What is Bologna Sandwich?
A bologna sandwich, also known as a baloney sandwich, is a dish popular in North America. The sandwich consists of bologna slices, white bread, and a variety of condiments, such as mayo mustard, ketchup, and yellow mustard.
Bologna sandwiches are usually eaten for breakfast or lunch, although they can be included in other meals as well. There are several bologna sandwich recipes around, making the dish very diverse and popular.
If you’d like to learn more about this iconic American dish, keep reading! This article is all about the history of the dish, its variations, and specifics. If you’re here for restaurant recommendations, scroll to the bottom of this page!
Who Invented Bologna Sandwich?
First thing’s first, we need to start with a bit of history!
The beginnings of this popular sandwich can be traced back to, of course, Italy. More specifically, we’re talking about the city of Bologna. There, what we know as baloney, is called mortadella.
Mortadella has been popular in Italy for centuries. Officially, this meat is made of lean pork speckled with lumps of lard and a few spices. One of the most popular spices is black pepper in chunks. Mortadella was so popular in Italy that they felt the need to officially define the dish, which happened in 1661.
Ever since, only meats made in this specific way and with these ingredients can be called mortadella.
In the US and Canada, however, bologna came later. More specifically, it was during the beginning of the last century, when lots of Germans immigrated to the US. Alongside their traditions, they also brought bologna.
A bit later, during the Great Depression, bologna lunch meat became popular as it was cheap, pretty tasty, and lasted a long time. However, it’s important to note that this bologna wasn’t exactly mortadella. In fact, it was often made with scraps and lower quality meats. Still, it was food when food was scarce and it did sustain the nation.
As for the bologna sandwiches specifically, we can’t know for sure when they were invented. However, knowing the history of this lunch meat, we can assume they originated in the early 1930s.
What is Bologna Sandwich Meat Made of?
Bologna sandwich meat is made mainly of ground meat. The source of that meat can be chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. These are the most common meat varieties used in the mix, although you can find baloney made of venison and other game meat, too.
Bologna meat also often includes animal scraps as well as fat and is processed.
As for bologna sandwiches, the recipe is pretty simple. Slices of white bread get covered with a variety of condiments. The favorites are usually dill pickle mustard,mayo mustard, plain yellow mustard,and ketchup.
Once the condiments are on, a thick cut of bologna meat is added. The bologna sandwich recipe can also be made with multiple thin slices of bologna, which many people find more appealing than a single, thick cut.
The sandwich is then closed and often served with potato chips or fries. Common additions to the baloney sandwich are fried egg, pickles, vegetables, and more. You can also have a fried bologna sandwich, which is made in the same way, only the meat is fried beforehand.
Are Bologna Sandwiches Healthy?
Given that bologna is a highly processed meat cut, classic bologna sandwiches aren’t exactly the epitome of health. However, if you’re ordering your sandwich in a restaurant, chances are that your chef has high-quality mortadella on hand, which makes the sandwich healthier and tastier.
A classic bologna sandwich has around 250 to 300 calories, which is not a high amount at all. Furthermore, your bologna sandwich has 19g of fat, 30g of carbs, and 9.4g of protein.
When made with high-quality meat, traditional bologna sandwiches can be a healthy and tasty meal!
Bologna Sandwich Restaurants Near Me
Finally, we can give you some amazing restaurant recommendations for bologna sandwiches! Our list will be short, but if you don’t find your city on it, you can search our website. There, you’ll find a variety of locations near you that serve this classic American delicacy.
To everyone in Baltimore, we’d like to recommend Stoko’s Carry Out.
