Balogna

[RAF128]

Still trying to use up the last of some deer meat from last year and had a HM Bologna  kit in the cupboard so decided to give it a try.   Didn't want to make a 30 lb batch, which is what the kit is for, so decided maybe about 6 lbs to try and see what it was like.    Yesterday I ground meat, seasoned and cured it, ground it once more through a fine blade.    Stuffed 2 fibrous casings, 3lb each, and gave them a rest in the fridge overnight.    Bright and early, well not to bright since it was still dark ;), I was in the garage.   I hung the sausage and turned on the smoke generator.   No smoke at this point, only the heat from the SG.    This was to bring the sausage closer to room temp.    After a couple of hours set up the PID.   1 hr at 120 to dry the casings, 1 hr at 140 with alder smoke,  ½ hr at 160 with smoke, then up to 180 with the remainder of total 2 hrs smoke.    In total it took 6 hrs to get the sausage up the 156º.   This is as per instructions that came with the kit.     The sausage was then given an ice bath to cool it.   Then hung to bloom.    Tomorrow I'll sample and slice and vacuum seal.

[KevinG]

Sounds interesting so far. I haven't tried the bologna yet, interested to see how this comes out.

[classicrockgriller]

Venison Bologna sounds good.

Looking forward to the money $hot!

[RAF128]

This evening I put it in the fridge.   I cut off a piece to try.   Sorry, but I'm disappointed.   It doesn't look like bologna and it doesn't taste like it either.   Reminds me of a finer grind of summer sausage.   It needs something that isn't in the kit.

[DTAggie]

Yeah pictures!  kidding.  sorry it disappointed.

[Caneyscud]

Emulsification

[KevinG]

I think Caney nailed it, that's one of the reasons I haven't tried it yet.

[RAF128]

Emulsification

???PLS explain

[KevinG]

Should come out more like a paste when you're done rather than ground meat.

[FLBentRider]

By Emulsion he means that you are making sort of like meat mayonnaise - mayonnaise is basically egg protein suspended in oil.

An meat emulsion is meat suspended in fat. I have read about this in Charcuterie, but never made it.

further reading:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x6556e/X6556E07.htm

[RAF128]

The sausage I made the other day was lean and a 70/30 mix of venision and pork.    I started with course blade and then ran it through the grinder with a very fin blade.   I could have tried to emulsify but didn't. Instead I mixed up a batch of praug powde

[NePaSmoKer]

Paprika, mace or allspice is in bologna as in hot dogs.

[Tenpoint5]

Add a small amount of water and run it through your food processor to make it a paste. You may want to do small batches at a time so as NOT to burn up your wifes food processor. Like someone I resemble did.

[Caneyscud]

FLBR, I like the Meat Mayo description.  I usually liken it to Pate'.  No discernable meat fiber, it's been sorta liquified.  For us'ns that means using a food processor as 10.5 said.  I've heard of a blender being used, but that would have to be tiny batches. 

[RAF128]

I'll keep the food processor in mind if I do it again.