Bologna and Yellow Mustard Sandwich

By the 1950s and 1960s, ring bologna was available at every rural general store, and it became the affordable everyday protein for mountain lunch pails. Thick-sliced, sometimes fried in a cast iron pan until the edges curled and browned, placed on white bread with yellow mustard. The fried version — with its crispy browned edges — was considered superior to cold bologna by any mountain person who tried it.

Ingredients

• 4 thick slices ring bologna (about ¼ inch thick)

White or wheat sandwich bread

• Yellow mustard (not Dijon — yellow mustard is historically correct)
• Optional additions: white onion slices, dill pickle slices

Directions

1. For FRIED bologna (the preferred method): Score the edges of each bologna slice with 4 shallow cuts around the perimeter — this prevents it from curling into a cup shape when it hits the hot pan.
2. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Place bologna slices in the hot pan. Cook 2–3 minutes until the bottom is browned and the edges start to char slightly.
4. Flip and cook 1–2 more minutes on the second side.

Remove and let cool slightly.

1. Spread mustard generously on both slices of bread.
2. Add fried bologna, onion slices, and pickle if using.
3. For COLD bologna: simply slice and assemble without frying — also legitimate and traditional.

Notes

Ring bologna — the large round form, not the skinny sticks — was the mountain version. The scoring before frying is the technique that keeps each slice flat and ensures maximum surface area for browning. Yellow mustard on bologna is one of the most deeply American food combinations, and in Appalachia it was eaten daily.