Southern Bologna Burgers

My wife got me hooked on thick-cut bologna burgers and sandwiches. They are like the grown-up versions of the bologna sandwiches I had as a kid. I get the deli to cut chub bologna 1/2″ thick and then either fry, grill, or smoke it. Then I slather the bologna with Ross’ Pool Room sauce and serve it on buns topped with onion and pimento cheese. Yeah, that’s a Southern bologna burger right there!

Southern Bologna Burgers

Any pimento cheese will work on these southern bologna burgers. I didn’t go crazy making one of my more complicated versions. Simple is just fine. For a bit of a kick substitute pepper jack cheese for the Colby or add a minced seeded jalapeno pepper.

You can make these delicious burgers with Ross’ Pool Room bologna sauce or my hot bologna sauce.

I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Get the real stuff.

Southern Bologna Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Southern Bologna Burgers

I slather the bologna with Ross’ Pool Room sauce and serve it on buns topped with onion and pimento cheese. Yeah, that’s a Southern bologna burger right there!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 640kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the burgers

For the pimento cheese topping

Instructions

For the burgers

  • Make a 1″ cut in the bologna from and edge towards the center.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat or fire up a grill for direct cooking.
  • Fry or grill the bologna, brushing with the sauce as it cooks. You want to get a light char on he bologna.
  • Toast the buns if desired.
  • Assemble the burgers by placing the bologna on the bun bottoms. Add the pimento cheese and bun top and serve.

For the pimento cheese topping

  • Combine all ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1036mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Pool Room Bologna Burgers

Back in my college years I spent (too much) time at a local pool hall. It was quite the dive and that’s putting it pretty nicely. But I loved it. It was smoky, greasy, and definitely not fru-fru. Beer, pool and a simple menu that fit the atmosphere perfectly. Now, the menu might not have included pool room bologna burgers, but it should have. These are the perfect no-frills sandwiches. Don’t be shy with the Pool Room sauce, either. It’s got a nice kick and it’s messy. Remember my motto: messy is tasty.

Pool Room Bologna Burgers

Make sure you have plenty of Pool Room sauce on hand. Slather up the bologna slices and buns real good. The biggest mistake would be to not achieve proper sauce dripping. It has to run down your chin, all over your hands, and down your arms. That’s why you don’t serve pool room bologna burgers with napkins – you’d need 40 of them. Grab a roll of paper towels instead.

I store my Pool Room sauce in cool squirt bottles. That way I can make awesome sauce designs on my burgers!

Also try my fried BBQ bologna sandwiches. Bologna on a burger or sandwich is a beautiful thing!

Pool Room Bologna Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Pool Room Bologna Burgers

These are the perfect no-frills sandwiches. Don’t be shy with the Pool Room sauce, either. It’s got a nice kick and it’s messy. Remember my motto: messy is tasty.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 306kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bologna nice and thick!
  • Ross’ Pool Room Hot Bologna sauce
  • 2 hamburger buns
  • 2 slices American cheese
  • 4 slices white onion
  • 4 slices tomato
  • ¼ cup iceberg lettuce leaves or shredded

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the bologna slices and sear on both sides.
  • Slather with the sauce and brown on both sides.
  • Toast buns if desired.
  • Slather buns with more sauce.
  • Add the bologna, cheese, onions, tomato and lettuce.
  • Serve with paper towels (or napkins, in a pinch)

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 839mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 718IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 331mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Creole Bologna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Why didn’t I think of this before? How could I not have known just how fantastic a bologna chub would be when roasted high-and-fast on a Char-Broil Big Easy? Well, now I’ve gone and done it, and done it good! And to make sure it was even better than I could’ve dreamed, I first rubbed the chub down with a big of Creole mustard. The mustard gave it just a little kick, a little something extra that you taste as you bite through the lovely light crust into warm bologna goodness. Yes, you need to make Creole bologna on your Char-Broil Big Easy today!

Creole Bologna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

I sliced the cooked bologna thick and served it on warm buns. I topped them with plenty of good ole yellow mustard, thick red onion slices, tomato, and lettuce. It’s the best darned bologna sandwich you can have. Creole Bologna on the Char-Broil Big Easy is fantastic.

It’s as good as time as any to point out that my bologna scoring skills are essentially non-existent. You don’t have to do it, but it does give the mustard a little something to hold on to. It’s completely optional, and if you’re as bad at it as I am, it’s ok. Don’t cut too deep, just 1/4″ – 1/2″ at the most.

Also try cooking up some Spam on your Big Easy. No really. Try it. You’ll thank me.

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

Creole Bologna on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Creole Bologna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Why didn’t I think of this before? How could I not have known just how fantastic a bologna chub would be when roasted high-and-fast on a Char-Broil Big Easy? Well, now I’ve gone and done it, and done it good! 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, bologna, Char-Broil
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 5 pounds
Calories 1397kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 5-6 pound bologna chubb packaging removed
  • Creole mustard to taste (or substitute your favorite rub, mustard, sauce… you name it)

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Score the bologna as desired.
  • Rub all sides of the chub with the mustard or whatever you are using.
  • Place chub in the Big Easy basket and lower into the cooker.
  • Cook for about an hour. Keep an eye on the chub after 40 minutes. Depending on conditions it might char quicker than 1 hour. The chub is already cooked, so you’re just giving it some color, extra flavor and good looks.
  • Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 1397kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 112g | Saturated Fat: 42g | Cholesterol: 272mg | Sodium: 4354mg | Potassium: 1429mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 386mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

I can’t say that I eat a lot of bologna. But when I do, I do it up right. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a good ole slice or two of bologna on bread with mustard. In fact, they were a staple of mine back in the day when I fished and camped quite regularly. You can’t get any easier. But smoked bologna sandwiches are where bologna dreams of being.

Smoked bologna is just about as easy to make. No fancy brines. No fancy wood. Just a little seasoning and onto a smoker at 250 F for 1 1/2 hours. You could use your grill too, just add some smoking wood and cook over indirect heat.

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

I had the guy behind the deli at my local grocery store cut chub bologna thick, about 1/2″. I then cut slits around the edges. This prevents the bologna from curling up. A little Cajun seasoning, and 1 1/2 hours later, they were done.
The sandwiches were straightforward. Lightly toasted buns, thin sliced Vidalia onion, mustard, and dill pickles. These smoked bologna sandwiches were delicious.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for this bologna.

If you’re feeling adventurous, smoke an entire bologna chub!

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

The sandwiches were straightforward. Lightly toasted buns, thin sliced Vidalia onion, mustard, and dill pickles. These smoked bologna sandwiches were delicious.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 252kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for 250 F cooking. Use a light smoking wood such as apple.
  • Sprinkle both sides of the bologna slices with the seasoning.
  • Place onto the smoker and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Lightly toast the buns if desired.
  • Add bologna slices. Top with onion, plenty of mustard, and dill pickle slices.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 3199mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 592IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cleveland Fried Bologna Sandwich

Eat Street is just about the only food-related show I still watch on TV. I love food trucks. We’re fortunate to have several great ones here in Indianapolis. A recent episode, Monster Menus, highlighted the Nosh Box truck from Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland fried bologna sandwich they made looked fantastic. I had to make it. So I did.

This is one great fried bologna sandwich. Like eating a burger, with creamy mayo, mixed greens and nice cold tomato slices. Then there’s the just-brown fried bologna. All on grilled cheese-like Texas toast. Really good. And very easy to make too.

Cleveland Fried Bologna Sandwich

The second time I made these Cleveland fried bologna sandwiches I substituted a couple of nice chunks of iceberg lettuce for the mixed greens. I like the sandwich even better with the extra crunch of the iceberg.

I used my Cuisinart Griddler to make these sandwiches. It’s a sandwich-making beast.

Also try my southern bologna burgers.

Cleveland Fried Bologna Sandwich
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5 from 1 vote

Cleveland Fried Bologna Sandwich

This is one great fried bologna sandwich. Like eating a burger, with creamy mayo, mixed greens and nice cold tomato slices. Then there’s the just-brown fried bologna. All on grilled cheese-like Texas toast. Really good. And very easy to make too.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 675kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bologna thick is best
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 slices Texas toast
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ cup greens green leaf, iceberg, whichever you prefer
  • 2 slices tomato

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bologna and brown lightly on both sides. Remove.
  • Spread butter on one side of each slice of the bread. Put butter-side down into the skillet and cook until golden and crisp. Remove.
  • Slather non-buttered sides of the bread with mayonnaise.
  • Top bottom bread slice with bologna, greens, and tomato and other piece of bread. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 1174mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 13mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Pepper Jack Cheese-Stuffed Smoked Bologna

I wish I could remember exactly where I came across this idea for pepper jack cheese-stuffed smoked bologna. I’m pretty sure it came from Smokin’ with Myron Mixon: Backyard ‘Cue Made Simple from the Winningest Man in Barbecue. But, I could be wrong. Regardless, I love smoked bologna, but this approach takes the idea to a new level. The addition of cheese inside the bologna chub adds a nice flavor and well, it looks cool. I then rubbed the chub with yellow mustard and then sprinkled it with our favorite spicy rub and smoked it for 3 1/2 hours on my Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker. I then brushed it with my favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.

Pepper Jack Cheese-Stuffed Smoked Bologna

I sliced the bologna pretty thick and had it on sandwiches. Nothing fancy, just good.

Pepper Jack Cheese-Stuffed Smoked Bologna

To get the cheese into the chub, I used a piece of clean PVC pipe. I used about a 1 1/2″ round pipe, but I’ll probably go with a large one next time, maybe 2″ or 2 1/2″. I felt like a little more cheese would’ve been a good thing. You just carefully shove the pipe down through the center of the chub while it is standing on end. Then you cut off about 2″ from each end of the piece of bologna that is in the pipe and use one piece to plug one end of the hole. Fill the hole with cheese and then plug the remaining end. You’re ready to roll!

Also try my not-so-plain plain-ole smoked bologna.

Pepper Jack Cheese-Stuffed Smoked Bologna
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5 from 1 vote

Pepper Jack Cheese-Stuffed Smoked Bologna

The addition of cheese inside the bologna chub adds a nice flavor and well, it looks cool. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, smoked
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 609kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the smoked bologna

For the sandwiches

Instructions

For the smoked bologna

  • Fire up your smoker for 250 F cooking. Add your desired cooking wood, but use only a little and don’t use anything overpowering.
  • Clean a section of PVC pipe (1 1/2″ – 2 1/2″ in diameter, at least a foot long). Stand the bologna chub on end and gently push the pipe down through the center of the chub. Pull out the pipe and remove the core of meat that gets inside of it.
  • Cut 2″ off each end of the core piece. Take one piece and plug the bottom of the hole.
  • Add as much cheese as you can fit and plug the remaining end with the other piece of the core.
  • Rub outside of chub with mustard and then sprinkle with a rub.
  • Put on smoker in an aluminum pan and smoke for 3 1/2 hours, rotating once after 1 hour.
  • Brush all sides of the bologna with the BBQ sauce and smoke another 30 minutes.
  • Remove chub from the smoker and let set at least 30 minutes. Don’t rush or the cheese will run out when you slice it.
  • Slice as desired.

For the sandwiches

  • Slather the bread slices with mustard, Top with bologna, onion, and lettuce.
  • Shake a few drops of hot sauce on top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1132mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 372mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fried BBQ Bologna Sandwiches

Who doesn’t love a bologna sandwich? Well, this takes the old classic to a whole new level. You’ll find it hard to believe that you’re eating bologna. You’ll think that you’re at a fru-fru fancy dining place. Crispy, fried sandwich meat with spicy BBQ sauce served on a bun with creamy tangy slaw. You need fried BBQ bologna sandwiches right now! And actually, I do too!

Fried BBQ Bologna Sandwiches

These fried BBQ bologna sandwiches are so good that we made them twice this week already. Although I grew up eating my share of bologna sandwiches (on white bread with mayo and maybe a squirt or two of yellow mustard), I never had fried bologna until I moved to the mid-west. Dang, all those years missing out on such awesomeness! I probably wouldn’t put slaw on my sandwiches as a kid, though. In fact, I wouldn’t have anything to do with slaw in my younger years. Now, it’s a totally different story. I love slaw. I can’t get enough of it as a side, on sandwiches, or wherever!

If I’m reaching for a bottled BBQ sauce, I often go for Sweet Baby Ray’s.

Also try my Pool Room Bologna burgers. They’re crazy good too.

Fried BBQ Bologna Sandwiches
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5 from 1 vote

Fried BBQ Bologna Sandwiches

This takes the old classic to a whole new level. You’ll find it hard to believe that you’re eating bologna. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 439kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brush all sides of the bologna with the BBQ sauce and sprinkle with the rub. Place in a large resealable container for 4 hours.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Working in batches, remove bologna from container and shake off any excess sauce. Fry in oil until browned on both sides. Remove to a plate.
  • Toast buns if desired.
  • Top bun bottoms with fried bologna, followed by slaw and bun tops.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.