Question about a bologna recipe.

[larryp]

I'm planning to give the Len Poli bologna recipe a shot. The recipe calls for 3 lbs. beef, 2 lbs. pork and 1/4 lb. liver. It says that if you don't want to use the liver, replace it with bacon. My question is, does anybody know the purpose of the small amount of liver in the recipe? My (possibly cynical) guess was that it's there to give it a familiar, more similar to commercial taste. The assumption being that the average commercial bologna is just assorted parts shoveled through the grinder which would likely mean some organ meat in the mix. I have absolutely nothing to base that on other than I can't come up with a reason for the liver in the recipe.

 

[crazymoon]

LP, I have no idea but liver  and bacon  don't seem too close to one another as far as taste goes.

 

[daveomak]

Poli's recipes are usually pretty darn good..... I would make the recipe exactly as he calls for..... then you can decide if it's to your liking....

Dave

 

[larryp]

Yeah, I've used a few of his recipes already and been happy with the results. I was just curious if there was a specific purpose behind including the small amount of liver. Not doubting it, I just like learning as much as I can about the thought process behind recipe construction. Sometimes I learn things that help when developing a recipe myself.

 

[chewmeister]

I've used a variation of Poli's and Marianski's recipes for ring bologna. It depends on what flavor profile you are used to. Different regions have different tastes. I personally wouldn't use either the liver or the bacon, but that's just me.

 

[larryp]

Not using either is probably the route I'll go since I really don't know it's purpose. I don't like liver. Any liver. I've tried over the years, I wanted to like it. Beef, pork, chicken, duck, disguised in pate, braunschweiger on rye smothered in mustard and onion, pate buried in Wellington. Nope. Nothing hides that taste and I haven't been successful in training myself to like it. So I'm not sure I want to risk it in the bologna only to find the flavor stands out. I hadn't considered regional taste, that makes sense. Thanks!