sticky, shiny coating .

 

The Grand Finale: Remove your Fatty from the grill. Rest for 10 minutes then slice it into 2 cm portions and serve it with your favourite sides. Fatty’s are not surprisingly delicious cold the next day, which means you can have a repeat performance for lunch or lunches during the week.

 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free contact us at The Barbecue Hut – Mangawahi or email  info@thebbqhut.co.nz

Now go forth and smoke a Fatty….You won’t regret it!

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