Easy Method – How to Smoke Bologna

Get ready for the tastiest bologna, plus make it at home when you learn How to Smoke Bologna in this post, this is a budget-friendly meat that is simple to cook on the smoker or pellet grill.

This budget-friendly, often overlooked deli staple transforms into a smoky, flavorful BBQ treat that’s perfect for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, or just sliced on its own with this easy smoked bologna! The best part is that this meat is very easy to make on a traditional smoker or pellet grill. We prefer our pellet grill, but you can use your smoker too!

Smoking bologna is surprisingly easy, and it’s a great option for beginners to learn to use their pellet grill or smoker. Whether you’re using a smoker, pellet grill, or charcoal grill this guide will walk you through how to turn an ordinary bologna log into an extraordinary meal.

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What ingredients do you need for this Smoked Bologna Recipe?

• Whole Chub Bologna
• Barbecue Sauce
• Barbecue Seasoning or Barbecue Rub if Preferred
• Yellow Mustard
• Wood Chunks or Wood Pellets

What pellets should you use for Pellet Grill Bologna?

When using a pellet grill the pellets that you use will directly enhance the flavor of the meat that you are smoking.

Hickory is our preferred choice for smoked bologna, it has a great strong, smoky flavor. If you prefer something more fruity, choose apple or cherry. Alternatively, a great option is the blend of wood pellets which gives a smoky and sweet finish.

What wood chips should you use for Smoked Bologna?

When using a traditional smoker, the wood choice also impacts the flavor and finish of your bologna. As mentioned above with the pellet grill, we prefer the same with the traditional smoker.

Hickory Wood Chips are a great choice for a rich, smoky finish. Pecan or Oak would also provide a great smoky finish. If you prefer something more sweet choose apple or cherry wood chunks.

How to Smoke Bologna:

Once the wood pellets or wood chunks are chosen, it’s time to prepare your roll of bologna.

The first thing to do is to slice or score the bologna log. This will be done with the tip of a sharp knife and in a diagonal pattern or diamond pattern. This pattern will allow the rub and smoke to fully soak into the bologna.

After the bologna has been sliced, add a nice thin layer of yellow mustard. The mustard is the binder that will adhere to the seasonings. We use Head Country Barbecue Seasoning; however, you can use any that you prefer both your favorite BBQ rub and BBQ sauce. We are loyal to Head Country, their Apple Habanero Barbecue Sauce is AMAZING.

After the whole chub is coated with seasoning, take a brush and lightly brush about a cup of barbecue sauce over the bologna. The bologna will be placed onto a preheated pellet grill or preheated smoker at 225 degrees F.

It will be placed directly on the grill grates and then smoked for 3 hours with the lid closed. Remember that the bologna is coming precooked, so this is simply to get the smoky flavor into the bologna and warm it up.

It’s easy to check the temperature though with a quick test thermometer.

How should you serve Smoked Bologna?

Once your bologna is smoked, it’s time to slice and serve it!

Typically, we will slice the bologna into thin slices or cubes, but you can also make bologna sandwiches out of it. We always top ours with barbecue sauce too. This tends to be our go-to when smoking meats, for the kids to eat. They love it.

How do you store leftover smoked bologna?

Once the bologna has cooled, wrap the bologna in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When ready to serve, unwrap the bologna and eat cold or reheat in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

The full recipe instructions will be in the recipe card below.

Smoked bologna is a simple yet impressive BBQ dish that turns everyday deli meat into smoky, flavorful meat. It can easily be prepared on your pellet grill as Pellet Grill Bologna or on a traditional Smoker, take your pick and enjoy.

More Pellet Grill Smoker Recipes:

• Smoked Mushrooms (Pellet Grill Recipe)

• Pellet Grill Lobster Tails

• Smoked Baked Beans (Pellet Grill)

• Smoked Baby Back Ribs on a Pellet Grill