Best Smoked and Grilled Bologna – AKA smoked baloney, this fabulous retro recipe turns bottled barbecue sauce and everyone’s favorite classic deli meat into a smoky, savory, and sweet BBQ bologna that’s perfect to cube and serve as a tasty snack or appetizer.

4 rounds of bologna with grill marks. In the background in a glass dish with bbq sauce and a yellow basting brush.

Why We Love This Smoked BBQ Bologna Recipe

This old-school barbecue joint appetizer is one of my husband’s favorites. In fact, Lieutenant Dan is super excited that HIS signature Smoked Bologna recipe is going on our site today.

Baloney is a deli meat that often gets a bad wrap. Actually, most people have extreme reactions to it. Either they’ve loved it since childhood and eat it on occasion as a guilty pleasure, or their gut reaction to baloney is EWE!

My husband and I have the opposite reactions. He loves bologna and I’m not a fan. However, his smoked and grilled bbq bologna is the exception. We both agree, it’s a must-make.

Top down view of a serving plate with a stack of bbq smoked bologna cubes, squares of cheese, pickled okra, slices of red onion, and pickles.

2 Ingredients You Need

  • Bologna – 1/2 – 2 lbs unsliced “hunk” of meat from the deli counter (unsliced)
  • BBQ sauce – your favorite bottled or homemade sauce

Keep reading for our favorite ideas for what to pair with smoked baloney!

Recipe ingredients on a baking tray: Jar of wickles pickles, jar of pickled okra, a block of cheddar cheese, the butt end of a cut of bologna, and a bottle of bbq sauce.

How to Make Smoked and Grilled Bologna

Fill the smoker with your favorite variety of wood pellets and preheat to 165°F. 

Slice the bologna into 1-inch round slabs. Place the slabs on the smoker, close the top, and smoke for 45-60 minutes.

Hand using a yellow basting brush to coat 4 thick slice of baloney with barbecue sauce.

Once the bologna is nearly done smoking, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Transfer the meat to a baking sheet and brush the bologna slabs with a thin layer of barbecue sauce. Reserve the rest for later.

Place the slabs on the hot grill, and grill just until char marks form. This should only take about 1 minute per side. 

Get the Complete (Printable) Smoked and Grilled Baloney Recipe Below. Enjoy!

4 rounds of bologna with grill marks. In the background in a glass dish with bbq sauce and a yellow basting brush.

Once done, cut the bologna slabs into 1-inch cubes. Then pour the remaining barbecue sauce in a bowl and add the bologna cubes.

Toss well to coat the pieces of meat in BBQ sauce. Done!

Spoon tossing cubes of smoked baloney in a white bowl.

Smoked Bologna Expert Recipe Tips

  • Whole bologna – Make sure to buy a hunk or slab of bologna. Do not buy sandwich slices! The person behind the deli counter may look at you oddly but they will sell you a large chunk.
  • BBQ sauce – We use “sweet heat” for a nice balance of sweet and spicy flavors. But keep in mind the crowd you are serving and choose the most fitting sauce… Maybe a mild sauce for gatherings with kids, or a spicy hot variety if you know your guests like some heat.
  • Double coat – Be sure to brush the baloney with sauce after smoking but before grilling, and then also toss the cubes in bbq sauce before serving. The double-coating makes the cubes of meat irresistibly tangy, smokey, and delicious!
  • Sauce while warm – Cube the bologna and toss in the bbq sauce while it’s warm. The warmth helps the sauce to smoothly coat and hold onto the meat.
  • Best wood for smoking on a Traeger – Use whatever wood pellets you want! Depending on your likes you can use hickory or oak for bold earthy flavor, or fruity cherry or applewood to give the meat a sweeter taste. Classic “BBQ” pellets have a rather mild flavor that I like.
Serving plate with a stack of bbq smoked bologna cubes, squares of cheese, pickled okra, slices of red onion, and pickles.

Serving Suggestions

Cubes of bbq bologna are great to serve with cheddar cheese, bread and butter pickles, or spicy pickles. The sweet, smoky, meaty goodness is also delicious with other tangy garnishes, like:

We also usually offer various types of old-fashioned crackers like saltines and butter crackers. Nothing beats a bit of carb-y-ness to go along with savory meat and cheese.

You can also serve the smoked slabs of bologna on white bread or buns for the thickest tastiest bologna sandwiches you’ve ever tasted. Don’t forget to add yellow mustard and pickles!

Serving plate with a stack of bbq smoked bologna cubes, squares of cheese, pickled okra, slices of red onion, and pickles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you smoke bologna on a grill?

This recipe is extremely simple to make if you have access to a smoker, especially an electric smoker. However, you technically do not have to smoke the baloney. You can simply slice it, grill it, and toss it in barbecue sauce. Smoking bologna just gives it that little extra something we all love! 

How long does smoked baloney last?

Cool the meat before placing it in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze bologna?

You sure can! Cool the baloney and transfer it to a freezer-safe ziploc bag, squeezing all of the air out when you seal it. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

How to warm up smoked bologna?

You can briefly reheat the meat in short 20-second bursts in the microwave at 50% power. You can also throw it back on the smoker or grill at a low temp for 10 minutes or so. Or simply heat the cubes in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.

Toothpick stacked with a cube of cheddar cheese, cube of smoked bologna, and an okra spear, held to camera.

Looking for More Smoker Recipes? Be Sure to Try:

Serving plate with a stack of bbq smoked bologna cubes, squares of cheese, pickled okra, slices of red onion, and pickles.
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Smoked Bologna Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This retro recipe turns bottled barbecue sauce and everyone's favorite classic deli meat into a smokey, savory, and sweet BBQ bologna that's perfect to serve as a tasty snack or appetizer!
Servings: 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1 ½ – 2 pounds bologna unsliced
  • 1 cup bbq sauce your favorite brand

Classic Garnishes –

  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cut into cubes
  • 1 cup “bread and butter” pickles drained

Additional Optional Garnishes –

Instructions

  • Fill the smoker with your favorite variety of wood pellets. Preheat the smoker to 165°F.
  • Slice the bologna into 1-inch round slabs. Place the bologna slabs on the smoker and close the top. Smoke the bologna for 45-60 minutes.
  • Once the bologna is nearly done smoking, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the bologna slabs with a thin layer of barbecue sauce, reserving the rest for later. Place the slabs on the hot grill, and grill just until char marks form, about 1 minute per side.
  • Cut the bologna slabs into 1-inch cubes. Then pour the remaining barbecue sauce in a bowl and add the bologna cubes. Toss well to coat the bologna in bbq sauce. Then place the bbq cubes on a platter and add cheddar cheese cubes, sweet pickles, and any other garnishes you like!

Notes

Cool the meat before placing in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Cool the baloney and transfer to a freezer-safe ziploc bag, squeezing all of the air out when you seal it. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz + garnishes, Calories: 609kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 106mg, Sodium: 1943mg, Potassium: 522mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 776IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 395mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Main, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, Southern
Author: Sommer Collier
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