Good eatin’ doesn’t always come with a long list of ingredients or a complicated process. Sometimes, it’s the humble meals that bring the most satisfaction. Around here, nothing proves that point better than a good ol’ bologna sandwich—also known as Mississippi Roundsteak. It’s simple, it’s nostalgic, and when you put a little barbecue spin on it, it turns into something downright crave-worthy.

Today, I’m firing up the grill to make a BBQ Bologna Sandwich that takes this everyday classic to the next level. We’re talking seasoned bologna chubs, slow-smoked to perfection, and stacked high on a sandwich that’s guaranteed to have folks coming back for seconds. It’s smoky, tangy, and full of that backyard comfort food flavor we all love.

BBQ Bologna Sandwich | Heath Riles BBQ

For me, this recipe is more than just a sandwich—it’s a nod to one of my oldest and most favorite eats. The bologna sandwich has been a staple for as long as I can remember, and giving it the barbecue treatment on my Traeger Timberline 1300 just makes it even better. A little seasoning, a little smoke, and you’ve got a hearty sandwich that proves simple food can still pack big flavor.

The Ingredients

Chubs of bologna. The star of the show. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, ask for them at the deli. 

Yellow mustard. Mustard adds flavor and works as a great binder. 

Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Rub. This is the first flavor combination I ever perfected. It has a sweet taste with a punch of heat at the end. 

Heath Riles Sweet BBQ Sauce. This sauce is a tasty blend of savory and sweet deliciousness. 

Homemade coleslaw. I mixed some angel hair coleslaw, mayo, dijon mustard, honey, Cayenne pepper, Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub, and apple cider vinegar together for some tangy, flavorful coleslaw to top this dish off. 

Buns. Vehicles for the bologna. 

The Equipment Setup

I used my Traeger Timberline 1300 with Pecan Pellets preheated to 250 degrees. 

The Process for Making My BBQ Bologna Sandwiches

I uploaded a video to my Youtube channel of me making this recipe from start to finish. Head over there if you’d like to watch it. 

1. Preheat my grill. I set the grill on 250 degrees F to heat up while I got the bologna ready.
2. Unpack the bologna. Using a knife, I cut the red packaging away from the meat.
3. Score the bologna. Scoring the sides all the way around, about an inch apart, gives the bologna a way to open up as it cooks.
4. Season the chubs. Yellow mustard was my choice for a binder, so I squirted a light layer directly on the top and sides of the chubs and rubbed it out evenly. I followed it up with a few shakes of my Sweet BBQ Rub to add more flavor, patting it on as I went.
5. Put ‘em on the grill. I set the bologna chubs right in the center of the rack and shut the grill lid, letting them cook for about 2 hours.
6. Check the progress. It was a little over 2 hours when I checked to see if my bologna was ready. Both chubs looked and smelled great. I moved them over to an aluminum pan.
7. Slice and sauce it up. As much as I like bologna, I can’t eat an entire chub at once. Using a sharp knife, I thick-sliced both chubs into big-boy sized pieces, laid them flat on a metal pan, and drizzled each piece with my Sweet BBQ Sauce. I grabbed a basting brush and evenly coated the top of every piece with the sauce, and then went back over each piece with a few shakes of my Sweet BBQ Rub.
8. Let it smoke. The bologna slices went back on the grill to let the sauce tack up and smoke for 30-40 more minutes.
9. Make the coleslaw. While the bologna smoked, I mixed my coleslaw together so it could be chilling down.
10. Remove and build a sandwich. The bologna came off the grill after smoking for about 40 minutes. I opened the buns and laid a piece of bologna on each, following them with big forkfuls of the coleslaw. And, just to show I’m not scared of lots of flavor, I drizzled a little more of my Sweet BBQ Sauce right over the top of the slaw. Slicing it right down the middle, it was ready to eat. 

The Results

Damn! This recipe right here is as good and as old school as it gets! It’s moist, with lots of sweetness and a little heat, and the natural flavor of the bologna mixed with the acidity of the sauce and coleslaw…wow. This is one knock-out of a sandwich.

Serving Suggestions for My BBQ Bologna Sandwich

One piece of bologna per sandwich should do the trick. 

Storing Leftovers

Store the slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Equipment and Tools

Traeger Timberline 1300, Pecan Pellets, Black nitrile gloves, Sharp knife, Aluminum pan, Basting brush, Mixing bowl (for the coleslaw)