Fatties, Collards and the Chimney Starter as the Charcoal Basket

[TysDad]

When my wife says I hit a home run with some food, I try to do it again, what a surprise. I had fried some cut up leftover fatty in a pan and then scrambled it up in some eggs. She was over the top about it. Shucks, I have to make more fatties!

Vons has their house brand sausage buy 1 get 1, so I bought three plain and one hot and mixed them together to make three fatties. A bit of cheese in the middle and covered with brown sugar, New Mexico chile powder and panko bread crumbs (because I was thinking of RTD's pictures for some reason). The collard greens looked good, too.
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1201009.jpg

And I wanted to try using my charcoal chimney as the basket in the pool filter. I filled it up with Royal Oak briqs and lit it.
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1183002.jpghttp://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1184003.jpg
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1184003.jpghttp://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1186005.jpg

These four pics scrolled around and around would make a cool animation. Anyone know the easiest way? When the cooker was up to 250, I threw a handful of Jack Daniels chips on top, put the grate back on and laid on the fatties. When they were all at or over 165, about 2 hrs, they came off and rested for about 20 minutes in ziploc bags. Sliced. Delicious.
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1205012.jpg
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1211015.jpg

The wife's comment was that it lacked the snap of the last one. I figured out that she was talking about the bits I had pan fried in the omelet... So next time I think I will sear the fatty in a pan or broiler after it comes out of the smoker to crust it up some more. The brown sugar/chile powder worked, but the panko bits were lost. I think I'll go back to just using rub on the outside. I also need to work on the amount of stuffing. This amount of cheese is not near enough.

Oh yeah, can't forget the collards. Alton's recipe with a bit less vinegar and a bit more water.
Before
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1202010.jpg
After 2 hours on the stove.
http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r357/PSTysDad/CIMG1213017.jpg


The chimney starter worked great as the charcoal basket. I shook it when I took off the fatties at two hours and then checked it an hour later and it was still good. At four hours, I took the grate off and shook it again. All the hot briq bits fell through the holes in the bottom of the chimney and into the ash in the bottom of the cooker. I take that as done. So, four hours at 250 for one full starter. Fantastic! :-D

[bigabyte]

Nice! Also creative.:wink:

[Bigmista]

What is this "leftover fatty" of which you speak?

And where did you get the Royal Oak Briqs?

[Steve_M9]

"Good Eats"! How long will the chimney last in a UDS? Is the trick lighting it on top?

Curiuos about how it works out.

[jdub]

I'd like to hear it too!

[Mark]

Glad to see you're eatin greens.

[jestridge]

looks wonderful

[TysDad]

What is this "leftover fatty" of which you speak? And where did you get the Royal Oak Briqs?
Only 3 mouths in this household, so everything doesn't disappear instantly. In fact, I tend to make way too much food and get to invent ways to use up the leftovers. I got the briqs at the True Value hardware in Diamond Bar. There's 1/2 an aisle of Q stuff there....

"Good Eats"! How long will the chimney last in a UDS? Is the trick lighting it on top? Curious about how it works out. I'd like to hear it too!
Note: this is not a Weber chimney, but a cheaper knock-off that is a bit smaller. It ran four hours at 250 in the stainless pool filter drum I have. I lit it on top with a propane fired weed burner - note pictures- just like I light the fuel in an expanded metal charcoal basket --- the Minion Method (choir singing in the background).



looks wonderful
Thanks! I had a fatty sandwich and a bowl of greens for lunch. Collard greens seem to get better the next day - kind of like stew, chili, etc.