Armadillo Eggs - 101

capnamerca · 04-15-2006, 10:31 PM

For the other beginners, like me. See the Armadillo Eggs thread in the roadmap for basics - but given that my first time to make these beasts is this week, I thought I'd share what I came across.

note - the cook is tomorrow starting at 6am. Tonnight was food prep.

Bought jimmy dean sausage - local HEB was running a special, 2 for $5. Bought four chubs - two low fat, two HOT. Had colby jack cheese for two of them, and pepper jack for two others. The two w/Colby jack got bell peppers (reb, green and yellow), and the two with pepper jack got jalapenos (no seeds).

During prep, the first thing I noticed is that the sausage stuck to EVERYTHING. The first chub I prepped on aluminum foil. Once pressed out flat and "dressed", it was impossible to pull it off of the foil in one piece. I ended up pulling up all the pieces, and shaping the Egg back into chub form with both hands. So, tin foil by itself is right out. The second chub was prepped on a wooden cutting board, with similar (but slightly better) results. The last two, I used a cookie sheet with a little bit of olive oil, and that worked FAR better for removal.

The second major piece was re-shaping. Obviously, the sausge must be pressed flat (see "prepped egg" post from RoadMap-linked thread) for the ingredients to be added. Pressing the entire chub flat, and then re-forming around the dressings is how I built the first two. However, for the last two, I realized that I could divide the original chub in half, and press each piece flat by itself. Then, put the dressings on one half, and lay the other half back on top. With a little bit of massaging, the two pieces form back into a chub shape, and far easier (to me) than reforming the entire piece with all that stuff inside it.

Just figured that others might benefit from this info.

FatDad · 04-15-2006, 11:19 PM

Might consider the following attachment.

BBQchef33 · 04-16-2006, 01:56 AM

capn.

i find that having the sausage very cold stops it from sticking to the cutting board.

When i do the eggs. I pull apart the amount of meat i want for one egg and form a meatball in my hands and slap the meatball to the table, which flattens it out somewhat. Then press down the center a bit to make it concave. I spoon in the filling and then cup my hands around the meat and lift it *up and in* as i work my hands underneath. Once its all unstuck from the table and i got the whole slab in my hands i just reform it into an egg shape. Seems to work for me and is pretty quick.

Frisco_Smoker · 04-16-2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnamerca

For the other beginners, like me. See the Armadillo Eggs thread in the roadmap for basics - but given that my first time to make these beasts is this week, I thought I'd share what I came across.

note - the cook is tomorrow starting at 6am. Tonnight was food prep.

Bought jimmy dean sausage - local HEB was running a special, 2 for $5. Bought four chubs - two low fat, two HOT. Had colby jack cheese for two of them, and pepper jack for two others. The two w/Colby jack got bell peppers (reb, green and yellow), and the two with pepper jack got jalapenos (no seeds).

During prep, the first thing I noticed is that the sausage stuck to EVERYTHING. The first chub I prepped on aluminum foil. Once pressed out flat and "dressed", it was impossible to pull it off of the foil in one piece. I ended up pulling up all the pieces, and shaping the Egg back into chub form with both hands. So, tin foil by itself is right out. The second chub was prepped on a wooden cutting board, with similar (but slightly better) results. The last two, I used a cookie sheet with a little bit of olive oil, and that worked FAR better for removal.

The second major piece was re-shaping. Obviously, the sausge must be pressed flat (see "prepped egg" post from RoadMap-linked thread) for the ingredients to be added. Pressing the entire chub flat, and then re-forming around the dressings is how I built the first two. However, for the last two, I realized that I could divide the original chub in half, and press each piece flat by itself. Then, put the dressings on one half, and lay the other half back on top. With a little bit of massaging, the two pieces form back into a chub shape, and far easier (to me) than reforming the entire piece with all that stuff inside it.

Just figured that others might benefit from this info.

Good post, mods.. please add to roadmap...

Yakfishingfool · 04-16-2006, 06:06 AM

For eggs, I take a shole fatties and split it down the middle, cutting about 3/4th of the way thorugh it to the bottom. This let's me open it lie a sub sandwich roll. then using my thumbs I indent the sides outward, making a hollowed out sub roll. add ingredients, pull two side together and squeeze together. I then do a bit of mouling with the hands, very minimal, and the dress the top wit what's inside so I can ID it. did 8 yesterday and have never had one leak or split open. as ofr sticking...becuse I work with them cold, and don;t spread them out, my sticky surface is relatively minimal. Good eats!!!! Scott

cmcadams · 04-16-2006, 08:21 AM

I did something this morning the worked the best for me for not sticking... I used the white butcher paper the sausage came in (I got some freshly made)... worked really great! I have a weird set of fatties going... pics later.

capnamerca · 04-16-2006, 08:50 AM

Cmc - I didn't have any of that butcher paper, which is what I wanted to use. I think that's the winner idea. Wax paper might have worked, too. Things to get next time I head to the HEB :).

boatnut · 04-16-2006, 08:54 AM

I made six the other day and used wax paper. worked fine for me.

bbqbull · 04-16-2006, 09:26 AM

Farkers, try placing the sausage on a good quality type plastic wrap. Do what ever as far as adding cheeze,peppers ect. Then when you go to reshape sausage use plastic wrap. Ive used it in using bulk sausage making into a log/roll. I learned at Paul Kirks class you can even use the plastic wrapped meat on the pit for up to one hour if the temp is 250 F. or less. Then you can remove plastic wrap, place meat on rack. Kinda like making a meat loaf. Please dont subject the meat to temps above 250 otherwise you will have the mass from heck. This should elimanate any sticking problems during prep.
Just a thought here
Bull

icemn62 · 04-16-2006, 09:32 AM

Teaching my son how to do it, so it can be his mess to clean up. Wax paper works for me when he is not around

BrooklynQ · 04-16-2006, 09:40 AM

I've never heard this discussed - what's the best way to open the fattie with misshaping it?

The_Kapn · 04-16-2006, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frisco_Smoker

Good post, mods.. please add to roadmap...

Done.

TIM

cmcadams · 04-16-2006, 10:29 AM

I did armadillo eggs benedict this morning... pics coming.

Great success!

cmcadams · 04-16-2006, 11:06 AM

The first pic came out a bit blurry, but it still looks ok:

The next is the full blown dish, with a poached egg broken over the top...

Kevin · 04-16-2006, 11:14 AM

Looks darn good to me.

04-15-2006, 10:31 PM	#1
capnamerca Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-02-06 Location: Central Texas	Armadillo Eggs - 101 For the other beginners, like me. See the Armadillo Eggs thread in the roadmap for basics - but given that my first time to make these beasts is this week, I thought I'd share what I came across. note - the cook is tomorrow starting at 6am. Tonnight was food prep. Bought jimmy dean sausage - local HEB was running a special, 2 for $5. Bought four chubs - two low fat, two HOT. Had colby jack cheese for two of them, and pepper jack for two others. The two w/Colby jack got bell peppers (reb, green and yellow), and the two with pepper jack got jalapenos (no seeds). During prep, the first thing I noticed is that the sausage stuck to EVERYTHING. The first chub I prepped on aluminum foil. Once pressed out flat and "dressed", it was impossible to pull it off of the foil in one piece. I ended up pulling up all the pieces, and shaping the Egg back into chub form with both hands. So, tin foil by itself is right out. The second chub was prepped on a wooden cutting board, with similar (but slightly better) results. The last two, I used a cookie sheet with a little bit of olive oil, and that worked FAR better for removal. The second major piece was re-shaping. Obviously, the sausge must be pressed flat (see "prepped egg" post from RoadMap-linked thread) for the ingredients to be added. Pressing the entire chub flat, and then re-forming around the dressings is how I built the first two. However, for the last two, I realized that I could divide the original chub in half, and press each piece flat by itself. Then, put the dressings on one half, and lay the other half back on top. With a little bit of massaging, the two pieces form back into a chub shape, and far easier (to me) than reforming the entire piece with all that stuff inside it. Just figured that others might benefit from this info. __________________ NB Bandera. Baffle w/water pan cutout, custom firegrate, spicewine charcoal box. Austin, TX, home of the National Champion Texas Longhorns 'Que newbie, but coming along fast, thanks to bbq-b!

04-15-2006, 11:19 PM	#2
FatDad is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-07-04 Location: Richardson, Texas	Might consider the following attachment. __________________ ************************************ Mark P. The reason I love this site: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=59061 3 WSM's Weber Kettle w/ rotisserie Weber Genesis 2 Turkey Fryers Last edited by FatDad; 06-29-2006 at 06:26 PM..

04-16-2006, 01:56 AM	#3
BBQchef33 Grand Poobah and Site Admin Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Long Island, NY Name/Nickname : Phil	capn. i find that having the sausage very cold stops it from sticking to the cutting board. When i do the eggs. I pull apart the amount of meat i want for one egg and form a meatball in my hands and slap the meatball to the table, which flattens it out somewhat. Then press down the center a bit to make it concave. I spoon in the filling and then cup my hands around the meat and lift it up and in as i work my hands underneath. Once its all unstuck from the table and i got the whole slab in my hands i just reform it into an egg shape. Seems to work for me and is pretty quick. __________________ Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Built Shirley built to feed our Veterans(A.K.A "Abrams"), 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 2 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 2 Pit Barrel Cookers, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a Blackstone 36 and 17, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM

04-16-2006, 06:06 AM	#5
Yakfishingfool Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-01-05 Location: Shokan, New York	For eggs, I take a shole fatties and split it down the middle, cutting about 3/4th of the way thorugh it to the bottom. This let's me open it lie a sub sandwich roll. then using my thumbs I indent the sides outward, making a hollowed out sub roll. add ingredients, pull two side together and squeeze together. I then do a bit of mouling with the hands, very minimal, and the dress the top wit what's inside so I can ID it. did 8 yesterday and have never had one leak or split open. as ofr sticking...becuse I work with them cold, and don;t spread them out, my sticky surface is relatively minimal. Good eats!!!! Scott __________________ Oh It'z BBQ! 1 Weber Gold Series Grill 1 WSM 18,1 WSM 22 1 Weber performer, 1 Smokey Joe Platinum 1 XL Big Green Egg 1 FEC 100 Team BBQ-Brethren.com KCBS Certified Judge #9079

04-16-2006, 08:21 AM	#6
cmcadams Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-15-06 Location: Waynesville, Ohio	I did something this morning the worked the best for me for not sticking... I used the white butcher paper the sausage came in (I got some freshly made)... worked really great! I have a weird set of fatties going... pics later. __________________ Curt McAdams Livefire Blog Livefire Whisky CBJ, some comps, a few awards, Certified Artisan Steak Taster. XL Big Green Egg, Bubba Keg Convection Grill, Weber Kettle, Charbroil Infrared and mad livefire cooking skillz! :)

04-16-2006, 08:50 AM	#7
capnamerca Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-02-06 Location: Central Texas	Cmc - I didn't have any of that butcher paper, which is what I wanted to use. I think that's the winner idea. Wax paper might have worked, too. Things to get next time I head to the HEB :). __________________ NB Bandera. Baffle w/water pan cutout, custom firegrate, spicewine charcoal box. Austin, TX, home of the National Champion Texas Longhorns 'Que newbie, but coming along fast, thanks to bbq-b!

04-16-2006, 08:54 AM	#8
boatnut is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-22-05 Location: Ohio	I made six the other day and used wax paper. worked fine for me. __________________ Mike GOSM smoker (gas) Masterbuilt (electric) Weber Kettle Weber Gasser (2) Weber WSM I'd rather have a bottle in front of me then a frontal lobotomy

04-16-2006, 09:26 AM	#9
bbqbull Watching over us. Join Date: 12-27-05 Location: Mid Michigan	Farkers, try placing the sausage on a good quality type plastic wrap. Do what ever as far as adding cheeze,peppers ect. Then when you go to reshape sausage use plastic wrap. Ive used it in using bulk sausage making into a log/roll. I learned at Paul Kirks class you can even use the plastic wrapped meat on the pit for up to one hour if the temp is 250 F. or less. Then you can remove plastic wrap, place meat on rack. Kinda like making a meat loaf. Please dont subject the meat to temps above 250 otherwise you will have the mass from heck. This should elimanate any sticking problems during prep. Just a thought here Bull __________________ "You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." "I wish my mind could forget what my eyes have seen. :shocked:" "Heavily medicated for your protection. :doh:" Klose Mobile Pit Klose Owners Reccomended Pit Cookshack Smokette Gasser Little Chief Smoker Large BGE Gifted to me my Pit Barrel Smoker :mrgreen::clap:[URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/"][/URL]

04-16-2006, 09:32 AM	#10
icemn62 Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-10-04 Location: Los Angeles, CA	Teaching my son how to do it, so it can be his mess to clean up. Wax paper works for me when he is not around __________________ Weber Kettle, WSM, Dyna-Glo Offset, George Foreman Grilll I AM LOVING THE SMOKE WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher,smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

04-16-2006, 09:40 AM	#11
BrooklynQ Banned Join Date: 07-18-04	I've never heard this discussed - what's the best way to open the fattie with misshaping it?

04-16-2006, 10:29 AM	#13
cmcadams Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-15-06 Location: Waynesville, Ohio	I did armadillo eggs benedict this morning... pics coming. Great success! __________________ Curt McAdams Livefire Blog Livefire Whisky CBJ, some comps, a few awards, Certified Artisan Steak Taster. XL Big Green Egg, Bubba Keg Convection Grill, Weber Kettle, Charbroil Infrared and mad livefire cooking skillz! :)

04-16-2006, 11:06 AM	#14
cmcadams Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-15-06 Location: Waynesville, Ohio	The first pic came out a bit blurry, but it still looks ok: The next is the full blown dish, with a poached egg broken over the top... __________________ Curt McAdams Livefire Blog Livefire Whisky CBJ, some comps, a few awards, Certified Artisan Steak Taster. XL Big Green Egg, Bubba Keg Convection Grill, Weber Kettle, Charbroil Infrared and mad livefire cooking skillz! :)

04-16-2006, 11:14 AM	#15
Kevin Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-06-05 Location: Southern Minnesota	Looks darn good to me. __________________ Kevin

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