At a glance
Peel and cube a bologna chub, coat it in mustard and barbecue rub, and smoke it at 250°F for about 2 hours until the edges crisp. Toss it in a pan with barbecue sauce, honey and butter and smoke it for another 30 to 45 minutes until sticky. Serve with toothpicks.
Bologna burnt ends, sometimes called poor man's burnt ends, are one of the easiest and cheapest barbecue snacks you can make. A whole bologna chub costs a fraction of a brisket, cooks in under three hours, and the cubes come out smoky and crisp on the outside with a sticky, sweet glaze.
Choosing your bologna
Look for a whole chub rather than sliced bologna. All beef bologna gives the best flavor and texture, but pork and beef blends work too. A 3 lb chub feeds a crowd as a snack.
Cube size and the rub
One inch cubes give the best balance of crisp edges and soft centers. A thin layer of mustard helps the rub stick and disappears during cooking. Any sweet barbecue rub works. Bologna is already salty, so a rub that is lower in salt is a good choice.
Why smoke first, then glaze?
The first couple of hours on the smoker dry the surface and crisp the edges. Adding the sauce too early leaves you with soft, steamed cubes. Once they have color, the glaze cooks down into a sticky coating in the pan.
Recipe
Smoked Bologna Burnt Ends
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 45 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 3 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 8 to 10 servings as a snack
- Smoker 250°F (121°C)
- About 2 hours unglazed, then 30 to 45 minutes glazed
- Heat through to 165°F (74°C)
Ingredients
Bologna
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) all beef bologna chub
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 3 tbsp barbecue rub
Glaze
- 1 cup (240 ml) barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter, cubed
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Equipment
- Smoker
- Foil pan
- Cutting board
Method
- Peel the casing from the bologna chub and cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
- Toss the cubes with the mustard, then the barbecue rub until evenly coated.
- Heat the smoker to 250°F (121°C) with hickory or cherry.
- Spread the cubes on a rack or straight on the grate and smoke for about 2 hours, until the edges darken and crisp.
- Tip the cubes into a foil pan, add the barbecue sauce, honey, butter and hot sauce, and toss to coat.
- Return the pan to the smoker uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring once, until the glaze is thick and sticky and the cubes are hot through.
- Rest for 10 minutes and serve with toothpicks.
Notes
- Bologna is already cooked, so you are adding smoke and texture. Heating it through to 165°F (74°C) is the usual advice for deli meats.
- Score the whole chub and smoke it before cubing if you want a smoked bologna sandwich too.
Serving and storing
Serve bologna burnt ends hot with toothpicks, pickles and white bread, or pile them on a slider. Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat them in a hot oven or skillet to bring the crisp edges back. If you like these, try our smoked Spam burnt ends and Texas twinkies.
Frequently asked questions
Is bologna already cooked?
Yes. Bologna is a cooked sausage, so you are adding smoke, texture and flavor rather than cooking it from raw.
How long does it take to smoke bologna burnt ends?
About 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 250°F, including around 30 to 45 minutes in the glaze.
Can I make bologna burnt ends on a pellet grill?
Yes. Set it to 250°F and follow the same times. A pellet grill gives a milder smoke flavor than a charcoal smoker.