Fried Bologna Is The Underrated Meat Your Breakfast Sandwich Needs - Tasting Table

"From hangover breakfasts to late-night snacks and end-of-the-pay-period dinners, nobody's there for you like a fried bologna sandwich. What once derived from mortadella in its eponymous Italian city has emerged as the decidedly American, ultra-processed deli darling that's no less delicious or widely beloved. With a few tweaks, it can be as gourmet as it is friendly and utilitarian."

"Foodies might not think "breakfast" when they think of bologna, but the meat's light, slightly sweet flavor and smooth texture make a prime sammy candidate. "Fried bologna brings a savory richness and that nostalgic comfort that naturally fits with a breakfast sando," says Wallace. "When you sear a thick slice, the fat renders and the edges crisp, giving you both texture and depth of flavor [...] Meaty enough to carry the sandwich without overwhelming the eggs and bread.""

Fried bologna adds savory richness and nostalgic comfort to breakfast sandwiches by rendering fat and crisping edges for texture and depth without overpowering eggs or bread. Thick-cut bologna (at least 1/4 inch) yields the best mouthfeel and crispiest edges; scoring the circumference prevents slices from cupping during cooking. Bologna is a smooth blend of cured beef and pork trimmings, often seasoned with pickling spices like black pepper, myrtle berries, nutmeg, allspice, celery seed, and coriander, and typically smoked. The meat's light, slightly sweet flavor and smooth texture pair well with custardy eggs and rich cheese, and minor tweaks can make the sandwich feel gourmet.

Read at Tasting Table