Wanting to try my hand at bologna ?

[knifemaker3]

Ok,
Wanting to try making some bologna for lunch meat. I have a casing question.

The process I plan to use told to me by an old butcher/sausage maker is to stuff in casing and then poach at 170 degrees until IT 165. Then let dry in fridge for 1 day and cold smoke for 6-8 hours.

With this in mind, will this be the casing I need?

https://www.waltonsinc.com/4-6-x-24-fibrous-red-bologna-casing

[Jonathon]

knifemaker3 That is what I would use if I was doing that. Let us know how it turned out, I’d be interested in how much smoke flavor you get doing it this way. Normally I would smoke for a few hours and then poach but this might work too.

[knifemaker3]

Jonathon That’s the process I’m probably going to do. This gentleman has had a stroke a few years back and I’m thinking he is confused on when to poach and when to smoke.

I’ve been thinking about it in between customers here at my gunshop today, and I may try and make bologna out of venison. I’m thinking 2/3 venison 1/3 pork?

Guess the fist thing though will be ordering these casings! Ha! I’ll be ordering from you soon.

Which seasoning would you recommend?

[Jonathon]

knifemaker3 My favorite bologna seasoning we sell is the Lebanon Bologna and add a little hot pepper to it, I did a video here https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/843/specialty-sausage-102-making-lebanon-bologna that went through the entire process. Oddly enough this is the first time I used Parksider water so the process would be about exact.

Now, I dont think there is anything wrong with doing it the way he told you to, just might not get as good smoke flavor.

If you can I’d try for straight pork fat. A customer just dropped some off for us to try that he mixed the fat in during the last 60 seconds so it stayed pretty clumped up, looked a little odd but the fat literally melted in your mouth so you might try that if you wanted to get crazy. If you can get pork fat I’d aim for 75 lean (venison) to 25% pork fat. If not then 50/50 venison to untrimmed pork butts.

Good luck!

[knifemaker3]

Jonathon Thanks! I still have pork fat in freezer so I’ll do as you recommend. I’ll be ordering supplies tonight! Thanks!

[knifemaker3]

Placed an order just now. Can’t wait to make some bologna!