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Lebanon Bologna Recipe

Lebanon Bologna Recipe

A classic Lebanon Bologna Recipe made with lean beef, warm spices, gentle fermentation for tang, and slow hardwood smoking. Perfect for sandwiches, snacks, or charcuterie. Includes a halal-friendly option and oven method.AuthorUse Default (Don’t show)Servings4peopleEstimated Cost$5TimesPrep Time0 days 0 hours 30 minutesCook Time0 days 6 hours 0 minutesCustom Time LabelCuring & FermentationResting Time (Custom Time)2 days 0 hours 0 minutesTotal Time2 days 6 hours 30 minutesCategoriesBeef Recipes; Sausage & Cured Meats; Homemade Deli MeatsCoursesMain Course; Appetizer; SnackCuisinesAmerican; Pennsylvania DutchKeywordsLebanon Bologna Recipe; smoked beef; cured meat; fermented sausage; halal option; deli meat; charcuterie
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
2 days
Total Time 2 days 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Yields ~1 kg finished bologna serves 4 generously
  • 1,000 g 2.2 lb very lean beef, 90–95% lean, chilled
  • 18 g kosher salt
  • 2.5 g Prague Powder #1 curing salt #1, 6.25% nitrite — ~¼ tsp
  • 12 g brown sugar or 10 g white sugar + 2 g molasses
  • 6 g dextrose or sub 6 g white sugar
  • 5 g ground black pepper
  • 4 g ground coriander
  • 4 g garlic powder
  • 3 g mustard seed lightly cracked
  • 2 g onion powder
  • 2 g sweet paprika
  • 1 g allspice pinch
  • 1 g ground mace or nutmeg pinch
  • 120 g ice-cold water
  • Optional for authentic tang via fermentation: Starter culture (e.g., Bactoferm F-LC) per package directions + an extra 5–10 g dextrose as the fermentable
  • Optional no-ferment tang shortcut: 6–8 g encapsulated citric acid (ECA), added at the end of mixing
  • For smoking: Hardwood hickory, apple, or maple
  • Halal note: Use halal-certified beef and ensure the starter/ingredients are alcohol-free.

Equipment

  • Digital kitchen scale (accurate to 0.1 g)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Meat grinder (or purchase lean ground beef)
  • Sausage stuffer
  • Fibrous casings (2.5–3 inch / 65–76 mm), pre-soaked
  • Butcher’s twine
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Instant-read probe thermometer
  • Smoker (or oven for no-smoke method)
  • pH meter or test strips (optional but recommended)
  • Wire rack + sheet pan
  • Large container for ice bath

Method
 

  1. Chill & Prep
  2. Place beef, grinder parts (if grinding), bowl, and water in the fridge/freezer until very cold (near 0–2°C / 32–36°F). Soak fibrous casings in warm water 20–30 minutes.
  3. Grind (skip if already ground)
  4. Grind beef through a medium plate, then once through a fine plate for classic smooth texture.
  5. Mix Dry Spices & Cure
  6. In a small bowl, whisk salt, Prague Powder #1, sugars/dextrose, pepper, coriander, garlic, mustard seed, onion powder, paprika, allspice, and mace.
  7. Primary Mix (Protein Extraction)
  8. Add the spice mix to the cold beef. Drizzle in the ice-cold water while mixing vigorously by hand or paddle (5–8 minutes) until tacky and sticky—this binds the emulsion.
  9. For Fermentation (authentic tang)
  10. Dissolve starter culture in a little of the cold water (per packet). Mix into meat thoroughly along with extra dextrose (5–10 g).
  11. For ECA shortcut: Delay ECA until after stuffing/mixing is nearly finished; fold it in gently at the very end to avoid breaking the encapsulation.
  12. Stuff & Tie
  13. Load the meat paste into casings, pack firmly to avoid air pockets. Tie ends with twine. Prick any visible air bubbles with a sterile pin.
  14. Ferment (if using culture)
  15. Hang at 85–95°F (29–35°C) with high humidity (covered warm box or oven with light on and a pan of hot water) for 24–36 hours, until pH ≤ 5.2 and a noticeable tang develops. (Use a pH meter/strips if available.)
  16. Dry & Preheat
  17. Air-dry logs at room temp 30–60 minutes while preheating smoker to 140°F (60°C).
  18. Smoke & Cook (low and slow)
  19. Smoke at 140°F (60°C) for 2 hours.
  20. Increase to 150–160°F (65–71°C) and continue 3–4 hours until the internal temp reaches 152°F (67°C). Add smoke as desired for color/flavor.
  21. Oven method (no smoker): Bake on a rack at 170°F (77°C) with a small bowl of water for humidity. Add ½–1 tsp liquid smoke to the meat in step 4 for a smoky note.
  22. Chill & Bloom
  23. Move logs to an ice bath 10–15 minutes, then pat dry. Hang or place on a rack to bloom (develop color) 1–2 hours. Refrigerate overnight before slicing.
  24. Slice & Serve
  25. Slice thin for sandwiches/boards. Store tightly wrapped 1–2 weeks refrigerated; freeze up to 2–3 months.
  26. Nutrition (per serving, 1/4 of recipe – estimate)
  27. Calories: 320 kcal

Notes

Food safety: Use Prague Powder #1 exactly as directed (2.5 g per kg meat). Always cook to an internal 152°F (67°C) and chill promptly.
Tang options: Authentic tang comes from fermentation (starter culture + warm hold). ECA is a faster, acceptable shortcut for home cooks.
Texture control: Extra fine grind and thorough mixing = classic bologna sliceability.
Halal version: Use halal beef and ensure all inputs (casings, culture) are compliant.
Serving ideas: Rye bread with mustard and Swiss; cube for snacks; charcuterie with pickles and sharp cheddar.