Grilled Smoked Bologna and Yellow Mustard Grilled Slaw Sammies
Chef David Guas, host of the Travel Channel’s “American Grilled,” says he grew up eating fried “baloney,” slapping it on Bunny brand bread and squirting it with yellow mustard. He now makes these grilled sandwiches for his two young sons, who especially love the cold, tangy crunch of an added slaw.
4 to 8 servings
You’ll need to soak 1/2 cup of hickory or apple wood chips in water for 30 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD:
The slaw needs to be made at least 30 minutes in advance, so its flavors can blend. It can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
FOR THE SLAW
1 head green cabbage, cut into quarters (do not core)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup regular or low-fat Duke’s mayonnaise
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 medium Vidalia onion or other sweet onion, cut in half
FOR THE SAMMIES
Four 1/2-inch thick slices all-beef or beef-pork bologna (4 inches in diameter, 24 ounces total)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
8 slices Texas toast bread (may substitute thick slices of any soft, white bread)
For the slaw: Prepare the grill for direct heat: If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (400 degrees) with the lid closed. If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly over the cooking area. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for 4 to 6 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames. Brush the grill grate.
Place the cabbage quarters on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil, then season liberally with the salt and pepper. Transfer the cabbage quarters to the grill; cook, uncovered, for a total of 7 minutes, turning the cabbage as needed to achieve a little char on all sides. The cabbage should remain somewhat crisp and not cooked through.
Immediately return the cabbage to the same baking sheet and place in the freezer for 20 minutes, until firm. Use a serrated knife to cut into very thin slices, discarding the cores. The yield should be about 4 cups of firmly packed cabbage.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, celery seed and mustard in a mixing bowl until well blended.
Grate each onion half on the large-holed side of a box grater, letting the grated onion fall into a bowl. Gently squeeze out/drain away any onion juices; the yield of onion should be 1/2 cup. Add the drained onion to the mayo mixture, along with the cabbage. Season lightly with salt and pepper; stir to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the sammies: Prepare the grill for direct and indirect heat: For a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (400 degrees) for 10 minutes with the lid closed. For a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them on one side of the cooking area. For a hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for 4 to 6 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle and brush the grate.
Place the bologna slices over direct heat; cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to achieve good grill marks. Move them to the indirect-heat side of the grill.
Drain the wood chips; add them to the briquettes, then quickly close the grill lid and allow the bologna to smoke for no more than 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Spread the melted butter on one side of each slice of Texas toast. Place the bread slices, buttered side down, on the direct-heat side of the grill and cook, uncovered, for 45 to 60 seconds, to achieve good grill marks. Transfer to a cutting board.
When ready to assemble, lay each piece of grilled, smoked bologna on the ungrilled side of 4 pieces of the Texas toast.
Top each portion with about 1/2 cup of the slaw, then complete the sandwiches with the remaining 4 pieces of bread, grilled side up.
Spear each sandwich with two evenly spaced, short bamboo skewers or long toothpicks. Cut in half; serve right away.
Grilled Bison Hanger Steak
4 servings
Bison on the grill can be more tender than beef, says Guas, even though bison’s marbling tends to be more delicate. Bison hanger steak, sometimes called “butcher’s filet,” can be ordered online from Gunpowder Bison & Trading, gunpowderbison.com.
Serve with a saute of rapini and roasted garlic.
MAKE AHEAD:
The meat needs to marinate while the grill is heating up.
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 pounds bison hanger steak (see headnote)
Combine the garlic, oil, crushed red pepper flakes and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Add the meat and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Massage to coat evenly. Let it sit while the grill heats up.
Prepare the grill for direct heat: If using a gas grill, preheat to high (425 to 450 degrees) with the lid closed. If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly over the cooking area. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for 4 to 6 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle and brush the grill grate.
Take the meat out of the bag; discard any remaining marinade. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place on the grill and cook, uncovered, for a total of 7 minutes or until the meat’s internal temperature registers 130 to 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (medium-rare); turn the meat as needed.
Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 8 to 10 minutes before cutting into 1/2-inch slices. Serve warm.
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