Prepare the meat

1. Keep the beef very cold. Cut into grinder-sized pieces and partially chill or lightly freeze until firm around the edges.
2. Grind through approximately a 3/16-inch / 4.5 mm plate.
3. Combine the salt, sugars, pepper, ginger, mace, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, dry mustard and Cure #1.
4. Add the seasoning mixture and ice water to the ground beef. Mix thoroughly until the meat becomes sticky and tacky and will cling to your hand. We're looking for good protein extraction so the finished bologna slices cleanly rather than crumbling.

Add the ECA — last

1. Once the bind is fully developed, sprinkle in the 17 g ECA.
2. Mix gently and only long enough to distribute it evenly.
3. Do not grind again after adding the ECA. We don't want to rupture the encapsulation before the sausage heats.

Stuff

1. Stuff firmly into the soaked 50–60 mm beef casings, avoiding air pockets.
2. I'd make several manageable chubs rather than one huge length—roughly 12–16 inches each works nicely.
3. Tie or clip securely and prick any obvious trapped air bubbles with a sterile sausage pricker or fine needle.

Masterbuilt smoke schedule

1. 140°F — 1 hour
2. No smoke. This dries the casing and begins warming the sausage gently.
3. 160°F — 1 hour
4. Add hickory smoke.
5. 175–180°F — until 160°F internal
6. Continue smoke as desired.
7. Expect roughly 4–6 hours total, although the internal temperature—not the clock—determines when they're finished.
8. I wouldn't raise the smoker much above 180°F to hurry things along. The slow cook helps preserve the dense, fine texture we're after.

Chill

1. As soon as the centers reach 160°F, remove the chubs and place them in an ice-water bath.
2. Cool until the internal temperature drops to roughly 100°F, then remove, dry thoroughly and refrigerate.

Rest before slicing

1. Give the bologna at least overnight in the refrigerator before making the final judgment.
2. That resting period lets the smoke, acid and spices settle down considerably, and the texture firms up.