Pitmaster's Smoked Shotgun Shells

Prepare to elevate your barbecue game with an appetizer that’s as impressive in name as it is in flavor: Smoked Shotgun Shells. Imagine perfectly cooked manicotti noodles, generously stuffed with a savory Italian sausage and creamy Mozzarella cheese mixture, meticulously wrapped in crispy, flavorful bacon, and then slow-smoked to perfection. A final touch of robust BBQ rub and a glaze of your favorite barbecue sauce completes this truly tantalizing dish. It’s a culinary creation that promises a burst of smoky, cheesy, and meaty goodness in every bite – a guaranteed showstopper for any gathering.

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

The first time my sister-in-law introduced me to the concept of “Smoked Shotgun Shells,” I admit I was a little skeptical. The name itself sparked trepidation, yet the description of this novel barbecue treat quickly piqued my interest. As an avid enthusiast of finger foods and someone always looking for an exciting new reason to fire up the smoker, I was immediately on board. The combination of succulent sausage, gooey cheese, tender manicotti pasta, smoky bacon, and zesty barbecue sauce, all cooked in a smoker, sounded like an unexpectedly delicious adventure. And let me tell you, it was nothing short of fantastic.

This recipe transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary appetizer, perfect for casual weeknight meals or grand backyard cookouts. It’s a fun, engaging, and remarkably satisfying dish that will have your guests asking for the recipe. So, if you’re ready to dive into a world of incredible flavors and textures, read on to discover how to master these irresistible smoked delights.

Why This Smoked Shotgun Shells Recipe Works

This recipe isn’t just a novelty; it’s a culinary triumph for several reasons. First and foremost, it yields a generous quantity of satisfying appetizer bites, making it ideal for sharing with a crowd or stocking up on delicious leftovers. Each “shotgun shell” is an explosion of flavor. The rich, savory Italian sausage and the creamy, melted mozzarella and cream cheese create a luxurious filling, perfectly complemented by the crispy, smoky bacon. When infused with your preferred BBQ rub and coated in a tangy barbecue sauce, the flavors meld into a harmonious symphony that is utterly addictive.

Ingredients for the smoked shotgun shells.

Beyond its incredible taste, this recipe shines in its simplicity. It relies on easily accessible ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry or can quickly pick up from any grocery store. No exotic or hard-to-find components are required, ensuring a stress-free preparation. Furthermore, the versatile nature of smoked shotgun shells allows for endless creative variations. You can customize the meat, cheese, seasonings, and sauces to suit any palate, transforming this dish into a signature creation unique to your kitchen.

The ingenious technique of using uncooked manicotti shells is a game-changer. During the smoking and resting process, the bacon fat and moisture from the meat and cheese mixture slowly absorb into the pasta, tenderizing it perfectly from the inside out. This prevents the pasta from becoming crunchy or tough, resulting in a delightfully soft texture that beautifully contrasts with the crisp exterior of the bacon. And while the resting period is crucial for this tenderization, the actual cook time is relatively quick, meaning you can prepare these delicious appetizers in advance and have them ready to serve in under two hours of active cooking. It’s a delicious, easy, and impressive appetizer that is destined to become the highlight of your next cookout or party.

Don’t Sweat The Recipe is supported by its readers. We may earn a commission if you purchase through a link on our site. Learn more.

Tips and Variations for Your Smoked Shotgun Shells

While our base recipe for smoked shotgun shells features classic Italian sausage, creamy mozzarella, and a hint of cream cheese, this dish truly invites customization. Feel free to unleash your culinary creativity and experiment with various fillings and seasonings to make these smoked treats uniquely yours. The combinations are virtually endless, allowing you to tailor the flavor profile to any occasion or preference.

Sausage Swap: Instead of Italian sausage, try using hot or mild breakfast sausage for a different flavor dynamic. Pair it with sharp cheddar cheese for a hearty, comforting appetizer. For a leaner option or a slightly different texture, a 50/50 mix of ground pork and ground beef works wonderfully. You could even explore spicy chorizo for a kick!
Flavor Boosters: Elevate the savory meat and cheese mixture by incorporating finely diced jalapeños for a spicy edge, fresh green onions for a mild oniony bite, or fragrant cilantro for a refreshing herby note. Other excellent additions include finely chopped bell peppers, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
Cheese Choices: Don’t limit yourself to mozzarella! Monterey Jack cheese offers a mild, buttery flavor and excellent meltability. For a spicier kick, try Pepper Jack. Smoked gouda will deepen the smoky notes of the dish, while provolone or fontina can add a gourmet touch. A blend of several cheeses can also create a more complex flavor profile.
Rub and Sauce Experimentation: The BBQ rub and sauce are critical components that significantly influence the final taste. Experiment with different rub profiles – from sweet and smoky to spicy and savory. Similarly, explore various barbecue sauces, such as a tangy Carolina gold, a rich and smoky Texas-style sauce, or a sweet and spicy chipotle-bourbon glaze. Each combination will offer a distinct and exciting flavor journey.
Spice Level Adjustment: For those who love heat, incorporate a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce into the meat mixture. Conversely, for a milder version, stick to sweet Italian sausage and a less spicy rub and sauce.
Add a Veggie Layer: For an interesting textural and flavor contrast, consider adding a thin strip of roasted red pepper or a finely chopped mushroom to the filling alongside the meat and cheese.

This flexibility makes smoked shotgun shells an incredibly fun recipe to return to again and again, ensuring that each batch can be a fresh and exciting culinary experience.

How to Make Perfect Smoked Shotgun Shells

Crafting these delectable smoked shotgun shells is a straightforward process, but paying attention to a few key steps will ensure a perfect result every time. Let’s break it down:

Preparation is Key

Begin by setting out your cream cheese, allowing it to reach room temperature. This crucial step ensures it mixes smoothly and evenly with the other ingredients, preventing any lumpy texture. While the cream cheese softens, shred your mozzarella cheese and set it aside. This pre-shredding saves time when you’re ready to assemble the shells. Next, prepare your smoking station. Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup – trust us, your future self (or spouse) will thank you! Place a wire rack over the foil-lined sheet pan. This setup allows for even smoke circulation around the shells and catches any drippings.

Adding barbecue rub to the sausage mixture in a glass bowl for the smoked shotgun shells.

Crafting the Flavorful Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground Italian sausage, the softened cream cheese, the shredded mozzarella, and two generous teaspoons of your favorite barbecue rub. Use your hands (wearing gloves is recommended) to thoroughly mix the ingredients until they are well incorporated and have a uniform consistency. This ensures every bite of your smoked shotgun shell will be packed with flavor.

Stuffing the Manicotti Shells

Now, it’s time to stuff those manicotti shells. For the easiest and cleanest method, transfer your meat mixture into a disposable piping bag, then snip off a corner to create an opening large enough to fit into the pasta tubes. Carefully squeeze the savory pork mixture into one end of an uncooked manicotti shell, filling it about halfway. Then, turn the pasta tube around and fill the remaining half from the other end. This technique ensures a dense, even filling throughout the shell.

You might be wondering, “Do I really need a piping bag?” Not necessarily! If you don’t have a piping bag, a small kitchen utensil like a mini spatula or even a spoon can work wonders. We’ve tried both methods, and while a piping bag offers a bit more precision and speed, a spatula works perfectly fine. The key is to ensure the manicotti is completely stuffed, with no empty pockets, which filling from both ends helps achieve. It’s also important to note that if manicotti shells are hard to find, cannelloni shells make a fantastic substitute. Cannelloni are similar to manicotti but are generally slightly smaller, thinner, and lack the distinctive ridges, yet they perform just as well in this recipe.

Stuffing the manicotti shells with the sausage mixture for smoked shotgun shells.

The Bacon Wrap and Rub

Once all your manicotti shells are stuffed, it’s time for the bacon! Carefully wrap each stuffed shell with a slice of bacon. Ensure the bacon completely covers the entire shell, extending to both ends. This full coverage is crucial for two reasons: it delivers maximum crispy bacon goodness, and more importantly, the rendered bacon fat will seep into the uncooked pasta during the resting period, helping to tenderize it. This prevents any unpleasant crunchy spots in your final bacon-wrapped shotgun shells – because nobody enjoys undercooked pasta!

You can use thick-cut bacon if you like a more substantial bacon presence, but we found that standard-cut bacon provides ample flavor and crispiness without overpowering the dish.

Covering the stuffed shells with barbecue rub.

Place the wrapped shells seam-side down on the prepared wire rack in the large sheet pan. Now, liberally apply your favorite barbecue rub to the bacon-wrapped shells. Don’t be shy – a generous coating ensures a rich, flavorful crust. Make sure every surface is completely covered.

The Essential Resting Period

This next step is critical and often overlooked: the resting period. The assembled shotgun shells need to rest for a minimum of four to six hours before smoking. This extended rest allows the moisture from the bacon fat and the meat-and-cheese mixture to penetrate and soften the raw pasta. This process is essential for achieving tender, perfectly cooked manicotti and prevents the pasta from being dry or hard after smoking. Our top recommendation is to rest them overnight for the best results. If you opt for an overnight rest, simply cover the sheet pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. About an hour before you plan to smoke them, remove them from the fridge to come to a more even temperature.

A tray of shotgun shells about to go onto the smoker.

Smoking Your Shotgun Shells

When you’re ready to smoke, preheat your smoker to a consistent 250 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 120 degrees Celsius). Choose your preferred wood for smoking; there’s truly no wrong choice here, as various woods impart unique flavors. I personally lean towards the bold, robust flavor of hickory wood, but apple wood or pecan would also be excellent choices, offering a sweeter, milder smoke. Place the shotgun shells on the grill grates or directly on the sheet pan (which we find easier for handling) ensuring they are positioned away from direct heat for indirect smoking. Let them smoke for one hour, allowing them to slowly absorb that incredible smoky aroma. Halfway through the smoking process, at the 30-minute mark, gently turn the shells (or rotate the entire baking sheet) to ensure uniform cooking and even smoke penetration.

Crisping and Saucing

After one hour of smoking, it’s time to get that bacon crispy and add a delicious glaze. Increase your smoker’s temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 175 degrees Celsius) and continue cooking for approximately 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them during this stage; you want the bacon to crisp up beautifully to your liking without burning. Once the bacon has achieved your desired crispness, generously brush your favorite barbecue sauce over each smoked shotgun shell. The heat will help the sauce caramelize and create a sticky, flavorful glaze. Continue cooking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for another 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to set and adhere to the shells.

Applying barbecue sauce to the smoked shotgun shells.

Serving Your Smoked Masterpiece

Once the shells are cooked to perfection, remove them from the smoker and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This brief resting period allows the sauce to fully set and the internal flavors to redistribute, ensuring maximum deliciousness. After resting, they are ready to serve! We found that cutting them into bite-sized medallions makes them perfect for sharing and allows everyone to enjoy a taste of this incredibly yummy, smoked appetizer.

Smoked shotgun shells on a brown cutting board.

This bacon-wrapped shotgun shells recipe is particularly user-friendly for those with pellet grills or other electric smokers, where precise temperature control is just a turn of a knob away. However, don’t fret if you’re using an offset smoker or a classic Weber grill! Simply smoke them over indirect heat as instructed. If you find your bacon isn’t quite crisping up to your preference in the smoker, you can always finish them off with a quick blast in a hot oven or even an air fryer for those last few minutes.

The synergy of crispy bacon, savory sausage, melted cheese, and the sweet and spicy barbecue sauce creates a truly fabulous bite. The layers of flavor come together seamlessly, making each mouthful an experience. We’ve served these to numerous guests, and they’ve consistently been met with rave reviews, often leaving with any delicious leftovers. While both Italian sausage with mozzarella and breakfast sausage with cheddar are tasty, we personally believe the Italian sausage and mozzarella combination delivers a more complex and flavorful profile.

Storage and Reheating

Should you be fortunate enough to have any leftovers (which is rare!), store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat and restore their deliciousness, place them in an oven preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius) for about 20 minutes. This will help re-crisp the bacon. We highly recommend adding a touch more barbecue sauce during reheating, as they can become a little dry otherwise, ensuring they retain their succulent flavor.

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

So, if you’re seeking a fresh, exciting, and fun new recipe to try, smoked shotgun shells are absolutely worth exploring. These unique appetizers are ideal for large cookouts or any casual gathering. You can easily prepare several large batches ahead of time, serving them fresh at your party or bringing them along to your next friends and family get-together. Either way, they are destined to be a massive hit, leaving everyone impressed and satisfied.

Frequently Asked Questions About Smoked Shotgun Shells

What exactly are smoked shotgun shells?

Smoked shotgun shells are an inventive barbecue appetizer featuring uncooked manicotti or cannelloni pasta shells. These tubes are generously stuffed with a savory mixture of seasoned ground meat (typically Italian sausage) and various cheeses, then meticulously wrapped in strips of bacon. After assembly, they are slow-smoked to impart a rich, smoky flavor and tenderize the pasta, and finally glazed with barbecue sauce to finish. The name comes from their cylindrical shape resembling shotgun shells.

How long does it take to smoke shotgun shells?

The smoking process for shotgun shells involves two main phases. First, they are smoked at a lower temperature, typically around 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120°C), for one hour to infuse them with smoky flavor and begin cooking the pasta and meat. After this initial smoke, the temperature is increased to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) for an additional 15 minutes to crisp up the bacon. Finally, a layer of barbecue sauce is applied, and they cook for another 15 minutes at 350°F to set the glaze. The total cooking time in the smoker is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, not including preparation and the essential resting period.

Can I prepare smoked shotgun shells in advance?

Absolutely! In fact, preparing them ahead of time is highly recommended. The assembled, raw shotgun shells (stuffed, wrapped, and rubbed) benefit greatly from a resting period of at least four to six hours, or even overnight, in the refrigerator. This allows moisture from the filling and bacon to penetrate and soften the uncooked pasta, ensuring a tender texture once smoked. Just cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap. Remove them from the fridge about an hour before smoking to bring them closer to room temperature.

What kind of wood is best for smoking shotgun shells?

The best wood for smoking shotgun shells largely depends on your personal preference. Popular choices include hickory for a strong, classic smoky flavor; apple or cherry wood for a milder, sweeter, and fruity smoke; or pecan for a rich, nutty profile. Oak is another versatile option that provides a medium smoke flavor. Experiment with different types of wood chips or chunks to find the flavor that you enjoy most with this recipe.

How should I store and reheat leftover smoked shotgun shells?

Leftover smoked shotgun shells should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat them, place the shells in an oven preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160°C) for about 20 minutes. This method helps to re-crisp the bacon. For best results and to prevent dryness, we highly recommend brushing them with a fresh layer of your favorite barbecue sauce before or during reheating.

Other Amazing Barbecue Recipes You’ll Love

BBQ Chicken Thighs With Bite-Through Skin
St. Louis Ribs – Learn How To Do Smoked Ribs Like A Pro
Fall-Apart Smoked Chuck Roast Recipe
Smoked Meatloaf Recipe
Pork Butt Burnt Ends Recipe

Smoked Shotgun Shells Recipe

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

Rating: 4.87 from 15 votes

Print Recipe | Pin Recipe

Course: Appetizer, barbecue

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 shells (1 shell per person)

Calories: 430 kcal

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 (for external coating)

Unit System: US Customary (Metric Conversion available on original site)

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.
Combine Italian sausage, room temperature cream cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and 2 teaspoons of the rub in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Add the meat mixture to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large tip (or use a mini spatula/spoon). Squeeze the mixture into the uncooked manicotti shells, filling halfway.
Turn the pasta tube around and fill the other half completely. Ensure the shells are densely stuffed.
Wrap each stuffed shell with a slice of bacon, ensuring the entire shell is covered and the bacon extends to the ends.
Place the wrapped shells on a wire rack positioned over a large, foil-lined sheet pan. Apply a generous amount of your favorite barbecue rub to the bacon-wrapped shells, making sure to cover them completely.
Allow the prepared shells to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours, or ideally, overnight. This crucial step allows moisture to transfer to the pasta, preventing it from being crunchy.
When ready to cook, preheat your smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120°C). Use your preferred choice of wood (hickory, apple, or pecan are great options).
Place the shotgun shells on the smoker grates or on the sheet pan, away from direct heat. Smoke for one hour.
After the first 30 minutes, turn the shells (or rotate the baking sheet) to ensure even cooking and smoke penetration.
After one hour of smoking, increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) and cook for about 15 minutes to crisp up the bacon.
Once the bacon has crisped to your liking, brush your favorite barbecue sauce generously over the shells. Continue to cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for another 15 minutes to allow the sauce to set and glaze.
Once done, remove the shotgun shells from the smoker and let them rest for about 5 minutes to allow the sauce to fully set.
Serve whole for a dramatic presentation, or cut them into bite-sized medallions for easy serving as an appetizer. Enjoy!

Nutrition