Smoked Pepper Jack Bologna

I have been doing a lot of experimenting on my Pit and when I came across this recipe I just had to give it a try. It is not only easy, but very inexpensive for feeding a huge amount of individuals.(Hint: Superbowl Sunday is upon us)

Start with a few nice size logs of bologna which you should be able to get at your local market or butcher shop.
Some Pepper Jack Cheese (I used the generic brand of pepper cheese from the super market)

Take the end off a turkey baster and put at least one core through the center of the bologna log.

Notice: I left the casing on for this step as it makes it much easier.

I also recommend for spicier bologna to make several cores in order to add more cheese
Save the stick you remove from the coring to use a plugs.

Cube some cheese about the same diameter as your core and stuff into the bologna log.

Place the plugs you saved from the previous step in both ends of your core.

Save the rest of the piece you removed from the core and either smoke, grill or fry up quick for a snack while you smoke the bologna logs The make an excellent snack.

Smoke for an hour and a half at 250 then glaze with a hickory sauce*

Take off the smoker and let rest for ten minutes then slice for sandwiches topping with hot mustard and or hot sauce and some sweet onion. I also like to cut into small chunks and server for an appetizer with my smoked cheese.

Sauce  recipe I used:

2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons smoked sweet smoked paprika (must be sweet smoked)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons black pepper

combine in a pot and let simmer all day then let cool for serving (you can also blend all ingredients in a blender first to cut simmer time)

Yes my bologna has a first name and it is awesome!

Happy Smoking
Randy

Smoking Cheese

Yes  you read that right, I just smoked my first cheese on my Pit. I had bee reading about it for awhile and decided to give it a shot.

You can smoke almost any type of cheese so I choose three of my favorites, Gouda, Cheddar and Provolone

The term  used when smoking cheese is "Cold Smoking" as you have to keep your pit temp under 90 or your cheese will start to melt.

I simply cut my cheeses in to a few smaller parts as I wanted to use a general purpose rub on a couple of the chunks just for fun.

I let my cheese warm up at room temp for about an hour in order to induce more smoke into the cheese during the process. I put in about half a chimney of charcoal and then put in a large chuck of soaked wood.

I was able to control the temp of my smoke  fairly easily with the damper between the firebox and smoker box, however the temp was a cold 29 out so that made this part easier. I would image smoking cheese would be very difficult in warmer weather.

I smoked for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, but I would not hesitate to go longer (up to 3 hours)

Here is the finished product

The Cheese turned out great!

Smoking Eggs

As you can see in the picture above I also like smoking eggs. This process is also very easy and I put the eggs on my pit at the same time the cheese was finishing up.

I get the Pit up to about 250 degrees lay the eggs (pun intended) on the grate and use lots of smoke for about 2  hours..

Here are the finished eggs

These beauties are awesome in Egg Salad and my Smoked Deviled Eggs (see previous post)

Cheers
Randy