OK, so I am about to go crazy with my smoker over the next 48 hours. I plan to make a breakfast fatty, lunch pork roast, and dinner brisket. I need some help planning for the fatty.
First, I have no idea how much the items cook in the center of the fatty. I've seen people saute veggies first and cook other items to roll in. I want to put cubed potato, peppers, cheese and scrambled eggs into mine. Obviously I need to cook the eggs, or they'll just leak out everywhere, and I'm not worried about them drying out with all of the moisture from the other items in there. However, should I precook the rest, or should I let the absorbed heat do its thing?
Second, I've seen where people have finished them in the broiler pan in the oven or grilled them briefly to crisp the bacon. I was wondering if anyone has instead tried building a bark on the bacon with a sugar-heavy mist to crisp it up. Not sure if that would work, due to the high fat content of the bacon, but I wanted to float the idea past you experts. My concern is that transferring it in and out of the smoker might already be enough to make it fall apart (especially since I'm such a klutz). So, I'm looking for input on alternate finishing ideas.
Finally, any advice on seasoning (both inside and out)? My family likes a little spice. I was thinking of adding some siracha or Tabasco to the middle (we eat both on eggs around here). Any other ideas? How well do spices in the middle permeate through? I assume that, despite the "loose" nature of the core of it, there will be some convection currents within the cheese and liquids from the items that will cause some circulation of the flavors while cooking, but I'm not sure. Looking to hear from the veterans.
Thanks in advance for the help.
First, I have no idea how much the items cook in the center of the fatty. I've seen people saute veggies first and cook other items to roll in. I want to put cubed potato, peppers, cheese and scrambled eggs into mine. Obviously I need to cook the eggs, or they'll just leak out everywhere, and I'm not worried about them drying out with all of the moisture from the other items in there. However, should I precook the rest, or should I let the absorbed heat do its thing?
Second, I've seen where people have finished them in the broiler pan in the oven or grilled them briefly to crisp the bacon. I was wondering if anyone has instead tried building a bark on the bacon with a sugar-heavy mist to crisp it up. Not sure if that would work, due to the high fat content of the bacon, but I wanted to float the idea past you experts. My concern is that transferring it in and out of the smoker might already be enough to make it fall apart (especially since I'm such a klutz). So, I'm looking for input on alternate finishing ideas.
Finally, any advice on seasoning (both inside and out)? My family likes a little spice. I was thinking of adding some siracha or Tabasco to the middle (we eat both on eggs around here). Any other ideas? How well do spices in the middle permeate through? I assume that, despite the "loose" nature of the core of it, there will be some convection currents within the cheese and liquids from the items that will cause some circulation of the flavors while cooking, but I'm not sure. Looking to hear from the veterans.
Thanks in advance for the help.
