Fatty-Cake, Fatty-Cake, Smokin' MAN!!! Process & q-view

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

This is my 1st attempt, as I introduce you to another creation. This will be a double layer, and I’m covering many aspects of the process during the prep and smoke, so be ready for the works, with installments over a 2-day period.

This is a project I started dreaming up and writing notes on a few months ago, and I’ve been putting this off for way too long. The time has come to share another adventure during my quest for the ultimate smoke!

I took a tip from another member who recently posted a reply to me:

***WARNING AND DISCLAIMER***

Reading/viewing the following thread may cause uncontrollable salivation/drooling. Do not continue until you have taken precautions to protect your electronics, and removed any unprotected power strips, etc. from the vicinity of your computer, as water/drool and electricity DO NOT MIX very well. It is also recommended that you wear casual clothing, and you may wish to have a roll of paper towels or other absorbent material within easy reach.

SMF, any of it's affiliates, nor the SMF member responsible for the opening post of this q-view cannot be held liable for any incidental or consequential damages resulting from this thread.

***LOL!!!***

BREAKFAST FATTY-CAKE

(for two 9” x 2” double layer cake pans as forms)

DAY ONE:

I began gathering my main ingredients and doing as much pre-smoke prep as I could.

I weighed out 2.5 lbs Tater Tots, hickory smoked with ½ qt water @ ~350* until browned and crisp (+/- 75 minutes), then chill in refrigerator in covered container. These will be used for part of the filling of the top section of the cake.

Onto my Smoke Vault Jerky Grate:

Ready to cool:

The tater tots are VERY crisp and have a light smoke flavor...very good...I'd do these again just for a side item!

I took 1 dozen grade A large eggs, scrambled with EVOO, a med/lg steamed and chopped vidalia onion in a 12” diameter pan, as a frittata (open omelet), seasoned only with cbp and light kosher salt, wraped in poly and chilled in refrigerator. This will be used in the bottom section of the cake.

Top of the wrapped frittata:

And, the golden brown bottom:

1lb-10oz of my home-made Canadian bacon slices for layering with tater tots:

To see how I made the CB, check here:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=83133

3.3 lbs sliced side pork, seasoned w/cbp and kosher salt, hickory smoked, to layer with the frittata on the bottom section:

To see how I made the smoked side pork, check here:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=91990

Pork Sausage from a locally-grown hog:

END DAY ONE

Please, join me on Tuesday (04-06-2010) for rest of the adventure as I show you how I'll put it all together!

Eric

caveman · Apr 6, 2010

Thank you for the warning. I have my SMF drool bib on. My keyboard Thanks you. Looking good so far!!

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

LMBO!!!! I'll see how it goes, but I may take you up on that offer!

Eric

meateater · Apr 6, 2010

Something tells me this will be good.

morkdach · Apr 6, 2010

ok its 4/6 and we are all waiting for rest of the adventure.
please

got14u · Apr 6, 2010

waiting not so patiently

rbranstner · Apr 6, 2010

ok its Tuesday and I don't see anything. hahaha

acemakr · Apr 6, 2010

Eric, are you there?

Dutch · Apr 6, 2010

Eric-
Some time today would be a great time to show us how to put this all together so we can see the finished product.

Anytime-no rush-the day ends at 11:59:59 pm, but some of us would like to see this fantabulious creation before bed time.

We're an impatient lot, have you noticed??

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

Holy Smokers!!!!!!!!! LMBO!!! Patience my friends, patience.

I just started the build, so pics will start coming as time allows. I have DSL problems as of late, so I'm using my wife's blackberry as an internet modem for my puter. Every time I unplug the blackberry to plug in for pic downloads to my puter, I have to go through the re-connect with the blackberry again. PITA, but it works.

Anyway, the pans of formed meat are chilling waiting to be filled with yummies, so I'll be back with process/pics soon.

Thanks everyone! Gonna be another fun day here!

Eric

mballi3011 · Apr 6, 2010

Man it took alot of thought to come up with that one there Eric. Now I'm waiting also and Iwould like to see this new creation. So I guess I will have to come back what about thursday?? maybe

northern greenhorn · Apr 6, 2010

Well Eric, here we go again, so in order to protect myself better, I have on some chest waiters, a rain poncho, covered the keyboard, and have a mop standing by... you come up with some out of this world ideas, you need your own show on the Food Network... cancel Ace of Cakes, and any other cake shows... and bring on Erics Smoking Sensation Showdown...

can't wait to see the final result of this one.

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

Getting these pics up this morning is taking forever on the black berry...sorry about that.

I didn't form the meat into a ball before putting it into the poly lined pans, as you have to kneed it out quite a bit anyway.

Just working the meat outward from the center and up the sides...this helps keep the poly liner from moving and leaving the pan bare...this is a crucial step in being able to release the cake from the pan after assembly. Fill-in/repair any thin areas towards the top of the rim with a bit of extra meat and trying to keep the thickness uniform throughout...this is mostly by feel, and 1/4" or less is the target thickness:

I wanted ay least 1/2" above the rim of the pan for forming a good seal when it's all joined together:

The divider for the two layers is almost ready to wrap and chill...I measured the diameter just to be sure I was close, then wrapped and pressed it out a bit more:

So, we're about to start filling the meat with goodies. I took this time to post pics while the meat is chilling in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Fillings to come soon!

Eric

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

Pieces of smoked side pork went in first...approx. 3/4" in depth, laid in loosely so as to not damage the lower meat layering:

Then, 4oz of medium cheddar cheese:

Frittata measured too large, so I eyeballed it to cut it down to 8.5", but should have gone for 8 instead...no biggy...too big is fixable:

Trimmed and re-measured:

***EDIT:*** Frittata fitted and re-trimmed:

More side pork:

...and cheddar:

Cover fit test while still laying in poly...was still a bit too small of diameter, so I pressed it out more:

Ready to chill again. I used the poly wrap to slightly lift up the side meat to aid in forming it against the cover layer, pinching them together...then, I pressed the joint of the two downward while lifting slightly on the poly again...lastly, I removed as much air from the assembled layer by poking a small hole into the cover and gently pressing and working the air pocket to the hole, then pressed the hole close again. Having a good seal is a very critical step to avoiding any leakage of liquids:

Judging by the feel of it all, I think I have a patent seal of the 2 separate pieces of meat. This layer will be the bottom when it goes into the smoker.

One challenge I have to overcome with the fillings is that they are pre-cooked so they will not shrink, and the sausage is raw and will shrink quite a bit. As it shrinks it will tighten up against the fillings and possibly burst or tear apart, so the fillings are best to be left a bit on the light side instead of over filled to allow for the shrinkage.

To complicate things even more, adding a second layer without a covering (yeah, I know...I must be crazy, huh?) and being able to get a good seal and fit for the final joining of the two layers needs to be with relatively full pans so that the meat can be worked enough to get a good seal on the outside. This will be the second most challenging part of the entire process...next to getting the 4+" high & approx. 10# cake onto a smoker grate without destroying it.

That said, layer 1 is completed...next will be filling layer 2 and fitting them together. This will be very tricky, but I think I've got a good plan worked out...let's see if I can pull it off.

I'm off for more prep work! Back ASAP!

Eric

acemakr · Apr 6, 2010

Wow, a 4 to 6 pound fattie cake! Like Dutch said, The day ends at 11:59:60pm and we are an impatient bunch.

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

Heh, actually, it's a single layer weight pushing 5lbs...this will be just short of 10#.

Top layer filling pics coming up shortly!

Eric

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

I started with one layer of my hickory smoked tater tots:

Then came 2 layers of my regular Canadian bacon:

Then, another layer of taters:

Still have a bit more room for fillings? Sure, how about another layer of CB:

So, I'm nearing the final stages of prep/assembly...the tricky & critaical steps are yet to come. Placing the bottom covered layer onto the top (uncovered) layer while still in the pans with the poly liners. Then, sealing/joining the 2 layers together, quick-chilling in the freezer for about 30 minutes, and removal of the cake from the forms/pans and at the same time getting it onto a smoker grate. WHEEEEEW!!!!!!!!

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen! But, I do have a plan...

The two layers are chilling in the fridge right now...final assembly and off to the freezer will follow soon. Then, it's removal from the pans and onto the smoker grate.

Man, either I'm nuts, or I have a high degree of confidence in my skills and pre-planning for even attempting this! LOLOL!!!!!! Wish me luck!

ONE NOTE before I forget: I'm using dry/stiff fillings and over-lapping the layering whenever possible to help with lateral stability, in hopes that the sides won't blow-out during assembly, smoking and finish handling. This may also help in keeping the lower layer meat from sagging too badly and forming itself into the grate to the point where I can't remove it. Inverting the grate with a board over the top of the finished cake will aid in removal. With the grate/cake inverted, you can simply press the meat back through the grate... and with a jerky grate it makes for pretty cool checker-board pattern on the bottom...you'll see.

Eric

bayouchilehead · Apr 6, 2010

I don't know what your plan is, but I would cover the top layer with wax paper then turn it over, put it on top of bottom layer and pull the wax paper out. Just a thought.

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

Yeah, that was one of my first thoughts a few months back when this idea was first conceived. Then, I realized that the meat would shift as the sheet was removed due to sticking/friction, so I chilled both pans very well @ approx. 20* for over 30 minutes. Did the flip nicely after the chilling.

Pics to follow...just gotta upload from PB to SMF.

Eric

forluvofsmoke · Apr 6, 2010

This worked out beautifully! I even impressed myself with this part...a godd chilling @ ~20*F for 30+ minutes and the stage was set.

Here's the pair...the left is the lower layer, still covered with poly:

And, presto! I matched the pans up with the lower layer being raised and tilted slightly...as I began to increase the angle of the pan I also increased the speed at which I was tilting...when the pan was coming past 90 degrees, I just kept up the acceleration of the motion and it settled down within an 1/8" of centered...a slight shift and it was time for seam sealing:

Here, I'm gently lifting up the poly wrap, beginning with the bottom pan, then the top, so I can ease the top pan up slightly to reveal the open seam of the two separate meats:

All sealed up...I didn't use any additional sausage for the sealing process...time will tell if this was a mistake or not...to seal the seam up, I used one finger at a time and just touched the seam and pulled the lower meat up and the upper meat down, then worked slightly from side-to-side to join it up...felt and looked like it took really well...time will tell...:

OK, I'm breathing much easier now! LOL!!!

I have it in the freezer now, still in the pans. The cake is in an inverted position right now...for a reason...I have to place the smoker grate on top of the bottom layer after the pan/poly wrap is removed. The, I invert the grate and cake simultaneously (again, without destroying the entire masterpiece), remove the last pan and poly, and then hit a very hot smoker while the meat is still set-up well from the freezer. This should firm up the exterior meat quick enough (I hope) to help it all hold together without bad sagging issues or a side-wall blow-out.

Now, it's time for me to take final measures to assure the success of this project's outcome. I have 5 20# LPG tanks and only one has any left at all, and it's not very much. So, I'm off to the bulk propane distributor which is about 5 minutes drive away from my house for a refill or 2.

Man, this is going great folks! I'm so excited to be sharing another totally off-the-wall and wild ride through the thin blue smoke with everyone here!

Back ASAP with the final stage and start of the smoke!

Eric

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