Smoked bologna is an incredibly delicious delicacy and easy to make. Moreover, it is affordable, making it convenient for beginners. But how do you smoke bologna on the grill?
To smoke delicious bologna on the grill, follow these instructions;
- Preheat your grill to 225 degrees F
- Coat the bologna with the mustard before seasoning it
- Place the bologna directly in the preheated grill
- Smoke for about four hours until it becomes crispy
- Lastly, remove it from the grill, and rest before you serve
One of the factors that will significantly influence the success of your grilling is the choice of wood. It would help to choose your wood chips based on whether you like bold or soft smoke flavors. Read on for more expert tips on how to cook delicious bologna flawlessly.
Smoked Bologna Recipe
Cooking smoked bologna is a simple recipe that should not give you a hard time whether you are a beginner or an experienced barbecue enthusiast. This simple Smoked Bologna Recipe works because of several reasons, including;
- Simplicity – It is an excellent recipe with superb results, making it ideal for both beginners and expert grillers.
- Great for Entertaining – If you have an important event and want to create beautiful memories, this recipe will make your work pretty easy.
- Versatile Ways of Smoking – You will love this recipe because it offers many ways to smoke bologna. The magic can happen if you decide to bring in your creativity.
Ingredients
Having the right ingredients is key to cooking a delicious meal. Whenever you decide to go for a Smoked Bologna Recipe, you must ensure that you are well-equipped with all the necessary ingredients. Some of the essential ingredients that you will need to make the recipe a success include the following;
- Dry Rub: The dry rub is necessary for this recipe as it helps in enhancing the flavor of bologna. However, it would help if you used the right binding agent to prevent the dry rub from falling right off the bologna. The beauty is that you can use any dry rub, as it will not likely have an overpowering flavor.
- Bologna Chub: The bologna chub is made up of pork, beef, and veal emulsified into one big chunk, and it can make a significant impact on this recipe.
- Binding Agent – Another essential ingredient that you should have to make this recipe a complete sensation is a binding agent. The purpose of a binding agent is to ensure that the seasoning sticks well for a uniform flavor and cooking.
Instructions
To flawlessly cook bologna on a grill, there are several steps that you will need to follow.
- Step One: Remove the red liner and the plastic wrap from the bologna. Cut slits on both sides of the bologna to form a diamond pattern. During smoking, these slits will slightly enlarge.
- Step Two: Combine the mustard and BBQ sauce and rub it well on the bologna, ensuring you cover all the sides well.
- Step Three: Sprinkle the rub on the entire bologna, patting it to make sure that the rub sticks well while avoiding smearing it.
- Step Four: Preheat your grill to your grill and set it at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Further, add some smoking chips from your favorite wood for the desired smoky flavor. Mesquite, cherry, or hickory can do a perfect job.
- Step Five: Smoke your well-seasoned bologna for 2-4 hours. Because the meat is precooked, you do not have to worry about its safety. However, it is vital to ensure you maintain high hygienic levels during the entire process of smoking the bologna.
- Step Six: With 30 minutes remaining to complete the smoking, brush BBQ sauce on the bologna and allow it to continue for thirty minutes before you can get it out of the grill.
- Step Seven: At this point, your bologna is ready to serve. You can slice it how you want, depending on how you want to serve it.
Expert Tips For A Delicious Smoked Bologna
If you want your smoked bologna delicious, then you may need to consider following the subsequent expert tips;
- Choose the best wood for smoking based on your taste and preference; if you like the bold smoky flavor, mesquite or hickory will serve you right.
- Ensure that you remove the red coating or wrap before you start executing the instructions
- In addition to yellow mustard, you may want to try out spicy or Dijon for a crunchy exterior.
- Consider wrapping your bologna in bacon and topping it with rub and sauce.
- Always invest in the best quality seasoning for the best result.
What To Make With Smoked Bologna
The list is endless if you want something compelling to make with smoked bologna. It all depends on your taste and preference. Some of the options that you may want to try out include the following;
Bologna Cake Recipe
The bologna cake recipe is delicious and will never disappoint if you choose to serve it at your next party. It is tastier, especially when you use it with homemade bologna with extra brownie points. You can top it up with yellow mustard to make a delectable appetizer.
Smoked Bologna with Bacon
To make your bologna worthwhile, you may want to combine it with bacon. It wraps the chunk of bologna perfectly to make it more flavorsome. If you want a delicious crust, consider adding a little brown sugar during the cooking process.
Bologna Burger Recipe
If you are unsure what to pair your bologna with, you may want to try out the bologna burger recipe. It is a beef patty that will leave your guests asking for more. Sometimes, you do not have to think about a healthy recipe but the sweetness that a recipe has to offer.
Additional options that you might want to try out include;
- Monkey meat
- Old-fashioned bologna salad
- Fried Bologna sandwich
- Ukrainian potato salad
- Antipasto pasta salad
How Long Does It Take To Smoke A Bologna?
Smoking bologna to perfection is not only easy but also does not take a lot of time to complete.
After setting your grill at 225 degrees Fahrenheit (105°C) and adding your favorite chips of wood, you will only require 2-3 hours to complete the grilling. Once the bologna is ready, get out of the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving it.
How Long Is Smoked Bologna Good For?
Although perfectly smoked bologna is delicious and you would not expect to have leftovers, sometimes you may decide to smoke excess of it and store it in your fridge. Knowing how long smoked bologna is good in the refrigerator is very important if you choose that route.
Smoked bologna will remain safe in the fridge for 4-5 days, and any attempt to keep it longer than that in the refrigerator will result in it going bad. However, if you want to store your smoked bologna longer, you can freeze it in a freezer. If you wrap it well, it can last 6-12 months.
Important Storage Tips
Meat is perishable and is, therefore, suitable if you can consume it fresh. However, if you have to store it for whatever reasons, ensure that you do it right. Here are some of the critical storage tips that you should remember.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for not more than five days.
- If you decide to freeze your bologna, wrap it well in two layers of plastics and two layers of foil. Place it in a freezer for up to six months.
- Deforest overnight in the refrigerator.
Final Words
If you are looking forward to mouthwatering bologna, ensure that you choose the best wood, set your grill at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and smoke your bologna for 2-4 hours. It is simple as such. Interestingly, you have a wide range of options to make with smoked bologna.
Scot has loved smoking food in his free time for the last few years. Each major holiday or off-weekend, Scot spends days testing and prepping new recipes for perfection.