Gate Opener,
You mainly smoke it slow.
Take a large stick of it, and cut a gash in it half way through. Then I stick a few pieces of garlic or onions to hold it open so the smoke can penetrate the center of it. It is important to cut that slash. You actually can cut a "V" in it, but keep it narrow, but deep. I usually get a 5 lb piece, the kind that is covered in a plastic wrap. I don't know if rag bologna is right for this. Be sure to take the plastic wrap off. (Instructions like not to stick a pair of scissors in your eye)
Put it in a Brinkman's smoker, or any other kind of smoker you have, and be sure to put the water pan in it to keep it more moist and the direct heat off of it. Put about 1 1/2 layer of coals across the bottom Then start your fire just in one spot on two or three coals so that it slowly goes across the other coals. Be sure to oil the bologna to keep the outside moist.
When the bologna turns a nice golden brown, be sure to cover it so that the outside doesn't dry or burn.
Usually, I have a pan that I put mine in and put a few tiny holes in the top of it, and put it back in the smoker so that more smoke will get in. You must heat it all the way through for the smoke to penetrate the meat. You can wrap it up with aluminum foil and it should have enough smoke in it to penetrate the center when it is heated.
Just remember, you aren't cooking it, you are smoking it. So don't rush it. The process takes a couple of hours if you can keep your fire temp low. If you have a seasoned smoker, you don't have to litterly have smoke, the sides of the smoker are what will give the flavor.
When I get a new smoker of any kind. I put a sack of charcoal in it, then take a metal can then put some bacon grease in it so that it smokes like crazy. It will get so hot it smokes and covers the surface of the inside of your smoker. It burns the oils used in making the smoker too. After this, you are ready to smoke anything and the flavoring is set in the smoker for anything now. Each time you cook with it, the flavoring keeps getting better.
When smoking the bologna, just be sure to not let it burn, you have to keep an eye on it. Then slice it, put it on a hamburger bun, sweet slaw and some Valentina hot sauce, and you'll turn your nose up to a regular barbecue sandwich.
You can slice it and put wax paper between the slices and freeze it so that you always have some to eat. I like home made chow-chow on it with the hot sauce too.
This is not a mustard or mayo type sandwich. Treat it as barbecue. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
It don't get any better than this!
Chuckie
