@akdave 100% correct. If you have the time between grinds you will benefit from putting it back in the freezer first. There are two temp ranges that protein extraction will occur and I am going to get this somewhat wrong, one is around frozen meat to 40 something degrees and the other is above 65 degrees. Obviously above 65 degrees is useless to us but I would think (again, dont know this and cant prove it ) the closer you are to 30 degrees than 45 the better protein extraction it will provide.

@doug7777 142 degrees is a stalling point where the fat starts to render. I used to get very impatient and start cranking up the heat to get the INT to go up. That usually results in burning all the fat out of the snack sticks. Be patient. The temp will eventually start to rise again. Once it does, it will continue to do so at a steady pace. I have had snack sticks in the smoker for 24 hours or better due to having 25lbs hanging at one time. I have also had 4-5 lbs at a time in the smoker only take 4-5 hours total.

@Jonathon that makes sense, thank you !

@Jerry-Ogden I have changed it to 1 quart of water and added a note that 2 quarts will make stuffing easier. Thanks!

How To Make Homemade Ring Bologna Learn how to make homemade ring bologna with Walton's and Meatgistics. Read the guide and then post your questions or comments below. What is Ring Bologna? Ring bologna is similar to a normal bologna sausage but it is stuffed into a smaller diameter casings and made into a ring or semicircle. It is typically left as a ring and then sliced to eat on crackers, or cut into chunks to serve as a part of other dishes or casseroles. Meat Block 7.5 lb 85/15 Lean Beef 8.75 lb 80/20 Lean Pork 8.75 lb 50/50 Pork Trim Additives 1 package Ring Bologna Seasoning Unit #4550333550 1oz Sure Cure (packet included with the seasoning) 2oz Smoked Meat Stabilizer1 6oz Sure Gel Meat Binder 1 Quart Ice Cold Water Process Grind pork trim through 3/16in grinder plate, twice Grind lean beef and pork through 1/8in grinder plate Mix Begin mixing lean meats first. While mixing add Seasoning, Sure Gel Meat Binder (or Soy Protein Blend), Sure Cure, and Ice Cold Water. Mix for 5 minutes. Add ground pork trim and mix for an additional 3 minutes, for a total of 8 minutes of mixing time Stuff Stuff into Collagen Ring Bologna Casings Note (If you do not use a cure accelerator like Smoked Meat Stabilizer, then hold in a refrigerator for approximately 12 hours or overnight) Smokehouse Schedule 120F for 30 minutes 130F for 30 minutes (start adding smoke now and throughout entire cook cycle) 140F for 30 minutes 150F for 30 minutes 160F for 30 minutes 170F until internal meat temperature of 160F Shower final product or place in a ice water bath for 10-20 minutes to set the casings and cool the product Other Notes 1. If you do not use a cure accelerator like Encapsulated Citric Acid or Smoked Meat Stabilizer, then after it has been stuffed into its casing hold in a refrigerator for approximately 12 hours or overnight (Return to text) -For Home Processors 2 Qts Will Make Stuffing Easier. -Place a small pan of water in the bottom of smokehouse during entire cooking cycle to help increase humidity. -If your smoker, smokehouse, dehydrator, or oven cannot reach temperatures as low as 120F, just start as low as possible and slowly increase the temperature over time ENJOY! Shop waltonsinc.com for Ring Bologna Seasoning Shop waltonsinc.com for Collagen Ring Bologna Casings Shop waltonsinc.com for Sausage Stuffers

@gusmanp Sorry for the delay in responding. The only real reason I would add water to a restructured product would be to make mixing and extruding easier, other than that it isn’t necessary. When I make restructured jerky I like to use smoked meat stabilizer so I can go right to the smoker, and when using that you don’t really want to add water or it can gas out so quickly that it can cause issues. Hope that helps!