Smoked shotgun shells have been trending on social media, and we’ve been making them at SMS HQ for a while. These savory bites are made by stuffing uncooked manicotti (or cannelloni) with seasoned pork (or beef) sausage mixed with cheddar cheese, onion, garlic, and a touch of BBQ rub, then wrapping each shell in thick-cut bacon and finishing them in a smoker until crispy and flavorful. They make an excellent appetizer or tailgate snack.
How to make smoked shotgun shells!
These shotgun shells are straightforward to prepare and cook much faster than large barbecue proteins like brisket. They do require some prep, but the shorter cook time makes them a great appetizer or side for your next cookout. You can prepare them ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to smoke.
Total cook time is roughly an hour and a half, so you can easily throw them on the smoker while a larger cut is resting or during a longer cook. They provide a smoky, cheesy snack that disappears fast.
Gather your ingredients.
Read the recipe through once or twice before starting so you understand each step. Then gather your ingredients and tools—this mise en place will make the process smoother.
Once everything is assembled, move on to mixing and stuffing the shells.
Preheat your smoker.
Preheat the smoker to 200°F. Give it time to reach a steady temperature and ensure the wood is burning cleanly to avoid off-flavors. Because these shells cook relatively quickly, start with the smoker fully up to temperature so the bacon renders and the filling cooks evenly.
Mix the shotgun shell filling.
In a large metal bowl combine the ground sausage, BBQ rub, finely diced white onion, minced garlic, and shredded sharp cheddar. Mix thoroughly by hand until the mixture is even and cohesive. Working the mixture a bit helps emulsify the cheese and bind the filling for easier stuffing.
You can swap the cheddar for other softer block cheeses such as Monterey Jack, pepper jack, mozzarella, or gouda. For variety add-ins like diced jalapeño, chopped apple, or small pieces of cured meats work well—experiment to find your favorite combination.
Stuff the shotgun shells with the filling.
Unlike typical manicotti recipes that call for pre-cooking the pasta, these shotgun shells start with uncooked manicotti. As they smoke, the pasta absorbs juices from the filling and the bacon, softening as it cooks—no need to precook.
To make filling easier, transfer the meat mixture into a zip-top bag and snip a corner to create a piping bag. Squeeze the filling into each shell, filling from both ends to avoid air pockets. This recipe yields about 10 filled shells.
Wrap the shells in bacon!
Wrap each filled shell in bacon, starting at one end and spiraling to the other while stretching the bacon slightly to cover as much surface as possible. One full slice per shell is usually sufficient; some cooks use 1 to 1.5 slices depending on size and preference. Good coverage helps prevent crunchy pasta ends and ensures the bacon crisps uniformly.
Don’t worry if the first few look imperfect—wrapping gets easier after a couple of shells.
Put the Shotgun Shells in the Smoker.
Place the bacon-wrapped shells directly on the smoker grates rather than on a pan or foil. Direct grate placement lets the bacon render and crisp properly. Close the smoker and smoke at 200°F for about 1½ hours, undisturbed, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches around 160°F.
Glazing the Shotgun Shells.
When the shells reach roughly 160–165°F, raise the smoker temperature to 250°F to crisp and glaze the bacon. If you’re using a pellet, gas, or electric grill this is straightforward; charcoal or wood burners will need a bit more fuel added to reach the higher temperature.
Brush the bacon-wrapped shells with BBQ sauce, coating the top, sides, and undersides for even caramelization. Close the smoker and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes. Remove them once the sauce has caramelized and the bacon is as crisp as you like. Let rest briefly before serving.
Serving and Reheating.
These smoky, cheesy, bacon-wrapped shells are delicious on their own and pair well with a tangy dipping sauce. A mayonnaise-based Alabama white sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce complements the rich, salty flavors nicely.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. To reheat, use an air fryer for 5–10 minutes to regain crispness, or microwave for 2–3 minutes if needed.
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Zesty Smoked Shotgun Shells
Ingredients
- 1 lb zesty pork sausage (or similar)
- 2 tsp all purpose BBQ rub
- ½ cup white onion finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 10 manicotti shells
- 1 lb bacon
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
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Preheat the smoker to 200°F.
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In a large bowl combine the pork sausage, BBQ rub, onion, garlic, and cheese.
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Mix by hand until all ingredients are well combined.
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Transfer the mixture to a zip-top bag and snip one corner to make a piping bag for easy filling.
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Squeeze the filling into each shell about halfway, flip and finish filling from the other side to avoid air pockets.
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Repeat until all shells are filled (about 10 shells).
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Wrap each filled shell in bacon, covering as much of the shell as possible. Use about 1–1½ slices of bacon per shell if needed.
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Lightly sprinkle the bacon with a bit more BBQ rub.
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Place the wrapped shells directly on the smoker grates.
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Close the lid and smoke at 200°F for about 1½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
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Raise the smoker temperature to 250°F to crisp and glaze the bacon.
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Brush the top and sides of the shells with BBQ sauce, turning to glaze the undersides as well.
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Close the lid and continue cooking for about 30 more minutes until the bacon is crisp to your liking and the shells are soft. Remove and rest briefly before serving.