Bologna sandwiches aren’t just for kids. This Smoked Bologna Sandwich is rich in flavor, smoke, and tasty ingredients!

smoked bologna sandwich topped with cheese and pickles

This is not your childhood bologna sandwich from the lunchroom!

Made with beef bologna and topped with melty cheese and a tasty pickle, this easy-to-make sandwich will knock your socks off!

Enjoy more tasty sandwiches with recipes like Tik Tok Grinder Sandwich Recipe, Beef Short Rib Sandwiches with Pimento Cheese, and Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Celery Slaw!

smoked bologna sandwich with pimento cheese and pickles

Smoked Bologna Recipe

Remember enjoying bologna sandwiches as a kid for lunch?

Well, forget those because this is nothing like it and 100 times better! You don’t even need to be a bologna lover to fall in love with this sandwich.

Grab your smoker, some wood chips or wood chunks, bologna meat, and let’s get smoking with this easy recipe!

smoked bologna sandwich on a cutting board with sliced pickles

Ingredients needed to make the best Smoked Bologna Sandwich

Bologna Meat. For this recipe, I used a 6 lb bologna log or “whole bologna.” You can grab a log at your local grocery store at the deli counter. If you are worried they might not have one, call ahead and ask them to put one aside for you to pick up.

Seasoning. Bring out the sensational taste with 2 tbsp of yellow mustard and 2 tbsp of your favorite BBQ rub.

BBQ Sauce. You can’t leave out the BBQ sauce! For this recipe, you will need ¼ cup bbq sauce. Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce brand to cut down on cook time or make your own.

Garnish. Top off your bologna sandwich with ½ cup of pimento cheese and ½ cup of sliced pickles.

Bread. This recipe will make six sandwiches so you will need six potato rolls. Need a substitution? You can use regular white bread rolls as well or a regular hamburger bun.

smoked bologna on a potato roll with bbq sauce cheese and pickles

How to Make Smoked Bologna

Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees f.

Prep the bologna. Remove the bologna from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Use a paring knife to score the bologna in a square or diamond pattern.

log of bologna scoring with a paring knife to make a diamond pattern

Season the bologna. Once you have a nicely scored bologna, start by brushing on yellow mustard coating the entire bologna. Next, sprinkle dry rub on all sides of the bologna

Smoke. Smoke the bologna for about two hours until it has a deep mahogany color. Next, brush with barbecue sauce on all sides and cook for another 30 minutes.

Fry. When the bologna is done smoking, slice the bologna into half-inch thick slices then fry in a skillet on both sides.

sliced bologna in a cast iron skillet frying

Garnish and serve. Top with pimento cheese and pickles and serve on a potato roll.

smoked bologna sandwich dripping with bbq sauce

What to Serve with a Smoked Bologna Sandwich

Serve up your sandwich with a side of Grilled French Fries, Crispy Air Fryer Steak Fries, Crispy Zucchini Fries with Creamy Vodka Sauce, fried pickles, fried or stuffed mushrooms, a fresh green salad, or a cup of fruit.

How long will smoked bologna keep?

If you have any leftover bologna, I recommend storing it in an airtight container and enjoying it within 7 days.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Pellet Grill. Pull out your smoker because you need it to smoke a whole chub of bologna.

Wood Pellets. To achieve that smoky flavor, you will need wood chips. If you are looking for a particular flavor recommendation, I recommend apple wood.

Recipe Card. Print it, screenshot it, and save the recipe to Pinterest. Do whatever works for you to save this recipe and keep it handy when ready to make it.

Pairing Knife. I recommend using a pairing knife or a small knife when prepping the meat for this recipe. You will need the tip of a sharp knife to make score marks into a square pattern or diamond pattern.

Meat Slicer. Not required or necessary, but convenient to have if you have one. When it comes time to slice the log, a meat slicer can do the job fast, but a knife works just the same.

tempspike wireless meat thermometer — Tempspike Wireless Meat Probe

Meat Thermometer. Check the specific internal temperature of your bologna before you pull it out of the smoker with a ThermoPro meat thermometer. Don’t have one? The holidays are a great reason to buy one for yourself, or drop a hint and send that special someone the link!

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