Lebanon bologna - Home made Recipe

How to make it

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• GRINDING:
• 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. 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.
• STUFFING:
• Bologna may be stuffed in large cellulose casings, beef bungs or export wide beef rounds for the ring bologna. There are hog casings available that can be used for ring bologna.
• SMOKING AND COOKING:
• After stuffing, hang on properly spaced smokehouse sticks. You may rinse with cold water to remove meat particles. After stuffing, bologna should be kept in a cooler at 40-45° F. until you are ready to smoke. Bologna should be taken out of the cooler and allowed to hang at room temperature for at least 1 hour before smoking.
• Bologna packed in artificial casings should be placed in a preheated smokehouse at 130-135° F for about 1/2 hour with dampers wide open; apply heavy smudge for approximately 11/2- 3 hours with dampers 3/4 closed. Gradually raise the temperature to 165-170° F, cutting off the smudge, and cook until an internal temperature of 155° F is obtained, If you have a steam cabinet, you may transfer bologna from the smokehouse and cook until an internal temperature of 155° F is obtained.
• When using natural casings, bologna should be placed in a smokehouse at 130-135° F with dampers wide open for at least 30-45 minutes. Then apply heavy smudge for 21/2-3 hours or until the desired color is obtained. Cut smudge, gradually raise the smokehouse temperature to 165° F and cook until an internal temperature of 135° F is obtained. Remove from smoker and place in steam cabinet until 155° F is obtained internally. If you do not have a cooker, leave bologna in the smokehouse at 165-170° F until 155° F is obtained internally. Remove from smokehouse and spray with cool water until an internal temperature of 110° F is obtained.
• CHILLING - Bologna should be placed in a cooler at 45° F until the internal temperature of the product reaches at least 50° F