Healthy Homemade Turkey Bologna (Better Than Store-Bought!)
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 116kcal
A lean, healthy, and low-sodium alternative to store-bought deli bologna, using simple ingredients and a unique cooking and setting method.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot
- 1 electric food chopper
Ingredients
Cooking & Flavor Base
- 600 g turkey breast
- 1 pc onion large
- 1 pc bell pepper red
- 1 pc leek medium-size
- 1 tablespoon dried vegetable mix
- 1 teaspoon sea salt kosher
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns black
- 1 pcs bay leaves
- 1 l water cold
Binding & Final Seasoning
- 2 sachet gelatine powder
- 100 ml hot stock from pot
- 150 ml stock additional, from pot
- 50 ml beetroot juice boiled beetroot, for color
- ½ teaspoon sea salt for final sesoning
- 1 teaspoon dried vegetable mix for final sesoning
- ½ teaspoon onion granules or powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules or powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg grated
Instructions
Prepare and Boil
- Take the onion, red bell pepper, and leek and roughly cut them into two or four pieces each.
- Place the turkey breast and the cut vegetables into a large soup pot.
- Add 1 tbsp dried vegetable mix, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves. Pour in the 2 litres of water to cover the ingredients.
- Bring the pot to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for one hour.
Prepare for Blending
- Carefully take 100 ml of hot stock from the pot, pour into a bowl, and immediately mix in the 2 sachets of gelatine powder until fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Remove the cooked turkey breast from the pot and cut it into small cubes. Discard the remaining vegetables and bay leaves.
- Place the diced turkey meat in your electric chopper with an additional 150 ml of stock. Blend until you achieve a smooth, uniform meat paste.
- Add the dissolved gelatine mixture, 50 ml of beetroot juice, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp dried vegetable mix, ½ tsp onion granules, ½ tsp garlic granules, and ¼ tsp grated nutmeg.
- Blend until the spices are fully dissolved and the paste is uniform in color and consistency (aim for perfectly smooth!).
Form and Chill
- Pour the meat paste into your clean plastic cylinder form (e.g., an empty juice bottle). Tap lightly to remove air pockets.
- Refrigerate the turkey bologna overnight (at least 8 hours) until it is completely firm and set.
- Once set, carefully cut away the plastic form to release the loaf. Slice thinly and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Achieving Smoothness: Use a powerful electric chopper or food processor to blend the cooked turkey, stock, and gelatin until the mixture is a perfectly smooth paste. The absence of lumps is essential for the gelatin to bind the mixture into a firm, sliceable loaf.
Binding Agent: Do not reduce or omit the gelatine as it is the critical ingredient that gives the turkey bologna its firm, deli-style texture when chilled.
Color Customization: The beetroot juice is for color only. You can omit it if you prefer a more natural, pale-colored product.
Nutrition
Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1680mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
