- Jan 6, 2011
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My Very First Bologna
Looking through all the different recipes I decided on this one with a couple of changes
Ingredients for 10 Lbs. Per Pound• 2 cups ice water 1.6 oz. ice water
• 2 tsp. Insta cure #1 or 15 tsp TQ 1.5 Tsp TQ per lb.
• 1 Tb. ground white pepper .1 Tb ground white pepper
• 2 Tb. paprika .2 Tb Paprika
• 1 Tb. nutmeg .1 Tb Nutmeg
• 1 tsp. allspice .1 tsp Allspice
• 1 tsp. onion powder .1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/3 cup salt (Omit salt if using TQ .2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 2 cups non-fat dry milk .2 cups NFDM
• 6 lbs. lean beef 60% lean Beef
• 4 lbs. pork butts 40 % lean Pork
Grind all the meat using a plate with very fine 3/16" holes. After grinding, mix all the ingredients with water and meat. Mix for 2-3 minutes or until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Place in food processor and emulsify. Meat will be completely emulsified when it has formed a paste and all meat, spices and water have been combined. If you do not have a mechanical mixer or silent cutter and are mixing by hand, it will take longer than 3 minutes to distribute the ingredients.
I had a 3 lb. chub of lean ground Angus and 1lb. of lean ground pork. So I will be making a 4 lb. chub of Bologna.
I took both the beef and pork and mixed it well, and then I added the TQ, mixed again and sat it in the fridge to rest while I got everything else ready.
After about two hours I pulled the meat from the fridge to start running it through the food processor. I did about a 1/3 at a time added a little water on each one (not much just a very little)
Once it was emulsified I added the remaining water to all the dry Ingredients which formed slurry.
Spread the meat out in a large baking dish poked holes with my finger and poured slurry over the entire meat mixture.
Mixed and mixed by hand till I had it the way I wanted it.
Then back in the fridge, Bologna casing soaking and getting ready to start my smoker.
Fired up smoker, then removed Bologna from fridge, set up and filled stuffer with mix. Removed casing from water (Let soak for over 30 min)
This was quick since I only had 4 lbs. Stuffed tight, twisted the end and tide. Resting for an hour then on the smoker at 135 ° no smoke heat only for about a half hour, then throw on a few chunks of pecan and smoke for about 3 hours.
Brought temp up to 175 ° for 3 ½ more hours till IT was 160 °
Pulled and into water bath till IT temp came down to 100 °
Then on a cooling rack on the counter for about an hour and a half to dry and continue cooling. Then in the fridge to rest overnight.
Next morning, removed from fridge and cut for a taste test.
WOW !!! Homemade Bologna is ten times better than store bought.
This was my first attempt and I am pretty happy, (Got to get the Bosses stamp of approval) before I can claim success.
A couple of thing you will notice in the pictures, I need a hanger so I don’t have to hang horizontal. The texture is not as smooth as store bought, which is fine with me. I think to get that texture I would need to add more water and longer in the food processor. I took it to 160 ° and after conferring with nepas about the casing wrinkling he said which was normal, but next time shoot for 152 ° to 154 ° IT.
All in all I am pretty happy with the way it turned out. Also has a very mild smoke flavor. Hoping the boss likes it since I was banned from smoking for a while !!!
Whew !!!! The Boss said it was the best she ever had, and not to change a thing even the smoke.
Here are some pictures
3 lbs lean ground beef 1 lb lean ground pork
Hard to see TQ in the bowl
All the spices mixed and ready
Food Processor
All the meat after running through the food processor
Ready for the Slurry
Slurry
Slurry poured over the meat
Bologna casing soaking
Didn't get a pic of it being stuffed but here it is after
Rested for a while and waiting to be smoked
This just looks Wrong, gotta build me a hanger
After 6.5 on the smoker 3 hours of smoke 3.5 hours just heat Water bath for a while
(Sorry no pic of that) Bring IT down to 100 º then on the cooling rack for another
1.5 hours to dry and continue to bring down temp. Refrigerated overnight
Had to cut and taste it WOW what great flavor
Slicing it up
I saved part of the chub for thick sliced BBQ bologna Vacuumed sealed 3 packs and
the Chub, rest for sandwiches
Frying some up for lunch
And My Sandwich
Thank for Looking