SAUSAGE - Fatties
Smoked sausage logs have been around quite a while. Calling them “fatties” seems so fitting. Thanks go out to Bigdog, a member of The BBQ Brethren for the now famous nickname. I know I usually recommend grinding, mixing and stuffing your own sausage, but fatties are an exception. There are some store-bought logs that consistently turn out very good. Jimmy Dean and Bob Evans brands are at the top of the list for quality and seasonings. If you are into rolling-your-own fatties or making stuffed fatties, some instructions are below.
Fatties are a quick cook, 3 hours or less at temperatures between 215° and 270° measured at the grate. Use an indirect set-up with a drip pan. This means that anytime your cooker is running is a good time to toss one or two fatties on. Just slice the plastic tube and sneak the log out of the wrapper. Re-form if necessary. Season with a little rub if you like. Cook them to an internal temperature of 170° then rest in foil for around an hour before slicing. They are excellent with biscuits.
If I smoke them for the next day I sometimes pull at 150° internal and wrap in foil with a little apple juice and return to the cooker until they reach 170°. Leave them in foil, cool down and refrigerate, slicing the next day. Reheating in the microwave or skillet works great.
The store-bought ones do have a higher meat to fat ratio, but the cook time renders a lot of the grease out. The mass helps keep them moist. If you have a multiple grate set-up in your cooker, try fatties on the top grate and chicken, meatloaf or pit beef underneath.
If you want to roll-your-own, buy or make a batch of bulk sausage and roughly form it into one pound logs. (If the sausage is not "sticky" you can mist it with water which helps it bind). Wrap the sausage in plastic wrap and tie a knot in one end. Twist the other end clockwise to tighten up the log, then refrigerate for an hour or so to let it set up. Overnight is better if you have the time. 
For stuffing, make a thick patty and add filling in the center. Carefully form into a log and follow the instruction from above.
That’s all there is. Now go smoke a fatty!
