How to Make a Stuffed BBQ Fattie

The BBQ Fattie is one of the little secrets bbq pro's learn along the way and I'd like to share it with you now. Good BBQ is all about technique. You can basically mix together any combo of ingredients for the filling that sounds good and as long as your technique is right it will come out perfect.

What you will need:

The meat:

1 pound pork sausage or ground beef.

Any ground meat will work but these two are the most flavorful and will not dry out.

The filling:

8 ounces of cream cheese.
1/2-3/4 cup of your favorite shredded cheese. I typically use cheddar.
1 roasted chili pepper, seeded and chopped.
1 tbs of honey.
1 clove of fresh garlic, minced.
your favorite BBQ rub.

The filling for the Fattie can be as basic or as sophisticated as you want. I will show you a rather basic filling. Don't worry! It will still knock your socks off.

In a small mixing bowl add cream cheese, roasted chopped pepper (pictured is a home grown Anaheim chili), half of the shredded cheese, honey, minced garlic and bbq rub to taste. Stir until mixture is combined. The cream cheese can be softened in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or left on the counter for an hour.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside while you prepare the meat.

Starting with a 1 pound tube of your favorite pork sausage lay out 1 sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper unto the work surface. Center tube of sausage and apply another sheet of plastic wrap on top. Using a frying pan or cutting board lightly press down on the tube to start flattening it out. Next continue flattening the meat with a rolling pin until the desired shape and uniform thickness is achieved as shown.

You may have to lift the top plastic wrap every so often to prevent it from going under the edges of the meat.

Now that you have a nice flat piece of meat it's time to add the filling.

Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and spoon the cream cheese mixture into the center of the sausage leaving room at the ends for proper sealing. Add the rest of the shredder cheese. Be sure not to over load it with filling.

You will probably not use all of the cream cheese mixture. Don't worry I have plans for that too.

Now it's time to roll this sucker up.

Using one end of the plastic wrap fold the sausage over the top of the filling. Repeat with the other side and make sure it over laps. Start pinching the ends together. If you have any open spaces fill them in with the extra meat from the ends. The Fattie most be completely sealed.

Using a table knife smooth out the middle seam. This will help prevent filling blowouts.

Now roll it up TIGHT in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least three hours to firm up. I always make these the night before I smoke them. It gives the cream cheese mixture time to blend.

Take the Fattie out of the fridge and unwrap. Sprinkle with your favorite BBQ rub. Make sure you cover the entire Fattie with the rub. It doesn't need to be a thick coating just fairly uniform. Add a light coating of brown sugar. I do not recommend adding the exterior seasonings the night before. The salt in the rub will draw out some moisture from the meat and you will have a sticky mess.

Warning: Sugar Burns! If you are smoking the Fattie at temps above 275F degrees you will be running the risk of the sugar burning before it's finished cooking. As a way to cope with this you can use a brown sugar glaze during the last few minutes of cooking. BBQ sauce can also be used but I personally do not add sauce to my Fatties.

If you do not have a smoker set up your charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking. Try to keep the grill around 250f degrees. Place a pan or foil with raised edges under the grill beneath the Fattie to catch the drippings. Do not place Fattie in a pan or foil to cook because it will fall apart. Add wood chips or chunks for smoke. I prefer apple or cherry. Use Hickory lightly because it will quickly over power the Fattie (ground meat absorbs smoke quicker than solid meat).

Smoke until an internal temperature of 150-155F degrees is reached. Usually 2 hours.

Remove from smoker and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice and serve. It's great on it's own or on your favorite cracker.

Now that you have mastered the Fattie you can take it to the next level by doing a few different things.

Try wrapping the Fattie in bacon before you smoke it or as shown in the pictures you can wrap the smoked Fattie in dough and bake it for an extra decadent treat. I used a canned sheet of crescent dough.

I told you I had plans for the extra filling.

Place extra cream cheese filling on foil and smoke along with the Fattie. This makes a great mid smoke snack because it only takes about 30 minutes for it to brown up and acquire a great smoky flavor.

This is amazing on crackers!.

I hope you enjoyed this Instructable on how to make a stuffed BBQ Fattie.