Making deer bologna

[Tom]

When making deer bologna with a fibrous casing sometimes the meat sticks to the casing. Making it difficult to peel the casing away from the slice of Bologna. Any idea why this may be? I always follow the same process when making bologna. Sometimes they separate just fine sometimes the meat sticks to the casing. Any thoughts. Thanks

[Jonathon]

Tom It could be a variety of things that are causing this including fat content, level of protein extraction (which could have something to do with salt content of seasoning) and how fully the casings were stuffed and how well rehydrated the fibrous casing was before stuffing it. However, the thing I think is most likely the issue is how quickly it is being cooled. Most of the time when I don’t get my Summer Sausage, or any other sausage in a non-edible casing, into an ice bath right away I have this same issue.

So, my question would be, do you always use an ice bath or sometimes do and sometimes don’t? How cold the water is that your plunging them into can be a factor as well.

[Tom]

Jonathan thank you for your reply. What I normally do is. After the cooking process I submerge the sticks of Bologna into my sink which is filled with the coldest tap water available. To stop the cooking process.

[Jonathon]

Tom Try adding some ice to it, normal cold tap water runs around 55°, adding a fair amount of ice to it will drop that significantly and bring the temp down faster. This will stop the cooking process quicker but also should help you with your casing issue. The other thing you might want to try if you are not already is using a binder or Carrot Fiber.

The other thing that it could be, that I did not mention in my previous response, is smoke schedule. I don’t think this is your issue since it happens sometimes and not others but it is something to think about as well. Increase your temperature up in stages so you are not going right to 180° during the cooking process.

[AdamCA]

Tom Try adding ice to the water. When ever I make something like summer sausage or salami I fill my sink with ice and water and stick the sausages in there for 20-25 mins and that seems to do the trick for me.

[thomwhildin]

Tom allow the meat to sit in the refrigerator for frw days & outside will dry & then casings will come off easy

[wesss1]

I’d say I think Jonathon has 2 great ideas and I’d do both; ice and carrot fiber.

[srg158]

We make it differently and don’t have problems. What we do is stuff them in the fibrous. Then we cold smoke them in a smoke house (it is like an old wooden shed on the farm that breathes a lot and is not insulated). Then we cook them in a kettle with water. Then they hang a bit to dry. Into the vacuum seal bags and freezer. When they thaw out the fibrous casing is usually loose and comes right off. With this method I think you get a lot more moisture into the product though. I should mention that we don’t use a commercial spice/cure mix. We have our own recipe and we use tender quick to cure.