Bacon Mac & Cheese Fatty

Prepare the Mac and Cheese Log

1. Spray an 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Press the pre-made mac and cheese into the pan, making sure it is packed down firmly.
3. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the Sausage

1. In a bowl, combine the breakfast sausage and the softened cream cheese. Work the cream cheese into the sausage mixture until it is thoroughly blended. The cream cheese acts as a binder to help the sausage hold its shape.
2. Place the sausage mixture into a gallon-size freezer bag. Close the bag most of the way, leaving a small opening to release air.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll the sausage out to about ½-inch thickness, working it to fill the bag and create a uniform layer. Set aside.

Make the Bacon Weave

1. Cut a sheet of parchment paper with the long edge facing up and down.
2. Lay 7-9 strips of bacon vertically on the paper, side by side.
3. Fold back every other slice of bacon about 2 inches. Lay one slice of bacon horizontally across the unfolded vertical strips.
4. Fold the vertical slices back down. Now, fold up the other set of vertical strips that were not previously folded. Lay another horizontal slice of bacon and fold the vertical strips back down.
5. Continue this alternating process until you have created a tight bacon weave that is about a foot wide.

Create the Pepper Bacon Sugar Rub

1. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and coarse black pepper. Set aside.

Assemble the Fatty

1. Preheat your smoker with applewood to 225°F.
2. Carefully cut open the sides and bottom of the freezer bag containing the sausage. Gently flip the sausage onto the bacon weave, leaving about an inch of bacon exposed around the perimeter.
3. Unwrap the chilled mac and cheese log from its plastic film. Place it on the lower third of the sausage layer, closest to you.
4. Using the parchment paper to assist, carefully roll the bacon and sausage up like a burrito. Roll it tightly to ensure a good seal. The seam should end up on the bottom.
5. Pinch the sausage on the ends to completely close them off, so the mac and cheese is not exposed.
6. Tuck in the ends of the bacon and use toothpicks to hold them in place.
7. Sprinkle the pepper bacon sugar rub evenly over the top, sides, and ends of the fatty.

Smoke the Fatty

1. Carefully place the fatty in the center of the smoker.
2. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the fatty.
3. Smoke at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. This will take approximately 2 hours, but go by temperature, not time.
4. Once the fatty reaches 160°F, carefully remove it from the smoker.
5. Cover it lightly with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the filling to stabilize and prevents it from oozing out.
6. Remove the toothpicks, slice, and serve.