Brined & cooked recipeOrigin Recipe

American Bologna

Name: American Bologna
Yield: 1 kg batch
Cuisine: Charcuterie
Ingredients: 1 kg Beef chuck, connective tissue trimmed; 250 g Pork shoulder; 50 g Pork back fat; 67 g Potato starch; 22.5 g Salt; 3.2 g Cure #1; 3.8 g Ground white pepper; 1.3 g Ground coriander; 1.3 g Sweet paprika; 1.3 g Ground nutmeg; 5 g Fresh garlic, finely minced; 400 g Ice-cold water

A cooked charcuterie preparation from the Salumi Atlas

Draft

This recipe is a draft, pending verification by The Curesmith. Treat the salt, cure and timing figures as provisional and confirm them against your own judgement before curing.

Introduction

American Bologna is a large-format cured cooked sausage with a smooth, uniform slice. Beef and pork are common, although the United States standard also permits other specified meat combinations. Unlike Mortadella Bologna, it does not display a mosaic of white jowl-fat cubes. It may be smoked, sold as a straight chub or made in smaller rings, and ranges from a fine lunch-meat emulsion to a slightly coarser country style.

Where it comes from

Beef cut chart with the Chuck highlighted — Beef · ChuckBeef chuck, connective tissue trimmed

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleSmoked and cooked

MeatsBeef chuck, connective tissue trimmed, Pork shoulder

Salt1.8%

CureCure #1

Cook to72 C / 162 F

Ingredients

Beef chuck, connective tissue trimmedgAdjust to
scale the recipe

Meat & fat
Beef chuck, connective tissue trimmed	Reference	1000 g
Pork shoulder	25% of beef chuck	250 g
Pork back fat	5% of beef chuck	50 g
Binders & vegetables
Potato starch	6.7% of beef chuck	65 g
Seasoning
Salt	1.8%	22.5 g
Cure #1	156 ppm	3.2 g
House Cure #1 at 156 ppm ingoing, suited to a short cooked process.
Ground white pepper	0.3%	3.8 g
Ground coriander	0.1%	1.3 g
Sweet paprika	0.1%	1.3 g
Ground nutmeg	0.1%	1.3 g
Fresh garlic, finely minced	0.4%	5.0 g
Ice-cold water	32%	400 g

Nitrite safety check

Nitrite (NO₂)

156.0ppm

Standard maximum

156ppm

Nitrite level156.0 / 200 ppm max

0156 ppm200 ppm

Safe

Within safe limits. Effective for pathogen control and colour development.

Production

GrindAs the style requires

Rest1 hour, ideally overnight

SmokeCold-smoke below 30 C (86 F), then cook

Cook to72 C / 162 F internal

Method

Comminution. Chill beef, pork and fat until firm. Grind each component separately through 10 mm. (Endpoint: Keep below 4°C.)

Mixing. Process beef with half the ice water, salt, Cure #1 and spices until a sticky fine matrix forms. (Endpoint: Keep the batter below 8°C at this stage.)

Preparation. Add pork, then back fat and potato starch while feeding in the remaining water. Process to a uniform fine emulsion. (Endpoint: Finish below 12°C; discard a broken or greasy batter.)

Stuffing. Stuff tightly into the fibrous casing and clip securely, excluding air.

Stuffing. Hold the stuffed chub at 0–4°C for 8–12 hours, then dry the casing surface in the smokehouse without smoke.

Smoking. Apply light smoke at 50–55°C until the desired colour is reached. (Endpoint: Smoking is optional under the US identity standard and does not establish safety.)

Cooking. Poach at 75–78°C or finish in moist heat until the cold point reaches 72°C. (Endpoint: Use a calibrated probe.)

Chilling / rest. Cold-shower immediately, then refrigerate with space around each chub. (Endpoint: Meet the stated two-stage cooling limit.)

Drying / maturing. Dry, package and refrigerate once the centre is at 5°C or below. (Endpoint: Consume within 7 days after opening or freeze.)

Comminution. Chill beef and pork until firm and grind separately through 6 mm. (Endpoint: Keep below 4°C.)

Mixing. Dissolve Cure #1 in the ice water. Mix meat, salt, cure solution and spices until sticky and well bound. (Endpoint: Do not emulsify; the fine-coarse cut is intentional.)

Stuffing. Stuff firmly into the selected casing, expel air and clip securely.

Preparation. Hold at 0–4°C for 8–12 hours.

Smoking. Dry the casing surface, then apply smoke at 50–55°C until the desired colour is reached.

Smoking. Poach at 75–78°C or finish in a moist smokehouse until the cold point reaches 72°C. (Endpoint: Use a calibrated probe; time is only a planning guide.)

Chilling / rest. Cold-shower immediately and complete cooling under refrigeration. (Endpoint: Meet the stated two-stage cooling limit.)

Drying / maturing. Package after the casing is dry and the centre is at 5°C or below. (Endpoint: Refrigerate and consume within 7 days after opening, or freeze.)

Comminution. Chill beef, pork, jowl and fat until firm and grind each separately through 10 mm. (Endpoint: Keep below 4°C.)

Mixing. Emulsify beef with half the water, salt, Cure #1, pepper, coriander, paprika, nutmeg and garlic. (Endpoint: Keep below 8°C.)

Preparation. Add pork and jowl, then back fat and potato starch while feeding in the remaining water. Process until uniform. (Endpoint: Finish below 12°C.)

Stuffing. Stuff tightly, exclude air and clip the casing.

Stuffing. Hold the stuffed chub at 0–4°C for 8–12 hours.

Smoking. Dry the casing, then smoke at 55–60°C until the desired colour and aroma are reached.

Cooking. Poach at 75–78°C until the cold point reaches 72°C. (Endpoint: Use a calibrated probe.)

Drying / maturing. Cold-shower immediately, finish cooling under refrigeration, dry and package. (Endpoint: Meet the stated cooling limit; store at 0–4°C.)

Comminution. Chill all components until firm. Grind beef and pork through 5 mm, re-chill and grind through 3 mm. Grind back fat through 5 mm. (Endpoint: Keep below 4°C.)

Mixing. Mix beef with salt, Cure #1, spices and one third of the water until tacky. Add pork with the second third, then fat with the remaining water. (Endpoint: Finish below 10°C and avoid fat smear.)

Stuffing. Stuff firmly into the selected casing and form 35–40 cm sections.

Drying / maturing. Hold at 0–4°C for 8–12 hours, then dry the casing surface before smoking.

Smoking. Smoke at 50–60°C, then raise the chamber with humidity control until the cold point reaches 72°C. (Endpoint: Use a calibrated probe.)

Chilling / rest. Cold-shower immediately and complete cooling under refrigeration. (Endpoint: Meet the stated two-stage cooling limit.)

Drying / maturing. Dry the casing, package and refrigerate. (Endpoint: Consume within 7 days after opening or freeze.)

Smoking guidanceCold-smoked over a cool wood smoke (below 30 C (86 F)) before cooking, until it takes colour and a smoky aroma. It is cooked, not dried, so it stays raw until you cook it through.

Key tipsThis is the house version of a cooked product; the Atlas entry carries the traditional detail. Keep everything cold, cook to a measured core temperature, and cool quickly.

ImportantThis is a cooked product. Cook thoroughly to a safe internal temperature of 72 C / 162 F before eating, cool promptly and keep refrigerated.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com

Health & Safety Disclaimer

Purpose and scope

Limitation of liability

Nitrite and cure safety

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Temperature control

Uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

Commercial production

In the Salumi Atlas

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