Hello newsletter friends!

Welcome to another wonderful edition of the smoking meat newsletter. I am really excited to show you what I have come up with for this week!

All of you have probably at least heard of the bacon explosion.  It's simply ground breakfast sausage, cheese and a lot of other goodies all rolled up into a chub, wrapped in a blanket of bacon and smoked for 3 hours.

When it's finished the cheese is oozing out and this wonderful piece of goodness is about the best thing you'll ever taste.

We call it a "Fatty" but the name just does not do it justice.

In this newsletter I have decided to follow the same pattern of flavors and ingredients but leave everything flat as opposed to rolling it up.

This amazing layered cake of ground breakfast sausage, red and green bell peppers, onions, lots of cheese, a bacon weave on top and iced with my amazing barbecue sauce is my humble solution for world peace and more than 97 other major international and galactic problems.

Had Luke offered this delectable smoked dish to his father,  Darth would have crossed over from the dark side and became a better man–but that's neither here nor there.

I have chosen to call this a Smoked "Flatty" (only because I haven't come up with a better name yet).

I really think you're gonna want to do this very soon and when you do, you're gonna go ape over it; trust me!

May the pork be with you ALWAYS!

Smoked Breakfast Flatty

Note: the following ingredients are what I chose to put in mine, it's sort of like pizza in that you can stuff it with almost anything that you like. Some other great stuffing ingredients are eggs, jalapeno or other hot peppers, nuts, spinach leaves, ham, pepperoni, chicken, other pieces of smoked meat, cream cheese, boudin..

Just to name a few!

What You'll Need

• 2 lbs of ground pork breakfast sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's Hot)
• 1/4 cup of green bell peppers, diced
• 1/4 cup of red or yellow bell peppers, diced (for color)
• 1/4 cup of onions, diced
• 1/3 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
• Jeff's barbecue sauce (purchase recipes)
• Jeff's rub
• 1 lb of bacon (thin sliced seems to work better for this)
• Parchment paper
• (2) 1 gallon ziploc bag
• Bradley rack (optional)

How to Prepare

Snip off the bottom (2) corners of the ziptop bags to let some air escape while you roll out the sausage

Unwrap one of the sausage chubs and place into ziploc bag. Press all of the air out of the bag and zip closed.

Use a rolling pin or a drinking glass to roll the sausage flat inside of the bag. This does not have to be pretty. Just try to get it uniform in thickness and you'll be good.

Use a very sharp knife to cut away the top half of the ziploc bag. When you are done the sausage should be laying on the back of the plastic bag.

Repeat these step with sausage chub number 2

Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter that is about 18 inches x 18 inches and then place one of the sausage layers onto the top of the paper (sausage side down). Peel away the plastic and you have your first layer of sausage on the paper.

Note: this is what works for me, if you can accomplish a fairly neat square of sausage flattened out and at the correct size without using the bags then feel free to do so. I am a little anal about making it look good but this does not influence the taste at all.

Spread diced peppers and onions evenly across the bottom later of sausage. Drizzle some of my barbecue sauce onto it as well.

Now sprinkle cheeses onto top of veggies and sauce

Add some pepperoncini rings if you like.. I love these and put them on everything.

Carefully lay top layer of sausage (sausage side down) evenly on top of bottom layer with vegetables. Try to make the corners line up but it's not too big of a deal if it's not perfect.

Peel away the plastic from the ziploc bag then apply a generous coat of my rub to the top of the sausage layer.

Lay bacon on top of sausage in a basket weave pattern. If you need help with this, see my bacon weave tutorial in the bacon wrapped fatty newsletter from January 2010.

This is where a Bradley rack really comes in handy but if you don't have one, you can cook this right on the grate while still laying on the parchment paper. To get it out to the smoker you can use a cookie sheet.

Paint on a coat of my barbecue sauce for good measure.

Leave the prepared bacon flatty on the counter while you go get the smoker ready to cook.

Getting the Smoker Ready to Cook

Estimated time: 30-60 minutes (depending on what type of smoker you are using)

I smoked this flatty in my Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain propane smoker using cherry pellets for smoke but you can do this using ANY smoker whether it is electric, gas, charcoal or wood.

I recommend cooking this at about 240 degrees or even a little hotter to try and crisp the bacon a little but I would not go over 275 at the most.

I have written some helpful information on the operation and getting the most out of several popular smokers below however, there is no substitute for experience. Like anything else, you will find that the more you use your smoker, the better you will get at controlling the temperature and making it work for you in the way that it should.

• Bradley 4-Rack Digital Smoker – An electric smoker that is fully automated and keeps the temperature where you set it. It also keeps the smoke flowing via an automated mechanism that moves a new wood puck into the smoker every 20 minutes. See this smoker and read reviews on Amazon.com
• Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 Smoker – the king of charcoal water smokers. Add charcoal, water and wood and you're good to go for several hours. 3 dampers on the fire bowl allow you to dial in the air perfectly for maintaining perfect smoking temperatures. See this smoker and read reviews on Amazon.com
• Big Green Egg – Ceramic cooker that uses charcoal. Add lump charcoal, light it and add some wood.. set the top and bottom vent and you're good to go for hours on end due to the thick walls that hold heat incredibly well.
• Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Propane Smoker – A propane smoker that works exceptionally well. I have had mine for more than 8 years and it still works great. See this smoker and read reviews on Amazon.com
• More smokers on the way..

Note: In colder weather, it is advisable to preheat the smoker at least an hour or more before you are wanting to use it. Keep the door closed as much as possible and even skip basting if necessary to maintain proper smoking temperatures.

Smoking the Flatty

Estimated time: 2.5-3 hours depending on temperature maintained

If you have the flatty sitting on a Bradley rack then place the whole rack on the smoker grate.

If you do NOT have a Bradley rack then carry the flatty on the parchment paper supported by a cookie sheet. Once you get out to the smoker, carefully lift the parchment paper with the flatty onto the smoker grate.

If possible, set a pan under the flatty to catch the grease that drips down. You will also need to poke just a few holes in the edges of the parchment paper to allow the grease to run out so it does not pool on top of the paper with nowhere to go.

My propane smoker has a water pan below the racks so I just let the grease drip into that.

Maintain about 240 degrees in the smoker and let the flatty continue to cook/smoke until the sausage is done. Make sure the sausage is cooked to at least 165 degrees for safety purposes.

I recommend letting the smoke go for the entire time you are cooking if you are not using a wood smoker.

I also recommend using a good digital probe meat thermometer anytime you are cooking meat to make sure it is cooked perfectly.

About Probe Thermometers

If you do not have a probe thermometer, you can find them on Amazon.com or even at your local store for as little as 15 dollars. If you want one that tells you the temperature wirelessly via a monitor that you carry with you into the house, it will run you about $60 dollars.

I have both types and I have to say that I am very spoiled by not having to run out to the smoker to check the temperature of both the smoker and the meat. I use the Maverick ET-732 and it is a huge time saver for me and so worth the cost in my opinion.

The Maverick ET-732 has (2) probes, one for the smoker temperature and another one for the meat temperature. The sending unit sits on top of the smoker and the receiver stays in your pocket or sits on the table top or counter up to 300 feet away.

Serving the Flatty

This makes such a wonderful breakfast food but you can serve it anytime. Slice it like a cake with a very sharp knife to keep the bacon intact.

Serve with eggs, fried or roasted potatoes, and buttered toast and you'll be on the way to a great meal that you and your guests will not soon forget.

Summary

1. Place sausage inside ziploc bag and roll flat
2. Repeat with other chub of sausage
3. Cut around ziploc bags and remove top sides of plastic
4. Place parchment paper on counter
5. Lay bottom layer of sausage onto parchment paper and remove plastic
6. Layer on onion, peppers, sauce, and cheese
7. Add 2nd layer of sausage evenly on top of bottom layer and remove plastic
8. Sprinkle rub (purchase recipes) on top of sausage
9. Use bacon to create bacon weave on top of flatty
10. Smoke cook flatty on parchment paper for 2.5-3 hours or until sausage is done.
11. Slice and serve with eggs, potatoes, and buttered toast for a perfect breakfast.

The Recipes for my Rub and Sauce – Order Today!

The really wonderful thing about my rub is that it's good on nearly everything. It not only flavors the meat really well but it also helps to bring out the natural flavors of the meat.

The sauce is the icing on the cake and gives the finished product a final layer of flavor for those who like to have warm sauce to dip the meat in.

Both my rub and my sauce work so well on so many things and I'm thankful that I can call them my own creations. I am also happy that I am able to share them with you folks in a way that benefits the website and the newsletter.

You really have to try it to truly experience the "WOW"! and if you've been teetering on the fence about it, then go ahead and try it out!

I am not being dramatic.. just try it and you will join the ranks of those who know if I'm lying then I'm dying! This stuff is amazing and you need it in a bad way;-)

Here are a few testimonies from other folks who decided to go for it and are glad that they did. Be sure to send me your testimony once you try it and realize that you have just tasted of HEAVEN.

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Jeff, I did a smoked pork roast yesterday and used your recipe both for the pork and for your Smoky Barbecue Sauce.  Everyone loved it.  My wife said the sauce was the best she had ever tasted and I have to agree.  Fantastic. ~ Barry
 
 
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Hello Jeff I recently purchased your recipe for rub-n-sauce and just wanted to let you know that its off the chart. well worth the cost. I am cooking for about 50 family and friends at lake Texoma this weekend and cant wait to see everybody's reaction ~ Jack
 
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Jeff, You truly are the man. Bought your rib rub and your sakes alive sauce and love them both. Keep up the good work helping people like me learn to cook good BBQ with smoke. ~ Matt
 
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Jeff, I was smoking a Boston butt Saturday night for dinner Sunday and decided to try your bbq sauce. I have to say this is hands down the best sauce I've ever had and I've tried a lot of them. Its very easy to make, inexpensive and taste excellent. I will be using this recipe for a long time. ~ Doug
 
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Jeff, Your Rib Rub is to die for, I have used it on all meats including Venison and I have to say you have created a master piece, Thank you for letting us common folk into your smokin life.~ Kevin

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You deserve the very best and it is completely within your grasp! Only $18.95 and worth every penny. Not only do you get the best rub and sauce recipe available, you are supporting this website and helping to make sure the bills get paid so we can keep on doing what we do to teach thousands and thousands of people across the world the art of smoking meat.

Order Recipes | Read Testimonies

What to Expect Once you Order

Here's how it works:

1. You order the recipes
2. My automated system sends you a download link in an email with a password
3. You click on the link and use the password to download the recipes and the free gifts to your computer

If you DON'T get the email with the link:

1. Check your spam/junk folder (sometimes they get caught there)
2. If you can't find it, email me and let me know you didn't get it
3. I will send the recipes and login info to you as an attachment in an email
4. You let me know you got it, we are both happy campers!

Great Resources for Smoking Meat Enthusiasts

Note: All off-site links will open a new window or tab. When you are done, simply close the window or tab and you'll be right back here.

• Smoking Meat: The Essential Guide to Real Barbecue (my book)
• Smoking-Meat.com Facebook Page (24,611 Likes)
• Follow Jeff on Twitter
• Newsletter Archive (All of our past newsletters archived just for you)
• The Smoking Meat Store (Smokers, smoking gadgets, thermometers, etc.)

StoryQue for iPad Now Available in PDF

StoryQue, the barbecue magazine I write for and subscribe to on iPad is NOW available in PDF format.

This is a full-blown, full-color, digital magazine for barbecue enthusiasts, packed with recipes, tips, stories, articles, and photos for anyone who's stoked about cooking outdoors.

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by BBQ mag – Jan 1, 2013

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Use the promo code get1month on the order form and you will immediately get an email with your download link to the latest issue.

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