Puff, Puff, Pass: Dub Shack BBQ Smokes a Bologna Chub

I'm smoking a chub.

Because Arkansas barbecue is truly a hybrid of three of the major styles (Memphis, Texas, Kansas City), I might as well share something not entirely unique to the Natural State yet vital to making barbecue cheap again: smoked bologna. If you're looking for the bubble and the slit, this isn't the recipe; I'm smoking the entire round chubby package of bologna.

INGREDIENTS

One 5 lb. chub of bologna

Mustard as a binder

Barbecue rub of choice (I'm using Fire and Smoke Society's Pork Perfect)

Dub Shack BBQ's The O.G. sauce

STEP ONE. Remove the red packaging from the bologna. Score the bologna so the rub and smoke can permeate the meat since we are only reheating this hunk following which spread the mustard all over the chub liberally. You're not going to taste that condiment - the rub adheres to it for its color. In the meantime, set your grill for 250-275 degrees and prepare for a two-zone fire. For those of you who worship at the House of Traeger, Green Mountain Grills, or any of the pellet gods, turn your knob to 250 and add a mixture of maple and cherry pellets.

STEP TWO. Using that two-zone fire, place the chub away from the fire and let it do its thing like you see on the PK above. It'll take a while; therefore, you can run errands, buy more beer and stuff for your sandwiches/adult Lunchables/poor man charcuterie boards like I will to watch the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, or whatever is necessary. The only cause of concern is to make sure the bologna isn't too firm for your liking - this cook does not need a thermometer as we're really reheating it. As the score marks open up, keep cooking. I began this cook with some leftover cherry wood and a chimney full of charcoals but added two chunks of maple wood at the midway point mainly to add an extra layer of flavor.

STEP THREE. At two hours, check the bologna for color. If it begins to feel firm, then it is time to bring inside. In this case, the protein was a pretty mahogany color but it was still a bit soft meaning I let it cook for another hour. One observation to be made is how the score marks made in the beginning have opened up during the cook to accept that cherry and maple smoke. 

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time, the chub of bologna is finished. Don't forget to paint it with your favorite barbecue sauce and let it tack up for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Pull it off the smoker for a short rest before slicing.

In this form, bologna is good for several days. Share with friends, coworkers, family, and make yourself something tasty to eat! As always, thanks for reading this post: Tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Be blessed, be safe, and of course, be good to each other.