First attempt at lunchmeat - Dutch Loaf

[jcam222]

Last week I started pondering making German Bologna but didn't have casings yet. Having lunch meat fever I settled in on one of my favs dutch loaf. I've never made any of these types of deli meat before. I settled in on using this a recipe Pops had linked here years ago from a pellet smoking site.
Lower-Salt Old Fashioned Dutch Loaf

3 lbs Ground Pork
2 lbs Ground Beef

1 tsp Curing Salt #1 (Instacure #1, Prague powder #1)
3 3/4 tsp Pickling Salt (non-iodized table salt will work)
1/4 cup Sugar
2 TBS Onion Powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground Black or White Pepper (I like a course grind)
1 1/2 tsp. ground Coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground Celery Seed (I had to grind celery seed in my spice grinder)
1 1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

5 oz. Cold Water I subbed Splenda for sugar and bumped the salt up to 36 grams per 5 lbs based on advice from chopsaw who I drove crazy with questions during this project. Super helpful. I used white pepper. I did use fresh store ground 80/20 beef as well as fresh ground butt from our local Savealot. They ground the butt while I waited for $2.29 a lbs. I made two 5 lbs batches. Because it wasn't fine ground I did partially emulsify the meat in my kitchen aid mixer. Figured it would help since this recipe came brains no binder. Here are the two loaves ready.

I put them in the Smokin Tex with no smoke @ average of 120F for a couple hours then added a small cherry chunk and worked temp up to averaging 180F over the next couple hours. At the 9 hour mark it was pretty dark so I moved to the oven. I set the oven for 180F and finished at final temp of 152F at the 11 hour mark. Here are the finished loaves.

After about an hour or so they went to the frig overnight. Here it is all sliced up.

It's very tasty and holds together well without the binder. Very pleased with my first attempt at this type thing. Several things for next time 1- I will likely bump up the spices 25% on the next batch. I like big flavor. 2- I will either finish in the dialed in smoker or better monitor oven temps as it was in the last two hours I had some fat out. 3 - Will consider a binder and / or phosphates next time to better retain moisture. No doubt I'll be doing more lunch meat loves. Thanks for looking and thanks to Rich for the help.

 

[indaswamp]

Very Nice! Welcome to the wonderful world of sausage making!

 

[JLeonard]

I'll take two on a deli roll loaded up! Looks good!

Jim

 

[smokerjim]

Looks excellant

 

[gmc2003]

Wow Jeff. I like the fact that you drove Rich( chopsaw ) crazy, and I love the look and sound of those loaves. Sign me up for a sammy.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[chopsaw]

Jeff , That looks absolutely fantastic . I appreciate that you reached out for some pointers .
Like I told you , take any advice and apply what you know . I can see the quality that went into that . Very nice .

in the last two hours I had some fat out. 3

I don't get that impression from those pics . I can see the store bought beef in there though . Lol .
I'm assuming the salt was good ? If it worked for you , base your formulas off of that .
Really nice work . I'm rolling some smoke on the Kielbasa loaf . Almost done .

I will likely bump up the spices 25% on the next batch. I like big flavor.

Yup . You know what you like , so dump it in , or 25% . Lol .

 

[DRKsmoking]

Looks great Jeff, and thanks for your write up and the critique of your work.
That is how we figure out what we want for a final product. Love the loaves.

I would have no problem vac-ing those up and have lunches with them all week long.

I have to get to making more sausages and then maybe the lunchin meat once the holiday rush is over.
All the customers think the days are endless and all want things started and finished before Christmas. I just smile and do the best I can.

David

 

[Steve H]

Nice job Jeff! I'll take a sammie or three!

 

[tallbm]

Last week I started pondering making Gean Bologna but didn't have casings yet. Having lunch meat fever I settled in on one of my favs dutch loaf. I've never made any of these types of deli meat before. I settled in on using this a recipe Pops had linked here years ago from a pellet smoking site.
Lower-Salt Old Fashioned Dutch Loaf

3 lbs Ground Pork
2 lbs Ground Beef

1 tsp Curing Salt #1 (Instacure #1, Prague powder #1)
3 3/4 tsp Pickling Salt (non-iodized table salt will work)
1/4 cup Sugar
2 TBS Onion Powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground Black or White Pepper (I like a course grind)
1 1/2 tsp. ground Coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground Celery Seed (I had to grind celery seed in my spice grinder)
1 1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

5 oz. Cold Water I subbed Splenda for sugar and bumped the salt up based on a recommendation from chopsaw who I drove crazy with questions during this project. Super helpful. I did use fresh store ground 80/20 beef as well as fresh ground butt from our local Savealot. They ground the butt while I waited for $2.29 a lbs. I made two 5 lbs batches. Because it wasn't fine ground I did partially emulsify the meat in my kitchen aid mixer. Figured it would help since this recipe came brains no binder. Here are the two loaves ready. View attachment 683353 I put them in the Smokin Tex with no smoke @ average of 120F for a couple hours then added a small cherry chunk and worked temp up to averaging 180F over the next couple hours. At the 9 hour mark it was pretty dark so I moved to the oven. I set the oven for 180F and finished at final temp of 152F at the 11 hour mark. Here are the finished loaves. View attachment 683354 After about an hour or so they went to the frig overnight. Here it is all sliced up.
View attachment 683355View attachment 683356 It's very tasty and holds together well without the binder. Very pleased with my first attempt at this type thing. Several things for next time 1- I will likely bump up the spices 25% on the next batch. I like big flavor. 2- I will either finish in the dialed in smoker or better monitor oven temps as it was in the last two hours I had some fat out. 3 - Will consider a binder and / or phosphates next time to better retain moisture. No doubt I'll be doing more lunch meat loves. Thanks for looking and thanks to Rich for the help.

That looks pretty good to me, I bet it taste pretty good as well!

I do loaf sandwich meat too and I think you may need a binder. I started using NFDM powder and it helped.
What it helped with is that once you vac seal and freeze these lunch meats with no binder, the moisture will crystalize which then acts like a tenderizer on the sandwich meat (from what I have found/discovered). So when you defrost and go to pull a slice out, it wants to tear apart. Not a big deal but kinda sucks when you want a whole slice and you pull it out in 2 pieces lol.

One more little tip. If you make more loaves but smaller you can speed up the time it takes to make all this.
I learned this when doing plain smoked meat loaf because giant 5 pound loafs take forever where smaller 1 pound loafs are much faster. This works for sandwich meat as well and will maybe help get less color if you want with less time in the smoker PLUS more smoke permeation and more tasty rind to be eaten with every bite :D

As you evolve this into the perfect sandwich meat, you will learn a ton of things and as always, eating the less than perfect versions is always a nice treat no matter what :D

 

[jcam222]

Very Nice! Welcome to the wonderful world of sausage making!

. Thanks. Dipped my toe in before the high dive haha

I'll take two on a deli roll loaded up! Looks good!

Jim

Thanks Jim.

Looks excellant

Thanks!

Wow Jeff. I like the fact that you drove Rich( chopsaw ) crazy, and I love the look and sound of those loaves. Sign me up for a sammy.

Point for sure
Chris

LOL I asked a lot of question me for sure.

Jeff , That looks absolutely fantastic . I appreciate that you reached out for some pointers .
Like I told you , take any advice and apply what you know . I can see the quality that went into that . Very nice .

I don't get that impression from those pics . I can see the store bought beef in there though . Lol .
I'm assuming the salt was good ? If it worked for you , base your formulas off of that .
Really nice work . I'm rolling some smoke on the Kielbasa loaf . Almost done .

Yup . You know what you like , so dump it in , or 25% . Lol .

Salt was just right! Really appreciate the help.

Looks great Jeff, and thanks for your write up and the critique of your work.
That is how we figure out what we want for a final product. Love the loaves.

I would have no problem vac-ing those up and have lunches with them all week long.

I have to get to making more sausages and then maybe the lunchin meat once the holiday rush is over.
All the customers think the days are endless and all want things started and finished before Christmas. I just smile and do the best I can.

David

Thanks David! Not gonna lie, retired without that last minute customer rush is awesome!

Nice job Jeff! I'll take a sammie or three!

Thanks Steve. Come on over

That looks pretty good to me, I bet it taste pretty good as well!

I do loaf sandwich meat too and I think you may need a binder. I started using NFDM powder and it helped.
What it helped with is that once you vac seal and freeze these lunch meats with no binder, the moisture will crystalize which then acts like a tenderizer on the sandwich meat (from what I have found/discovered). So when you defrost and go to pull a slice out, it wants to tear apart. Not a big deal but kinda sucks when you want a whole slice and you pull it out in 2 pieces lol.

One more little tip. If you make more loaves but smaller you can speed up the time it takes to make all this.
I learned this when doing plain smoked meat loaf because giant 5 pound loafs take forever where smaller 1 pound loafs are much faster. This works for sandwich meat as well and will maybe help get less color if you want with less time in the smoker PLUS more smoke permeation and more tasty rind to be eaten with every bite :D

As you evolve this into the perfect sandwich meat, you will learn a ton of things and as always, eating the less than perfect versions is always a nice treat no matter what :D

Great tips thanks! I know I'll likely go down the rabbit hole on this haha

 

[chopsaw]

Salt was just right!

It's perfect . Makes for great results , and like I said use that as a starting point and you'll learn how much to use of everything else .

I'm hoping my 2 1/2 pound loaf starts rising in temp . The downside of opening the door to add a therm is evap cooling .

Really nice Jeff .

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks. Dipped my toe in before the high dive haha

Fresh loafs are the gateway to fresh sausage and smoke sausage....and that's the door to salami....it all builds upon the foundation from before.

 

[culpepersmoke]

Like they said. Where does the Sammy line start?

 

[Flash Burn]

This caught my attention. I've been wanting to try a Dutch loaf for the past year or so.
Ever since I saw it made at some butcher / deli on dinners, drive ins and dives.

Your efforts will be my start point.
BUT.....
What would be a proper binder to use so it could be sliced very thin without turning to a crumbly mess?
Nice work Jcam.

PS: the Dutch loaf made by boars head has chopped pimento and flecks of green stuff which I have no idea what it is.
Anyone have an idea what it is?

 

[jcam222]

This caught my attention. I've been wanting to try a Dutch loaf for the past year or so.
Ever since I saw it made at some butcher / deli on dinners, drive ins and dives.

Your efforts will be my start point.
BUT.....
What would be a proper binder to use so it could be sliced very thin without turning to a crumbly mess?
Nice work Jcam.

PS: the Dutch loaf made by boars head has chopped pimento and flecks of green stuff which I have no idea what it is.
Anyone have an idea what it is?

Thanks! I plan on using whey isolate in future sausages as it fits my desire for low carb. I think the most common is milk powder. Others with tons of experiences once will steer you right for sure. I've not seen the Boars Head but likely pimentos and sweet pickle relish. That said if call the pickle loaf. Funny you mention that because I considered doing that to one of my loaves.

 

[civilsmoker]

Nice work jcam and glad this got featured! I saw it before it got featured but didn't have time to respond but is well earned!

 

[Flash Burn]

Thanks! I plan on using whey isolate in future sausages as it fits my desire for low carb. I think the most common is milk powder. Others with tons of experiences once will steer you right for sure. I've not seen the Boars Head but likely pimentos and sweet pickle relish. That said if call the pickle loaf. Funny you mention that because I considered doing that to one of my loaves.

Pickle and pimento loaf is another favorite -as far as boar's head goes - along with Dutch loaf. Whenever the lil woman hits the Publix, she'll grab me a half pound of each.
Thanks for your input....

 

[Winterrider]

Nice work , that looks awesome. Keep posting up your additions/ subtractions, it's got my interest for sure.

 

[clifish]

Nice Jeff, did you slice it with a slicer or by hand? Does it freeze well for future use? When making sammies do you heat it up or just eat it cold?

Lastly, do you plan to incorporate any of your sauces into the mix in the future?

 

[jcam222]

Nice Jeff, did you slice it with a slicer or by hand? Does it freeze well for future use? When making sammies do you heat it up or just eat it cold?

Lastly, do you plan to incorporate any of your sauces into the mix in the future?

Sliced with a slicer. I'm hoping it freezes but most of this will get used up in gifts this week. I eat it cold and I think most folks do. Not sure about the sauces but may do some kind of spicy loaf with pepper powder.