Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich

This Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich is a regional classic you don’t want to miss out on. Top it with creamy coleslaw and you have yourself a Southern BBQ meal.

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Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich, you ask?  Well, this is not the bologna sandwich recipe you might remember as a child!

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Employ some smoking wood chips, add my delicious Memphis BBQ Sauce, some coleslaw and you will be off to a great new taste sensation. Easy too!

At your deli, ask that bologna be cut into thick pieces by hand rather than on a slicer, or get a large piece to cut yourself. If the deli clerk is confused, just show them one of these amazing pictures. They will be blown away and wonder why they haven’t been making these sandwiches for years!

That is, unless you live in Tennessee, Memphis for sure, Mississippi, even Oklahoma. In fact in Mississippi BBQ bologna is referred to as “Mississippi Prime Rib.” I think that takes it a little too far, LOL. Bologna is bologna.

How to smoke bologna:

It all starts with the humble lunch meat, well and the city of Memphis. It’s smoked whole, or cut into thick slices and smoked. I do the latter, slices, because I want a quicker preparation, and also I’m not really about to purchase an entire roll of bologna meat! A roll of bologna is called a chub, and is usually six or seven pounds. My recipe uses only about two pounds and serves six people!

Memphis loves baby back ribs, pork shoulder smoked and chopped and these grilled bologna sandwiches served with coleslaw and spicy sauce.

The Chicago Tribune has a great article on smoked bologna sandwiches and a recipe for smoking an entire chub; but see my recipe below and you have these super amazing sammies on your plate in less than an hour.

I smoke slices over indirect heat so they absorb the flavor of the smoke. Try hickory wood chips for the most authentic flavor. You can rub the slices with a BBQ rub if you want an extra bang of taste.

My Terrific 10 Rub will do the trick. And I don’t call for it, but you’re welcome to throw the slices over direct heat for a minute at the end to get some charring.

Memphis loves baby back ribs, pork shoulder smoked and chopped and these grilled bologna sandwiches served with coleslaw and spicy sauce. The city hosts one of the largest BBQ festivals in the country, Memphis in May, and you wouldn’t want to miss it if you’re planning a trip to Tennessee.

Check out my recipe for a Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich and you can have this super amazing dinner on your plate in less than an hour.

In my recipe I kept the spiced sauce mild, so feel free to add heat if you like. Make whatever coleslaw is your favorite (or buy it so save prep time). I used regular egg hamburger buns, but feel free to use soft white bread, Texas toast or other buns if you like.

The most typical are sliced white bread and hamburger buns. The soft texture and sweetness of the bread adds the perfect combo to these Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwiches.

Don’t have a smoker at home? No worries! Check out my tip in my Texas Beef Brisket post on how to cook and smoke with indirect heat using your regular gas or charcoal grill.

5 from 6 votes

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Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich

Work Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

This Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich is a regional classic you don't want to miss out on. Top it with creamy coleslaw and you have yourself a Southern BBQ meal.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: BBQ

Keyword: Memphis smoked bologna sandwich

Yield: 6

Calories: 651 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups wood chips soaked
• 2 to 2½ lbs bologna, sliced thick 6 slices
• ¾ cup Memphis BBQ Sauce
• 1½ cups coleslaw
• 6 soft buns or 12 slices bread

Instructions

1. Heat grill to medium (300ºF) for indirect cooking with a drip pan under the grate and arrange smoker box or wood chips in grill. Arrange bologna slices over drip pan and cover grill. Cook, turning once 12 to 15 minutes, just to heat and get a smoky flavor

2. Brush with BBQ sauce and serve with coleslaw on buns. 

Recipe Notes

In my recipe I kept the spiced sauce mild, so feel free to add heat if you like. Make whatever coleslaw is your favorite (or buy it so save prep time). I used regular egg hamburger buns, but feel free to use soft white bread, Texas toast or other buns if you like.

Isn’t summer the best! Be sure to use my Memphis BBQ Sauce on this terrific sandwich. How about a great dessert to complete the meal? Try my Clementine Almond Cookies!

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Recipe Tara Teaspoon. Photograph Romulo Yanes. Food Stylist Victoria Granof. Prop Stylist Cindy Diprima. Originally published LHJ July 2011