Over the Top Smoked Bologna Sandwich

I feed a lot of hunting camps each year. From a handful of people to numbers in the dozens, it can be hard to find a simple meal for lunch or dinner that everyone loves. Mention that bologna sandwiches are on the menu and you’ll be met with a lot of blah from camp members hoping for a bit more zing in their meal.

But this isn’t your normal bologna sandwich. In fact, most of the folks I serve it to rave that it isn’t just the best bologna sandwich they’ve ever eaten, but one of the best sandwiches they’ve ever eaten, of any kind, period.

This isn’t your standard bologna sandwich.

This one starts with good bologna. Yes, there is such a thing. I get mine at Boone’s, a local butcher shop here in central Kentucky that makes their own in-house. If your closest butcher shops don’t make their own but sell several brands, ask which one they prefer or try a slice of several to pick the one with the best flavor. You can stop by your local deli as well. I just about guarantee they have a favorite.

Start with whole chubs of good bologna. Don’t be afraid to ask for samples at the butcher shop or deli when choosing.

Buy the entire chub, or a few. No pre-sliced stuff here. I like to figure about 12 ounces per sandwich. It’s a meal. This recipe takes about 5 hours start to finish, so give yourself enough time.

Start by peeling the wrapper from the bologna. Score the meat about a half inch deep in a crosshatch pattern. This lets extra smoke and flavor get down into the roll.

Score the meat to allow extra smoke and seasoning to get inside.

Next, smear the bologna with your favorite mustard based BBQ sauce to form a binder.

Smear on your favorite mustard based bbq sauce as a binder.

Sprinkle on a liberal amount of your favorite BBQ rub. I like something with a bit of heat to it for this one, but use whatever pork rub you prefer.

Add a good coating of your favorite BBQ rub.

Next, onto the grill or smoker at 225 degrees.

Place the bologna on the smoker.

Slow smoke the bologna for 3-5 hours or until it reaches 150 degrees internal temperature. Brush on a layer of your favorite BBQ sauce every 30 minutes as the bologna smokes.

Baste the bologna with BBQ sauce every 30 minutes or so.

Once the meat reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the grill and let it cool enough to handle.

Remove from the smoker and allow the bologna to cool enough to handle.

Using a sharp knife, slice the bologna into ½ to ¾ inch thick slices.

Cut the smoked bologna into 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices.

Next comes the fry part. If you are just doing a few sandwiches, you can use a skillet on the stove top for this part. But if you are feeding a big camp, there’s an easier way. Fire up your Camp Chef or other brand of flat top grill to medium heat. Once it get’s hot, drizzle on a little vegetable oil. Fry the sliced bologna for 3-5 minutes per side. I like a little bit of char for extra flavor and crispy edges.

Sear in a skillet or on a flat top griddle to a nice char.

Serve the sandwich on Texas toast or your bread of choice. Set out a variety of toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, mustard, mayo, or whatever else you think folks might enjoy on a bologna sandwich.

Then sit back and enjoy. I bet at least one person in camp will tell you its the best sandwich they’ve ever eaten. Save any leftover slices for breakfast the next morning.