Bologna
Buckshot Bologna
Smoky Pepper Style Bologna
Buckshot Bologna is a bologna built on a 50% lean meat / 35% pork / 15% pork fat blend, using lean wild game or lean beef. Smoke at 130-175°F (54-79°C) and finish at an internal 152°F (67°C), stuff into 4.5" Fibrous casing, grind at 3/8" then 1/8". Exact amounts scale to any batch weight in the DeepWoodz Smokehouse app for iPhone and Android.
Smoked paprika and mesquite make this the darkest bologna in the library, in color and in flavor. White and black pepper together carry it. If the classic is a sandwich, this one is closer to something you eat straight off the board.
- Internal temp
- 152°F (67°C)
- Smoker temp
- 130-175°F (54-79°C)
- Casing size
- 4.5" Fibrous
- Casing
- Fibrous
- Bloom
- 1-2 hours
What goes in it
- Kosher Salt
- Cure #1
- Coarse Black Pepper
- White Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Mace
- Coriander
- Sugar
- Mustard Powder
- Ice Cold Water
- Ground Nutmeg
Amounts are calculated for your batch weight in the app — including the cure, which is held at a fixed, food-safe rate.
The meat
Lean Wild Game · Lean Beef · Pork Butt · Pork Shoulder · Pork Fat
Bear or wild hog: take it to 165°F and hold 3 minutes. Freezing, smoking and curing do not reliably kill trichinella — only heat does.
How it's made
- With the meat ice cold (28-32°F, partially frozen is ideal), grind through a 3/8" plate, then regrind through a 1/8" plate for a fine texture.
- Add all seasonings and ice water. Mix until very smooth and paste-like with good protein extraction.
- Process in a food processor for 2-3 minutes until completely uniform.
- Stuff firmly into soaked 4.5" fibrous casings. Prick any air bubbles with a pin.
- Rest in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
- Smoke at 130°F with dampers open for 1 hour to dry the casing.
- Apply heavy smoke and increase to 140-150°F for 3 hours for maximum smoke flavor.
- Raise to 170-175°F until internal temperature reaches 152°F. Important: Do not let your smoker exceed 175°F. Even if your smoker is set at or below 175°F, the actual temperature can spike higher — monitor closely.
- Immediately plunge into ice water bath until internal temp drops below 100°F. (Optional — an ice bath is not required. It is personal preference; many just let them cool at room temp, or outside in cold weather. Just cool them down promptly.)
- Hang at room temp for 1-2 hours to bloom, then refrigerate overnight before slicing.
Wood
Hickory · Mesquite · Oak
Safety
- Keep meat below 40°F during grinding and mixing
- Ice water is critical — keeps emulsion stable
- Cook to 152°F internal temperature
- Ice bath immediately after smoking to prevent wrinkling and keep casing from sticking to the meat. (Optional — an ice bath is not required. It is personal preference; many just let them cool at room temp, or outside in cold weather. Just cool them down promptly.)
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