Smoked Shotgun Shells Recipe

Smoked shotgun shells on a wooden cutting board with one of them cut in half so you can see a cross section.

4.92 from 12 votes

Smoked shotgun shells are manicotti stuffed with sausage and cheese, wrapped in bacon, smoked, and topped with barbecue sauce. An amazing smoked appetizer.

Course: Appetizer, barbecue

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizer, cheese, sausage

Servings: 1 shell per person

Calories: 430kcal

Ingredients

Mixture

1 lb Italian sausage
4 oz Mozzarella cheese
4 oz Cream cheese
2 tsp Barbecue rub

Shotgun Shells

12 Manicotti shells
1 lb Bacon
1/2 cup Barbecue sauce
1/2 cup Barbecue rub

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set the cream cheese out until it's room temperature. Shred the mozzarella cheese and set it aside until you're ready to make the shotgun shells.
4 oz Mozzarella cheese, 4 oz Cream cheese
Combine sausage, cream cheese, mozzerella cheese, and 2 tsp of the rub in a large bowl.
1 lb Italian sausage, 4 oz Mozzarella cheese, 4 oz Cream cheese, 2 tsp Barbecue rub
Add the meat mixture to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large tip. Squeeze the pork mixture into the uncooked manicotti shells halfway.
12 Manicotti shells
Turn the pasta tube around and fill in the other half.
If you don’t have a piping bag, use any kitchen utensil that will fit, such as a mini spatula or spoon.
Wrap the stuffed shells with bacon. Make sure you cover the entire shell with the bacon. You want the slices of bacon to go to the ends of the shells.
1 lb Bacon
Place the wrapped shells on a wire rack with a large sheet pan underneath. Apply a generous amount of your favorite rub. Make sure to cover it completely.
1/2 cup Barbecue rub
Allow to rest for four hours to overnight.
When you’re ready, set the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Use your preferred choice of wood.
Place the shotgun shells far from the heat source and allow them to smoke for one hour.
After the first 30 minutes, turn the shells to guarantee even cooking.
After an hour of smoke, turn the heat up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes to crisp up the bacon.
Once the bacon has crisped up enough for your liking, apply your favorite barbeque sauce and continue to cook at 350 for about 15 minutes.
1/2 cup Barbecue sauce
Once done, remove the shotgun shells from the smoker and allow them to rest, setting up the sauce for about 5 minutes.
Serve whole or cut into medallions.

Nutrition