Bologna and Pickle Spread – Throw Back Thursday!

I remember when I was a kid, my mom would buy a chub of bologna and run it through the meat grinder with some pickles – nothing else. We would use it as a sandwich spread or mix in some mustard and mayo and put it on crackers. And I loved it! But where did this dish come from?

bologna

There seems to be as many stories as there are variations of this meat – also referred to by some as monkey meat, but unless you buy monkey bologna, there is no primate in this.

What I can tell you is it seems to have started during the depression when meat was scarce. Many home cooks looked for ways to stretch the meat budget and this was one of them. Not only was bologna an inexpensive meat to buy, the pickles stretched it even further.

Some people put mayonnaise, miracle whip or homemade dressing into the mix, but my mom simply used pickles and bologna. And it’s a wonderful as I remember it!

Here’s How to Do it:

You can use a meat grinder or a food processor. I used the latter.

bologna

You simply put both ingredients in and process until it’s relatively smooth but a little gritty.

Chill at least overnight to give the flavors a chance to meld.

Serve it with some crackers and maybe a little bit of mustard.

Or make a sandwich.

Put mustard on one slice of bread and mayo on the other.

Put in some of the spread and top with iceberg lettuce. It has to be the crispy, refreshing iceberg.

White bread was typically used, but sometimes we’d get a treat and have it on dark rye!

Delicious! Now go on out and get some bologna and pickles and process up a batch!!

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

Bologna & Pickle Spread

A vintage recipe with variations found from family to family and place to place.

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, depression era, Vintage
Keyword: bologna, pickles, vintage
Servings: 2 cups
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 12 oz Bologna (I prefer all beef)
  • 1-1/2 cups dill pickle chunks (or any sour pickle)
  • Bread for sandwiches or crackers for spread
  • a little mustard and/or mayo on the side.
Instructions
  1. Put both ingredients in and process until it's relatively smooth but a little gritty.

  2. Chill at least overnight to give the flavors a chance to meld.

  3. Serve it with some crackers and maybe a little bit of mustard.

  4. Or make a sandwich.

    Put mustard on one slice of bread and mayo on the other.

    Put in some of the spread and top with iceberg lettuce. It has to be the crispy, refreshing iceberg.

    White bread was typically used, but sometimes we'd get a treat and have it on dark rye!

Recipe Notes

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

bologna

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

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2 Responses to Bologna and Pickle Spread – Throw Back Thursday!

  1. I really don’t recall this from my childhood – but perhaps my parents wanted to avoid it? It really looks like this could work and be tasty as well, however!

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