Well, that cook/smoke was much longer than anticipated!
After bringing the chub in the smoker to a desired temp of 135°F, I transferred it to my large turkey poacher to finish the cook. Lo & behold...the chub was
too big for the poacher!
Oh well, back into the smoker went
'Goliath the Bologna.'
Kicked the smoker temp upwards to 170°F to finish. The big chub finally reached the desired IT (internal temp) of 154°F at...1:00 in the morning—some 13.5 hours in the smoker!
Next, into the ice bath and then wipe down, and then hang in the fridge overnight.
Today, I broke out the heavy, dense bologna log and began slices pieces off one end...
Color looks good; densely colored outer skin (smokey!), uniform texture—slightly coarser than the
store-bought emulsified bologna. Texture reminds one of cotto salami or Lebanon bologna. For a smoother, more
'emulsified' velvety bologna texture, I would recommend the food processor approach (small batches at a time
with plenty of ice). A few air pockets (holes), which are not totally unexpected, but overall, a very even texture.
Taste? I'm very pleased with the flavor: Cold, sliced—
sweet, smokey, meaty—hint of spice. Reminiscent of a well-made beef frankfurter. FAR and away
better mouth-feel than grocery store bolognas.
Fried? MMmmm-mmmm! Tasty! As much as I like a good cold bologna sandwich, frying up this bologna is really where its at! Not greasy; yet salty & sweet with a bit of char. Pass the mustard!
Thanks for viewing, guys!
I hope you found this thread at the very least, informative, and maybe it gave some the desire to use the recipe listed here and make a batch for themselves. Just remember, the bigger the chub, the longer the cook time required!
Kevin