Bologna is a popular smoked meat in the South and it's quite good. You'll need to start with a big chunk though; sliced deli bologna just won't work. The cooking process firms it up, gives it a great smoky flavor, and develops a little crust on the outside. It's delicious served at room temperature with crackers and cheese or on white bread with barbecue sauce and thinly sliced onion for a tasty sandwich.
Prepare your cooker to cook indirectly at 235 degrees F using medium cherry wood for smoke flavor.
Slice off a thin piece off the bologna lengthwise so it has a flat bottom and won't roll around. Score the top in a series of thin slashes in a diamond pattern. Season the bologna liberally with the barbecue rub. Put the bologna in the cooker and cook for at least 3 hours but up to 5 hours. It's already fully cooked, so the recipe is very flexible, but as it cooks longer it will get smokier and develop a better outside crust.
Transfer the bologna to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice to serve.
Barbecue Rub #68:
This rub is a little more complex than Barbecue Rub #67 and has great color as it cooks on the food. I like to put this one in the food processor until it's finely ground. It makes for a smooth texture but also takes care of breaking up the lumps in the dried brown sugar. You may want to dry the sugar the day before. This preparation is a little more complicated, but don't be afraid to use on whatever you're cooking.
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process for 15 seconds. The rub may be stored in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 6 months.
Cook’s Note
To dry the brown sugar, spread it out on a sheet pan and let it sit overnight, or preheat your oven to 200 degrees F, then shut it off and put the sheet in for 10 minutes.
Tools You May Need
Excerpted with permission from Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to Lip-Smacking Barbecue by Ray Lampe (Chronicle Books, 2012)
Tools You May Need
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