Bologna Salad Spread or Pickled Bologna
Bologna Salad Spread or Pickled Bologna
Summer is now in full swing and it never hurts to have a sandwich filling ready for lunch on those rainy days that always seems to accompany the week-ends. It always seems to rain when you have a house full of friends and family, so be prepared and make a batch of Bologna Salad Spread or Pickled Bologna. You can also serve bologna salad spread as a dip. It’s perfect served with buttery crackers as an easy appetizer to munch on while your grillin’ burgers.
Aggie’s Favorite
Meat Grinder
When I first started making ‘pickled’ bologna, I made it like my mom did….using an old meat grinder to grind the dill pickles and ring bologna. Many years later, when I got divorced from my then husband, my ex-hubby actually insisted on taking that old meat grinder with him. Well I said good riddance to him and the meat grinder. Years later I finally bought myself a new grinder about the same time I got a new husband! The newer grinders are so light weight and easy to use and can be very inexpensive too. Nothing beats the old cast iron meat grinders tho, in my humble opinion.
Updated Recipe
This recipe is so simple and easy to make. I’ve changed the recipe slightly but basically it’s the same recipe Aggie made. I use a few tablespoons of sweet pickle relish instead of the dill pickles and I also add a few tablespoons of grated onion. This is still one of my favorite lunchtime meals. Every time I make pickled bologna I think of my mom. She admittedly wasn’t a good cook but Aggie’s pickled bologna was legendary in my family, it was one thing she made that we all liked.
Bologna Sandwich Spread
Ingredients
- 2 14-16 oz ring bologna
- 1/2-3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish, well drained
- 3 tablespoons grated onion
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Using a meat grinder or food processor, grind ring bologna,
- In a bowl, mix the ground bologna, pickled relish, onion, salt and pepper.
- Add enough mayonnaise to moisten ingredients enough to make a spread.
- Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.
- *The amount of mayonnaise and relish used is personal preference. Some like it creamy and some like it drier the choice is up to you:)
*Use a good brand of ring bologna. You can use regular or beef bologna* *I like to remove the skin from the ring bologna before I grind it. This is a personnel preference.* For this recipe we used Heinz pickle relish.
11 Comments on “Bologna Salad Spread or Pickled Bologna”
This is called Lutheran funeral meat, as it is served at most all Lutheran funerals. My mom passed away and it wasnt in her recipe box. Glad I found this for the measurements. I’m making it for national pickle day on Nov 14 next week. Thanks
Hi Sherri,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I never knew that’s what it’s called. I love finding out facts/history of dishes. I also didn’t know Nov. 14th was national pickle day either!! Thanks for the info. Lynn
Our local grocery store used to sell sandwich spread but it was so salty. I’ve made my own similar to your recipe but I added finely shredded cheddar cheese. By the way, pickled bologna is actual ring bologna pickled in a brine and served as slices on a cracker with cheese.
My mom used to buy deli cartons of “Sandwich Spread”. I loved it! But, my brother and sister called it vomit because of how it looked (they still ate it though). All these years later, I’ve tried ham salad (store, homemade) but its not the same. I want to make this because if I remember correctly, mom said that sandwich spread was made out of bologna. Thanks!
Hi Melinda,
Yes, you need to use ring bologna for that true taste! Growing up we called it “pickled bologna” and I still do but most people refer to it as sandwich spread. I worked in a deli, (briefly) and the sandwich spread made in that deli was a combination of all the different leftover “ends” from the rolls of meat sold. That is why some sandwich spreads never taste the same. Ham spread only has to have a small percentage of ham in the final product to be call ham spread:) Lynn
My mom made the same recipe- and it just never tasted the same using a food processor instead of the old cast iron grinder! And we always had to use “squishy white bread” to eat it. Nothing else tasted the same.
Hi Nancy,
I’ve tried finding an old grinder but when I do, half of the pieces are missing:) Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend. Lynn
I recall this from my long lost "Salad Days" back in the Pittsburgh area. When we made it we included pimento stuffed olives along with your ingredients.
Hi Don,
I will definitely have to try it your way..
when I was younger, I didn't care for pimento stuffed olives,
but as I got older and ordered cocktails with pimento stuffed olives,
I learned to love them:)
Thanks for stopping by,
Lynn
That's so funny!
I was in charge of turning the handle too.
We ate this all the time:)
My ex-hubby and I fought over the "meat grinder",
he got the old one and I had to buy a new one!
I still prefer the old one too.
Thanks for stopping,
Lynn
Now that's a recipe that triggers memories for me! We made ours with dill pickles & no onions and used for sandwiches on white bread. We had the same grinder (I still have it!) and I was in charge of turning the handle. For some unknown reason my parents called this "ground ham" lol