Looking for a unique appetizer for your next gathering? Try Texas Smoked Shotgun Shells. These shells are stuffed with a sausage and cheese mixture, wrapped in slices of bacon, covered with BBQ sauce and smoked to crispy perfection. Whether you're hosting a cookout or a game day get together, these easy-to-make smoked appetizers are amazing.
Try my recipes for Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers, Easy Texas Caviar and The Ultimate Queso Fundido.
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Ingredients
Filling
- Mild Italian sausage
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Monterey jack cheese
- Cream cheese
- Jalapeño peppers
- Barbecue rub
Shells
- BBQ sauce
- Manicotti shells
- Bacon
- Barbecue rub
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Shotgun Shells
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Italian sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, cream cheese, jalapeño pepper and BBQ rub. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the sausage and cheese mixture, ensuring there are no air pockets inside. There is no need to cook or soak the pasta shells first.
Gently mix the ingredients in a large bowl.
Stuff the dried manicotti shells.
Cut a piece of bacon in half and wrap each piece over the ends of one manicotti shell. Lay a second piece of bacon on a cutting board, place the shell at one end and roll the bacon around the entire shell, securing the end pieces of bacon in place.
Place the bacon-wrapped shells on a wire rack with a baking or cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil underneath. Sprinkle each shell with barbecue rub and cover the tray of shells with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the shells for at least 4 hours to soften the pasta shells.
Wrap the stuffed shells in bacon.
Place the bacon-wrapped stuffed shells on a wire rack and sprinkle with BBQ rub.
Smoke the Shotgun Shells
Setup your pellet grill or smoker for indirect heat and preheat to 250°F. For extra flavor, add a small handful of wood chips that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Place an empty aluminum pan below the grill grate to catch any grease that drips.
Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer on the grill grates and smoke for 30 minutes. Turn the shells over and smoke for another 30 minutes. For crispy bacon, increase the temperature to 300°F and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
Once the bacon is crisp, brush barbecue sauce over the shells and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce becomes dry. Check the internal temperature of the shells using an instant read meat thermometer. It should be at least 165°F.
Remove the shotgun shells from the smoker and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve them whole, sliced in half or sliced into medallions.
Variations
For something different, try a mixture of ground beef and cheddar cheese filling.
Equipment
These were cooked in a Kamado Joe. Any ceramic cooker or smoker would work.
Storage
Store leftover shotgun shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in an oven at 300°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 12-15 minutes.
Top Tip
For the best result, use thin bacon. Thick-cut bacon can take a long time to get crispy.
Final Thoughts
Smoked shotgun shells are tasty and unique appetizer for any gathering. Enjoy!
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Texas Smoked Shotgun Shells Recipe
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 oz Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 jalapeño pepper minced
- 2 teaspoon barbecue rub
Shells
- 12 manicotti shells uncooked
- 12 slices bacon thin cut
- 2 tablespoon barbecue rub
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Italian sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, cream cheese, jalapeño pepper and BBQ rub. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the meat mixture, ensuring there are no air pockets inside. There is no need to cook or soak the pasta shells first.
- Cut a piece of bacon in half and wrap each piece over the ends of one pasta tube. Then, lay a second piece of bacon on a cutting board, place shell at one end and roll the bacon around the entire shell, securing the end pieces of bacon in place.
- Place the bacon-wrapped shells on a wire rack with a baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil underneath. Sprinkle each shell with barbecue rub and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the shells for 4 hours to soften the pasta shells.
- Setup your pellet grill or smoker for indirect heat and preheat to 250°F. For extra flavor, add a small handful of wood chips that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Place an empty aluminum pan below the grill grate to catch any grease.
- Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer on the grill grates and smoke for 30 minutes. Turn the shells over and smoke for another 30 minutes. For crispy bacon, increase the temperature to 300°F and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
- When the bacon is crisp, brush barbecue sauce over the shells and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce becomes dry. Check the internal temperature of the shells using an instant read meat thermometer. It should be at least 165°F.
- Remove the smoked shotgun shells from the smoker and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve them whole, sliced in half or sliced into medallions. Serve them with a Tex-Mex dip like Texas Caviar.
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