Fried Bologna Sandwiches | Chickens in the Road

Jun
13

Fried bologna sandwiches are nothing if not an homage to the country palate which bears no pride, counts no calories, and uplifts even the lowliest of ingredients to the heights of celestial delight. Which is to say that you can actually find fried bologna sandwiches on sit-down restaurant menus around here and in many other parts of the South.

But the best fried bologna sandwiches are made at home!

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How to make Fried Bologna Sandwiches:

thick, deli-sliced bologna
oil for frying
deli-sliced cheese
great bread
condiments of choice

The three key points in a fried bologna sandwich are the meat, the cheese, and the bread. Start with good, thick, deli-sliced bologna, not the pre-packaged stuff.

Choose your cheese–make it some good, deli-sliced cheese, too. And then there’s the bread. Fried bologna sandwiches are traditionally made on white sandwich bread. Sliced Grandmother Bread is perfect in my book, though many people will tell you only real store-bought Wonder Bread will do.

Heat a small amount of oil on medium-high in a large skillet. (I use olive oil.) Carefully score each slice of bologna. Don’t cut the bologna in half or anything–just make a few cuts across the center. (This will help keep the bologna from curling while it’s frying.)

Fry three minutes per side. If you burn the edges a little bit, you get a nice caramelized flavor.

Here’s where it gets really subjective. Anybody who grew up with fried bologna sandwiches will tell you that the only way to eat them is the way their mother made them–with mayonnaise or mustard, ketchup or barbeque sauce. I like mayo and hot pepper butter. I spread both bread slices with mayo and put hot pepper butter between the bologna and the cheese. But if you grew up with them, the only right way is how yo mama did it, so I understand.

My mother never made fried bologna sandwiches. The first time I was introduced to the fried bologna sandwich was when I was living at the old farmhouse and one day after church my cousin made one for me. I was like, “What you talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” Now I’m a fan.

Top the bologna with the cheese while still warm and put the sandwich together. If you like, add lettuce, tomato, and onion. Some people even like a fried egg on top. Or if you have a sandwich grill, you can grill it. My sandwich grill is about 40 years old. Which is why it works so good. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

No matter how you make it, it’s–

–hillbilly heaven! Pass the potato chips.

Okay, who grew up with fried bologna sandwiches? And who thinks this is the most disgusting thing they’ve ever seen?

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6-13
1:09
am

Or you can just make fried bologna cups (don’t cut them) and serve them with ketchup.

Karen Anne

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6-13
1:10
am

p.s. This harks back to my pre-vegetarian days. Also, remove the edges.

Karen Anne

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6-13
1:23
am

Grew up with them and still love them!!!

CATRAY44

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6-13
1:41
am

Put some chips on top of bologna and cheese and top with slice of bread and squish! Enjoy! YUMMY!

Blessings

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6-13
1:53
am

I grew up with them! My mom them a lot for a quick summertime supper and to this day they’re one of my favorite sandwiches.

BBQ’d bologna sandwiches are right up there with them too.

Om nom nom.

Kelleh

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6-13
1:54
am

I grew up with them…but I don’t eat them anymore. Also grew up on Spam and Vienna sausages. yuck :-)

Jeannie

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6-13
1:55
am

We liked the way they curled, and called them Mexican hats – plenty of mustard, on bread – or an egg with cheese on bread. Yummy!

Kathy in KY

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6-13
2:03
am

This is the first time in my life, I hear about this.
Uhhhh, I might try it…one day…give me some time

Flatlander

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6-13
2:17
am

Brand new to me!!! I love thin balogna rolled up with mustard, but never thought of frying it. I do love fried spam…..

Nancy in Iowa

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6-13
2:21
am

YEP… My mom made these lots of times. Of course, I grew up in Kentucky. I wouldn’t imagine anyone out West touching such a thing. I loved mustard on mine.

Of course, we also ate pickled eggs and pickled pigs feet, and they were soooooooo good. Now that I think about it, we ate just about anything pickled! LOL I even remember eating something like pickled sausage that was all rolled up in a huge jar. You would go in to the country store, and they would cut off a chunk for you. I loved that so much.

There is nothing like any of that here in Oregon, and my friends here would shun me if they even heard me mention such a thing.

jojo

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6-13
2:23
am

I remember my first, a babysitter made them for us. I have not had one in an easy 40 yrs. I’m buying bologna tomorrow. and white bread. I have to look see if I need to buy any Ketchup.

thunja

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6-13
2:51
am

My mother made these sandwiches served with tomato soup. My all time favorite meal growing up.

Darlene

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6-13
2:54
am

Speaking as a Californian born and bred, my Midwestern grandmother introduced me to fried bologna and cheese sandwiches (pickled pigs feet too, yum!) … have a Michigander DH who looks positively glassy if I suggest frying one of his comfort childhood foods (a little drool, too!). Today I’m sure I’d enjoy the first few bites, but the fat & salt content would take revenge if I could manage to finish it!

Ruthmarie

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6-13
3:07
am

MMMMM I like my bologna sliced thin and fried to crispy edges. I despise mayo and mustard (and pretty much most condiments) and processed cheese, so its crispy fried with no additional fat stuck between two pieces of bread with nothing but the grease the bologna makes for itself and me! (I also wipe the fat it makes in the frying pan with a paper towel and keep cooking). Now I need a bologna sammich!

Pam

Grammie Earth

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6-13
3:45
am

I love ‘em! I put sliced onion and mustard on mine. No cheese. Mmmm.

Julie Curtis

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6-13
5:06
am

I grew up with them too. They were my dad’s favorite even though he wasn’t supposed to eat (well, really should ANYONE eat them?). My husband is from Michigan, but his first girlfriend down here in Tennessee used to make him a fried egg and bologna sandwich when he went to her house. So, now he begs me to make them for him. I do like them too, but I actually prefer fried hot dogs with ketchup. Just slice them in half longways so you have two long strips. I’ll fry 2 or 3 hotdogs at a time. They curl up and carmelize like the bologna does. SO GOOD!
Another thing I was raised on was peanut butter and syrup. Just a dollop or two of peanut butter in a bowl and squeeze a ton of maple syrup (the buttery fake stuff was best!) and I’d eat it with a fork. My cousin ate his with a butter knife. We’d sit and watch Mr Rogers and eat it. I admit I still have some now and then as a total comfort thing.

Patty

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6-13
5:41
am

Always had cold baloney sandwiches in our lunch pails in grade school. First time for the hot grilled version was at WVSC when missing mealtime in the cafeteria..or a “snack” before tackling the studying….Andy’s had them ..also the Grille right beside the girl’s dorms. I like them plain…..why cover up that delicious flavor with all that other stuff!!

Elizared

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6-13
5:44
am

I go with disgusting, but I’m not a bologna fan. From 5th to 8th grade I went to a small parochial school. We had to bring our lunch every day. Most days it was bologna and cheese (cus it was cheap). After having bologna for 4/5 days for four years, can’t really tolerate it anymore….

Tammy

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6-13
6:35
am

I have never seen them listed on a menu here in Maine but my husband and I have them here at home plenty of times. Just delicious, but as Suzanne said….has to be good deli balogna to get awesome sandwiches!

twoturkey

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6-13
6:36
am

I like fried sweet bologna with cream cheese and Lebanon bologna with provolone.

Heather

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6-13
6:47
am

My mother never made this, but my best friend around the corner’s mother did. They ate them with potato chips on the sandwich.

What my mother made that I loved was hot dogs, sliced lengthwise & opened, topped with mashed potatoes (out of a box) and sour cream, then put under the broiler! I loved these and would ask for them for my birthday dinner!

Now I’m a vegetarian, but I have had occasion to slice a veggie dog and do it up the same way. Not quite as tasty, but really works as comfort food.

Johanna

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6-13
6:52
am

That’s a lot like Leberkäse, which is popular in southern Germany. Usually you eat it warmed (not necessarily fried) on a good white roll with either classic yellow mustard or honey mustard with whole grains. I like to add melted swiss cheese and pickle. It’s super tasty!

sirje

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6-13
6:59
am

Like you said the way your Mom,or in this case my Grandma made’em. Put mayo and a slice of tomato and onion on there!And it had to be thick sliced garlic bologna.

Leah

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6-13
7:00
am

I grew up with them in NC (though my parents were from upstate SC, so maybe that’s where it really came from!) Now my kids are carrying on the tradition! Here, it’s only white bread, Oscar Meyer bologna (either thick cut or 2 slices of regular), Duke’s mayonnaise, American cheese (real, not “cheese food”), and a slice of ripe tomato if it’s summer. Yummmmmm!

Jana NC

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6-13
7:12
am

Right….fried bologna (we clipped the edges a little to prevent curling), cheap white bread (who could afford Wonder?) and no condiments. We fried the bologna in butter!
My first mother in law introduced me to these many years back and I haven’t had one in maybe twenty years now!
But my favorite ‘sandwich’ when I was a little girl was Mustard Sandwich. Just plain yellow French’s on plain white bread. Anyone had those?

Carol Langille

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6-13
7:12
am

Oh yeah! We ate them in southwest Missouri too. I just remember fried bologna with mustard on bread.

I don’t buy it very often (read the ingredients!) but now and then have to have a bologna sandwich, especially when tomatoes are ripe….mayo (Miracle Whip), bologna, tomato, onion. Now there is a sandwich to die for. I like it even better than fried.

I also still have to buy vienna sausages and potted meat and Treet (we ate it, no spam) every so often.

I was raised on this kind of food.

glenda

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6-13
7:16
am

We ate these, too, growing up. I don’t remember what we put on them but it was probably ketchup. What kid doesn’t put ketchup on everything??? Another favorite was barbequed hot dogs. Our neighbor grew up on a farm and she introduced our family to them. We always rolled those hot dogs back and forth through the pan of barbeque…at age five you didn’t think to cut them! Heck, at age ?? I still would have rolled them if I hadn’t just read the posts above!

cincyjojo

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6-13
7:34
am

Fried bologna dipped in a homemade BBQ sauce, with a sesame bun, red lettuce, tomato, a slice of green pepper and bit of mayo is nothing but heaven here on the mountain. Sit down with a “hot” bologna and a cold Bud Light after a day of mowing, gardening and grubbing in the yard and that bologna sandwich says one thing: I don’t have the money to hire all this work out!!! But I love my fried bologna sandwiches.

Box Call

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6-13
7:53
am

I’m not a bologna fan – at all! Nasty!

Love grilled cheese sandwiches though. Grandma used to make us grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch.

@Tammy – I feel the same way about egg salad sandwiches for exactly the same reason!

Wendy

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6-13
8:04
am

From one Hillbilly to another, I say with pride…Yummmm!

joycee

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6-13
8:09
am

I’m in the ‘no, thanks’ camp, but just a couple of days ago Cousin F was extolling the wonders of fried bologna sandwiches and planning that for dinner. He says it reminds him of deer camp, which is a good thing, I suppose, since his hunting days are probably over.

LauraP

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6-13
8:26
am

I grew up in upstate New York – not very Southern – and yet we had fried bologna sandwiches all the time. My oldest sister used to make them for me. Just bologna fried and curled up on white bread with some mustard. I don’t remember her adding cheese, but it sure tasted good – better than cold bologna sandwiches.

Suze

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6-13
8:29
am

I ate a fried bologna sandwich yesterday for the first time in 30 years. I can’t believe you have a post about it today! What a coincidence! It was delicious!

Runningtrails

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6-13
8:33
am

Fried Bologna is the best! My daughter loves having it for breakfast with eggs and toast. It’s on the menu of many restaurants here in northern Ontario.

Connie

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6-13
8:34
am

Oh my you are talking about heaven on a plate!

I absolutely love fried bologna sandwiches with cheese and a layer of potato chips on the sandwich.

Include a large glass of fresh milk (without removing the cream) and there’s my recipe for a heart attack.

Phyllis

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6-13
8:39
am

Where I come from they were always cut in a pinwheel to keep them from curling, served with wonder bread and miracle whip, no cheese for me… I remember them well.
I haven’t eaten one in years, and admit that I now find bologna disgusting, so I have absolutely have no desire to eat one. Unless somehow I could be transported back in time and be a little girl and my mommy would make me one for a quick lunch, that one I would eat happily.

Leesa

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6-13
8:41
am

I’ve had my share of fried bologna and at the time thought it was great. Has anyone ever had fried bologna gravey? One time when Mom was in the hospital Daddy made it for us. We ate it over toast!

Miss Judy

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6-13
8:44
am

*raising hand* I grew up with fried bologna!! Yay! I don’t eat meat anymore (health reasons), but what do I crave sometimes?? Hot dogs and fried bologna! Crazy!

Beth

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6-13
8:45
am

Fried bologna sandwich with mustard and a slice of garden tomato still warm from the sun! MY mouth is watering! It’s the first thing I make each year when I find that first ripe tomato.

KentuckyFarmGirl

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6-13
8:47
am

When I first moved out in to my own place and I didn’t know how to cook and didn’t have any money anyway, I lived on eggs, bologna, cheese and bread. Fried bologna sandwiches and omelets were my specialty.

Julie

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6-13
8:48
am

I’m not sure it’s THE most disgusting but it might make the list! lol I’m not a fan of bologna. My grandson would probably love it though!

cabynfevr

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6-13
8:53
am

LOVE THEM!!! We buttered the bread and slathered on mustard. Though each of us kids did it our own way, but it started with butter….cuz that’s what Mom did!

And if you’re desperate, split a hotdog lengthwise and fry that!

CindyP

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6-13
8:55
am

Was introduced to them in college and went through a phase of eating quite a few of them. If we were particularly flush, with egg AND cheese was the preferred way! What went on them varied, depending on the stash of little packets.

We also made cheap “BBQ” by slicing hotdogs crossways, frying them a bit then adding some BBQ sauce or just ketchup if that was all we had. Served open face. With cheese, if we could “borrow” some from somewhere.

Ahhh, the things we ate in those days to keep from spending a dime!

Pete

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6-13
8:59
am

Bologna is just bad tasting to me period. My family likes it. I have made them the fried sandwiches. But ewww not me. I perfer a good chipped ham, or sliced roast. lol.

Diane

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6-13
8:59
am

YUM! Fried bologna on CWB with Hellmans’s! I also used to put hot sauce in the skillet at the end to coat the bologna and eat that on CWB with mustard and onions. I rarely eat bologna anymore but my SO does – he can eat anything and his weight and cholesterol stays the same LOL
Yes, Miss Judy, a friend once made the gravy for me just as his Mama used to make it for him. Not bad!

wvhomecanner

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6-13
9:11
am

I haven’t had a fried bologna sandwich in probably 30 years but when I saw that picture my mouth watered! My mother would never have made them…my dad was a butcher and back in the day ……well, you don’t want to know what he told me bologna was made of…however, my best friend’s mom cooked these for us every saturday night while we watched “the twilight zone” ……oh the memories!

Melinda

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6-13
9:17
am

We ate fried bologna sandwiches in Indiana too. Now that he is an adult, my brother has gone all hoity- toity and only eats GARLIC bologna fried. ha ha We still argue over whether to use mayo or ketchup.
My husband loves his hot dogs sliced down the middle with a slice of cheese under the broiler.

My all time favorite is creamed chipped beef on toast.

Kris S

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6-13
9:27
am

Here now! This northern girl of Polish descent grew up eating them so let’s not go with the whole ‘Hillbilly’ thang!

I used to love provolone on em, lay it on top just as the bologna was almost ready to take off the heat. I decided to omit it now since there’s plenty of fat in the bologna alone. Now when I’m in need of a bit of guilty pleasure comfort food, I pull out the bologna and the cast iron skillet! MMmmmmmmmmmmmm….. Oh, and Mayo, yep. Just mayo.

Another thing we loved, and it was only an occasional treat, perhaps on a Saturday night quick supper… cut some bologna into bite sized squares and brown it a bit, then pour some beaten eggs in for a yummy scramble. Talk about a heart attack on a plate! But we were active kids, no playstation or computer games for us.

BuckeyeGirl

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6-13
9:41
am

I also grew up eating fried bologna sandwiches. My mother and I would eat them with mayo and onions. Yum-Yum! Definetly worth the happy dance

Sonia

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6-13
9:44
am

They all sound so good – we had them with toast and ketchup – cheese was optional lol. In a pinch I’ve been know to throw the bologna in the microwave lol.

catslady

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6-13
9:56
am

Morning,

One of those delights when daddy would stop at the old country store and have them cut from this huge log of bologna for the family and along with that, if I remember correctly, it was called hoop cheese and oddly enough the bologna & cheese were in this thick red cover…He would fry it up slice some onions, grab some lettuce, mayo and some “TATER” chips and we were really happy. At times we would cut the bologna like a wedge of cheese and that was it!

Now you’ve made me want to get some of that kind of country store bologna NOW…for breakfast!

PJ

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6-13
10:20
am

When I was in my twenties a boyfriend introduced me to fried bologna sandwiches…he sauted mushrooms to go along with it and we put swiss cheese on top. I guess that would be the California version.
M…M…GOOD!

claudia w

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6-13
10:20
am

No fried bologna sandwiches in my past but a (Florida) school lunchroom staple was fried bologna cups filled with mashed potatoes – one of my favorites as a kid.

DebrafromMD

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6-13
10:25
am

Yes! Fried bologna on Wonder bread with mayo as a kid. Loved them!
Haven’t had one in years….gotta make me one.
I also liked mayo sammies…just mayonnaise on bread, deelish.

Valerie

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6-13
10:30
am

A taste from my childhodt…fired bologna with mustard on toast. Nothing better except maybe tomato soup with popcorn on top.

wammy

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6-13
10:31
am

Oh yeah baby – we grew up on fried bologna sandwiches. Any kind of bread with the thick bologna – the real kind. Not that stuff they sell now in packages. My brother swears that the German bologna is great too – he says he gets it in Georgia at Walmart deli. I can’t find it here in Colorado. When I was young there was a place in N.C. where you could buy them at a sort of dumpy place in a bad part of town but man they were great. They would fry them thick slices and add grilled onions on a big burger bun. Wonderful! I still to this day eat a fried bologna sandwich once in awhile.

Brenda E

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6-13
10:41
am

I almost retched when I read your headline this morning. Suzanne, this was truly almost enough to put me off your entire blog. Bologna belongs firmly in the past and should never be consumed by thinking (tasting) human beings! (Sorry, I have bad memories and very strong feelings on this!)

Lola-Dawn

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6-13
10:53
am

another northern girl here whose dad used to make them for her…..
now hubby and i are wanting these for breakfast, no bologna in the house…

Quietstorm

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6-13
10:55
am

I grew up LOVING fried bologna sandwiches in the Chicago area. I was a “purist” though, just fresh white bread and nice crispy bologna…never thought of cheese….that would be yummy!

You all have made me hungry and there’s no bologna in the house….grocery store is 2 hours away. Next trip I WILL buy bologna!

rileysmom

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6-13
11:00
am

We toasted the bread, buttered it and slapped on the fried bologna….no cheese, no ketchup, just a good fried bologna sandwich.

Betsy

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6-13
11:33
am

I beg to differ ~ this is not just a SOUTHERN favorite, we up in the NORTH have also been known to delight in this fine treat! My family loves them.

CherShots

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6-13
11:45
am

Oh, yeah! You definitely have to have the fried egg and a big ole slice of homegrown tomato!!!! Awesome!

Annie

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6-13
12:05
pm

I vote both, its disgusting and I grew up with it. Sorry Suzanne but this is one recipe I can’t get on board for, I simply loathe bologna. I’ve never liked the taste, and I hate the way it smells even more. My mother used to make these when I was a kid, for herself or my brother (don’t really remember my dad ever eating them) and the way it made the house smell made me sick. I really have no idea where my strong feelings about this lunch meat came from, but I won’t be making it in my house lol

I do though see how if you like bologna it would probably be a delicious way to eat it, since just about everything tastes better fried lol

Kim of SakuraSundries

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6-13
12:15
pm

My Mama used to make these for us when we were kids, YUM! but now I would blow up like a puffer fish if I ate them. When my mom was little during the depression Grandma would give them a dime to go to the store and buy a loaf of bread and some bologna for lunch when she was at work, they would buy ice cream and cookies instead, Grandma never new !

Grandmatotwochicks

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6-13
12:30
pm

I grew up with bologna sandwiches. And I love fried bologna sandwiches now, always with mayo, no cheese, ON WHITE BREAD.

And I always have potato chips with my sandwich.

I thought I was the only one…..!

mary kellogg

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6-13
12:35
pm

I was raised on a farm and we were dirt poor, fried bologna sandwiches were on the menu at least once a week, sometimes more. My parents had grown up during The Depression so I had to eat everything. Made up my mind as a kid 2 things I would never eat when I grew up. Fried Bologna and hominy, never will eat them again…gross. I actually feel sick thinking about those 2 foods.

Sheila

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6-13
12:47
pm

Ahhhhhhhhh one of my favorite foods.

Ninnie

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6-13
12:55
pm

I’m not a fan of bologna now but when I was growing up we had these a lot.

Tori Lennox

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6-13
1:29
pm

…yup Suze,upstate NY style. The bologna,super fresh white bread,mustard and lettuce if available.Been years since I’ve had one.Now I want one

auntbear

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6-13
1:45
pm

I can’t get over the prices on that menu. You can’t get a soda for the price of those sandwiches here in California. I’d like to make that sandwich as a treat for my mom, she loves her bologna!

Amber

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6-13
1:57
pm

When I was a young girl at home in the late forties, some summer days would be too hot for my Mom to cook full meals so she would fry up a pan of bologna put it out on a plate along with a couple cans of sardines and a jar of pickled pigs feet, a loaf of white bread , sliced tomatoes,onions and lettuce and we would fix our own. That was good eating for us kids living in Southern West VA.

Shirley T

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6-13
2:48
pm

oh yea, we used to eat fried bologna all the time. Haven’t had it in many a years.. probably cuz we got sick of it

But I agree, it HAS to be better on homemade bread then the white junk we had as kids and these days I’d say Wunderbar bologna is best

Mia

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6-13
2:56
pm

Fried bologna sandwich? Oh Yeah! Had those….yum. Nothing beats that except maybe fried bologna and gravey. Yep….as good as it sounds! Anythings better with gravey on it!

Emily

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6-13
3:01
pm

Never had one, gonna try it real soon. I like anything fried and crispy, yum.

Shelly

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6-13
3:40
pm

I have only had it once, but it was too greasy. Now I make them by nuking them in the microwave.

Cheryl LeMay

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6-13
4:45
pm

Generations back to the 1700′s here in upstate NY and my father used to make them when I was a kid. Have’t had one in 40 years. Now I want one. I remember they were slits cut around the edges to prevent curling and it was fried in butter. My father did the lettuce, tomato, mayo and cheese deal on white bread. I just had cheese and ketchup on white bread with the fried bologna. I haven’t even bought bologna in 30 years. I wonder if I would even like it now.

Sheila

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6-13
5:00
pm

I grew up with fried bologna sandwiches in Wisconsin and I love them! My Mom fried the bologna in a bit of butter, used mayo and tomato on white bread. Oh, so good!

My Mom liked to make fried egg sandwiches too, but they had to be served on a nice potato roll with a slice of tomato.

Now I think I need to go to the store and get bologna and fry some up for dinner! :-)

Kari

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6-13
5:49
pm

We had these when I was a growing up and I loved them. It was a cheap meal when you had nine kids to feed. I still have one now and then, plain on whole wheat and squished flat. Yum! But my favorite quick and easy meal is grilled cheese (real cheese) and tomato soup. My Dad used to like peanut butter with white corn syrup stirred in on white bread. My husband has to have a peanut butter and honey sandwich when he has chilli. He says that is how they did it for school lunches when he was a kid.

MMT

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6-13
7:32
pm

Both my husband and I grew up on fried bologna sandwiches. When we were first married we were dirt poor and lived for some overtime pay. With that we’d buy the bologna and cheese in order to fiest like a (red-neck) king.

Oklahoma Granny

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6-13
8:40
pm

It took me so long to get to the comment section I had time to make a bologna sandwich. Yes, I grew up on these too, until I found out what exactly is in bologna. Thanks to my husband, my children know the mouth watering bounty, too. What can I say, when you grow up poor or live in the country, its a family favorite.

lward

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6-13
9:06
pm

Another Upstate NY bologna fan. German grandma fixed ‘em with three slashes, pinwheel fashion, no cheese, Strohmann’s bread. Hubby when we were dating made them with center cut with Velveta cheese. But then we went to a Sabres game, at the Aud, the real home of the Sabres and in the downstairs lounge, Renate, (not exactly sure of the spelling, pronounce Ray-not-a) waitress extraordinaire, suggested the fried bologna from their restaurant. Thick, thick bologna, golden brown mustard, Provolone cheese, fried red and green peppers and onions on a soft Costanzo’s roll. Gourmet fried bologna. To die for.

Of course, though we still have it the fancy way, every so often we still have it with Velveta or in my case, just fried baloney on buttered bread.

lavenderblue

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6-13
9:19
pm

As Tim McGraw so lovingly sings….A fried bologna sandwich with mayo and tomato….yum, yum….as my arteries harden…
We always put slits on the outside so you ended up with a pinwheel looking piece of bologna..and I would probably do mustard and cheese, with a dill pickle slice or two now…but still…yum..yum!

Gingermouse

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6-13
9:21
pm

Memories…haven’t had one of these in years. I like them either on buttered toast, no additional condiments, or with fried egg, tomato and Miracle Whip. We also used to take the bologna and dice it, then brown it in a little butter. After it’s brown, add eggs and scramble together! Oh my, guess I need to add bologna to the grocery list.

Marianne

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6-13
9:23
pm

Never had one before, but heard of them via the “Mitford” series of books. Thanks to your pictures, I’m now going to have to add thick sliced bologna to my shopping list and whip up a fresh batch of your bread to eat it on!

Jennifer Robin

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6-13
10:08
pm

I was born & bred (2nd generation) in San Diego – my mom used to make fried baloney sandwiches with white bread & ketchup for us, when it was a major “junk food” type day. Haven’t had baloney in forever, although I fry up Spam once in a while. Yummy!

Connie

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6-13
10:33
pm

Yum!!!! My Grandma always had the big hunk of bologna with the red skin on it and she would always fry some for us when we went to visit. Growing up at home (here in West Virginia) we would make fried bologna sandwiches on toast with mayonnaise. To this day, I still love them….now I usually make them with wheat toast. (and mayo!!) My significant Other likes cold bologna on wheat toast….no mayo or anything else…At least I don’t have to get out a skillet when he wants a sandwich. …That is…unless I want one too!!

Another one of my all time favorite sandwiches…is peanut butter and dill pickles!!!! Love it to this day!!!

Dana Lou

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6-13
10:54
pm

I’ve actually, never had a fried bologna sandwich, though I grew up eating lots of bologna sandwiches, and have eaten fried bologna.

Linda

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6-13
11:21
pm

Well, this takes me back. Chicago girl, but my parents are from the south, so yes on fried bologna. Just slice it in half with a slit to keep it from curling, throw it in the pan (no butter–it has enough fat in it), and eat it on white bread. Plain, please. I rarely touch anything fried anymore, though, especially bologna. But just reading this, I can taste the crispy edges…and I want some. And as someone else said, on the rare times when I eat it now, I nuke it.

And yes on whoever mentioned syrup and peanut butter. That’s a guilty pleasure food for me. Kind of embarrassing, actually, but…I do still eat it on rare occasions. Secretly, because…who wants to have to explain such a bizarre snack? It ranks right up there with mashed up banana and peanut butter, which I also ate as a child and which looks totally disgusting, but tastes yummy.

Myrna Mackenzie

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6-13
11:39
pm

Yes, I have eaten them when I was younger but now they sort of fall into the same category as hot dogs for me. What exactly IS bologna and are you sure about that????

scorwin

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6-14
1:53
am

I grew up in Oregon and my mom in California, but I assume she learned the bologna sandwich thing from her Tennesee bred and raised parents. I remember loving them as a kid until I became a freak and started to think about what bologna and hot dogs and sausage actually are . . . Is deli bologna not made of gross things? Would I not be disgusted if I knew what it was made of?

I sure did like them though!

Lacey

Flag this comment
6-14
9:44
am

So let’s do what we always do, ask Suzanne to come up with a recipe for bologna without all the lips and…well, you know.

Or we could follow the advice of my husband’s former boss when all his office employees were spending more time obsessing over carbs, cholesterol and calories than doing any actual work. “Eat what you want and die like a man”.

lavenderblue

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6-14
10:19
am

Oh man! That looks DELICIOUS!!! Why have I never ever heard of this??

Gini

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6-14
10:20
am

I remember one summer that all I ate was fried bologna sandwiches and Chef Boyardee ravioli (on alternating days, of course.

I’m a purist though; I want the fried (or baloney, as we still call it), fried till almost burnt, on white bread with mayo. Potato chips on the side, please.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to run to the store for some baloney and white bread.

Lisa

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6-14
11:34
am

We ate those with homemade bread, velveeta and mustard. yum!

becky

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6-14
2:41
pm

Love, love, love them! Not just a thing of the south….we ate them in Indiana!

Cindy Wright

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6-14
7:34
pm

If you are from West Virginia , then you grew up eating fried (often) BBQ bologna sandwiches . My husband ( a hmmmm, Texan) , had never had one until he married me . He has rarely complained about my cooking and never when I served him a BBQ bologna sandwich

KELLY

Flag this comment
6-15
10:33
am

I’d eat that right now if it was in front of me. I’ve also had fried baloney for breakfast, in the place of bacon or sausage – and fried eggs with mustard on the side. It just doesn’t get any better.

Staci

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6-15
3:29
pm

Just back from visiting my sister and we even talked about fried bologna sandwiches, along with the fried spam…she still serves the spam. I’d take the bologna over it any day. Yep, fried curled up on Mrs. Baird’s white, miracle whip and Kraft american- in the single slice plastic wrap. Gotta love it.

Rhonda

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6-16
7:05
pm

Fried balogna on white bread with cheese, or with mayo, or with BBQ sauce. Mmmm

Lynn

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6-16
7:06
pm

I just remembered…. In grade school (WV- 1970s in 1980s) they served us what they called “Mexican Hats” on the menu. It was a fried balogna circle, uncut, so it curled up like a cup… with a scoop of instant mashed potatoes in the middle. : )

Lynn

Flag this comment
6-19
10:15
pm

LOL, I thought I invented them! When I was 10 and 11, I spent a lot of time home alone while my mother worked, especially during the summers. We always had bologna, but I decided one day to fry it. I discovered the curling effect and had to figure out how to prevent it. I would simply cut the edge after it was done cooking, but then I had to use two slices per sandwich, for coverage. I don’t think I ever used oil, but I know I burned the edges – and more – often.

Jammeez

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6-19
10:40
pm

Oh, BTW, Western girl here. Grew up in Phoenix.

Jammeez

Flag this comment
6-24
3:42
pm

Ate plenty of those while growing up in WV. We put hot sauce and onions on ours.

Beth

Flag this comment
6-24
8:11
pm

We also had fried balogna sandwiches growing up in Texas. Also my Mother would fry balogna and serve with eggs and toast for breakfast. Sooo good

Dolores Wood

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6-27
2:34
am

I grew up in California and we ate these all the time when I was a kid!…and you had to have it on white Wonder bread…and just to add an additional white trash factor..we added Velveeta sometimes..LOL!

auntie julie

Flag this comment
7-7
8:34
pm

Fried Bologna are my all time favorite sandwich. Especially with thick bologna. Thank you for shaing this post I love it.

Tina @ Mommys Kitchen

Flag this comment
9-18
6:38
pm

My version of fried bologna (of course how MY mamma made it) score the bologna like in your recipe, but she put a glaze on it. Make the glaze with brown sugar and mustard to give it some zip. Put some glaze on both sides of the bologna and fry in butter. Comes out with kind of a sugary glaze on it and elevates bologna to whole different level. Usually we cut the piece in half and then scored a little halfway on the round side. This helped in keeping it flat. (when you are done cooking, fill the pan with HOT water right away to make the pan easier to clean off.)

Rhonda

Flag this comment
9-26
4:04
am

I came across this thread and had to share something I oberved a couple of years ago.

I had occasion to have to spend a great deal of time at the bedside of a sick relative at one of the better hospitals here in North Carolina so I got to know their enploye / visitor cafeteria pretty well. Anyway, I was delighted that they offered fried bologna sandwiches two or three times a week (!!!). (And they did them up right – with any fixin’s you wanted.) I noticed that when they had them, a large number of the staff indulged in them.

My take on a perfect fried bologna sammich….

– Slice of thick cut bologna (3/16 to 1/4 inch). I’ve noticed that when you order this at the deli counter, if the person is helping you is not real young, you might get the question “are you making fried bologna sandwiches?
– well seasoned black iron skillet – pre heated. Fry bologna till slightly blackened.
– Freshest white bread you can find – lightly toasted.
– Dukes mayonayse. This is important – the Mericle Whip that some of the comments mention in this thread shoud not be considerd “food” (read the “whats in this stuff?” on the label)
– Optional – fried egg. I like them with or without the egg. I prefer them “over hard” to about the same consistancy as the bologna with plenty of fresh ground pepper.

Wayne

Flag this comment
9-30
3:50
pm

ha! Just made a fried bologna sandwich and sat down wondering “Am I the only person who still eats this?” and Googled “I love fried bologna sandwiches” and ended up here. I grew up in rural Western PA where this was a staple. Many folks ate them with potato chips in the sandwich, but I like mine just light wheat bread, two thinner slices of bologna fried crispy on the edges, Kraft Single melted between them, then ketchup and sweet pickle relish. YUM. 40 years old and I still love them.

khrys1119

Flag this comment
10-11
11:34
am

i dont consider it a delicacy by any means. bologna is cheap and filling but cold is just not editable to me. frying at least makes it editable and cheap lol

justin

Flag this comment
10-12
12:35
am

Well first, why wouldn’t you want it to curl up? I’ve got one of those restaurants where it’s on the menu; if you want to make it a bit more tasty…toss some sliced red and green bells peppers, thin sliced red onion and a few pickled jalapenos into the same frypan, let them all cook together and then melt your cheese on top.

Jon

Flag this comment
4-4
12:53
pm

Grew up with them as a child when I lived in New Jersey (I know, right….it’s supposed to be a Southern thing). My mom used plenty of butter to fry the baloney and only Wonder bread would do (so your fingers leave imprints in the bread as you grab hold)….pure YUM. A childhood favorite that I still enjoy from time to time, now in my mid forties. Just a note to those who’ve never tried it….baloney takes on a whole new personality when it is fried. It’s a completely different flavor (like what happens to onions), so don’t be shy….give it a try!

BaloneyGirl

Flag this comment
7-20
7:51
pm

I grew up eatin’ fried bologna sandwiches in rural West Virginia and when I was tall enough to reach the stove I made them for my Daddys bucket The more burnt the better. They are the MOST Wonderful summer sandwich with a THICK slice a tomatoe still warm from the garden.

houstonsmom

Flag this comment
12-14
11:27
am

It was fried liver sausage (braunschweiger) on white bread slathered with lots of butter and yellow mustard at our house. Browned to perfection and hot out of the frying pan… (where’s the “drool” smiley?)

City Kid in St. Paul

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