Tag Archives: Sausage

“I will not tease Fatty” Bart Simpson

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Who you calling FattyIf you’re from the Seventies, a fatty has a totally different meaning than the one I did the other night!

It’s called a Fatty, or a Bacon Explosion, but whatever you call it, a lot of pork gave up their lives for it. I’ve been trying to find the history of the Fatty and have to say I have come up empty. It seems to be a southern US invention and has its roots in the smoking community. That seems appropriate! In general it’s sausage wrapped in bacon and stuffer with cheese, jalapenos, and onions. I don’t think the Surgeon General knows about this yet because it should come with the warning, “Please consult your doctor before consuming!”

If you haven’t heard of this or experienced it, you have to try it at least once.

Weave a pound of bacon the same way as you would have at summer camp to make a mat or coaster. If you have a macramé practitioner or basket weaver in your family, get them to do it. Assemble the bacon wrap on parchment paper or plastic wrap, (it makes the process easier).  Then spread your sausage meat on top, (7 or 8 de-cased sausages), so that you have an even layer covering approximately ¾ of your bacon mat. Along the one side of the sausage, add your cheese, jalapenos and onion. If you don’t like the heat, just use the cheese.  Then skilfully using the parchment (or plastic wrap), start rolling into a tight uniform tube.  Tightly bind the entire roll with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge to set-up for at least an hour.

My favourite wood to smoke this with is apple or cherry with a little hickory mixed in. When you’re ready, and your grill or smoker is at about 275f, place the Fatty of the grill (remember to take off the plastic first).  You’ll want to do this offset with a catch pan underneath for the drippings. There is a pound of bacon and sausage cooking there so be aware of flare-up and keep the grease away from the flames. It should take a couple of hours depending on your grill. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 165f.  Just before you take it off and the excessive fat is now in your drip pan, place it over the direct flame to crisp up the bacon. Watch this because you will get flame.

Let your Fatty sit and rest at least 15 to 20 minutes before you slice.

You can serve this as an appetizer or as a main. A little BBQ sauce drizzled on top is wonderful.

Don’t tell your doctor this came from me!

Be well and eat well!

Scott TaitCheese Stuffed Fatty

“The mere thought hadn’t even begun to speculate about the merest possibility of crossing my mind.” Douglas Adams

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You try, you do, and you hope that someone is listening or at least paying attention. Then you realize that you are the only one doing it and everyone else is on a cerebral vacation from reality. Life is funny, but someone has to be serious. Never thought it would be me?

Burgers are the combination of effort, taste, and love. Buying a frozen ready-made patty and throwing it on an assembly line bun is not a burger. That’s why the condiment companies make so much money. People try and hide the flavor.

My favourite go to burger is a mixture of lean ground beef and Italian sausage. The pork and the seasoning bring a new taste and adds some juiciness to the burger. You definitely need a napkin with them. Grilled mushrooms, red pepper, crisped pancetta, and some melted Havarti topped them off.

The burgers were plated with a warm potato and radish salad with a yogurt and Dijon base, sweetened with honey.

It takes only a few minute more to go artisanal than mass produced. It’s worth it!

I have 2 friends for dinner tomorrow night so the BGE will be smoking.

Be well and eat well

Scott

When the meat hits the grill like a big dollar bill...That's amore. OK, I tried.

When the meat hits the grill like a big dollar bill…That’s amore. OK, I tried.

“It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it.” Julia Child

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Yesterday the overhanging branches in the backyard were cut down, the grass was cut, the mulch was spread  and the lights that those damn squirrels chewed through were fixed.  The flowers are in, the herbs are planted and we’re done. All I have to do is remember to water everything.  I’m usually good for about 4 weeks before I start to slip and then the garden becomes survival of the fittest!

This morning I woke to a beautiful rainbow in a red sky. The rainbow was gone by the time I took the picture.  I just thought I’d share that.

Sailor take warning...

Sailor take warning…

I try to do all or at least part of our meals outside. Be it on the BGE, Weber, or gas grill. Last night we had sausage stuffed peppers with pesto linguini. The peppers were baked on the BGE with oak smoke. The linguini wasn’t.  Since I now have herbs growing again they are taking a prominent position in everything I create. The packaged stuff is gone till the fall, or till I kill it all off.

This summer the plan is to make our own sausages, the summit being blood sausage.  It’s my death-row meal.

Be well and eat well.

Scott

Red peppers stuffed with tasty sausage love!

Red peppers stuffed with tasty sausage love!