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Smoked Shotgun Shells

Smoked Shotgun Shells

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  • Author: Anna
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 10 shells
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Smoking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Smoked shotgun shells are cheesy, spicy, bacon-wrapped pasta shells stuffed with seasoned meat and slow-smoked to juicy, smoky perfection, then glazed with BBQ sauce for the ultimate BBQ crowd-pleaser.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 pound chorizo
  • 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz Philadelphia cream cheese (½ block)
  • 1 cup pickled jalapeños, minced
  • 10 manicotti shells, uncooked
  • 1 package thin-sliced bacon
  • 3 tablespoons Traeger garlic & chili pepper rub
  • 1/3 cup Kinder’s Gold BBQ sauce


Instructions

  1. Preheat smoker to 250°F with indirect heat and your preferred wood.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, chorizo, shredded pepper jack, cream cheese, and minced jalapeños until well mixed.
  3. Stuff each manicotti shell with the filling using a spoon or piping bag.
  4. Wrap each shell with a slice of bacon, slightly overlapping to cover fully.
  5. Sprinkle the garlic & chili pepper rub evenly over the wrapped shells.
  6. Place shells on smoker and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until bacon is crisp and internal temp reaches 165°F.
  7. Brush BBQ sauce over the shells during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  8. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving for best texture.

Notes

  • Refrigerate shells for several hours or overnight before smoking to allow pasta to soften.
  • Use thin bacon for better crisping during smoking.
  • Add BBQ glaze only at the end to prevent burning.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 shell
  • Calories: 430
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 810mg
  • Fat: 31g
  • Saturated Fat: 13g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 15g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 12g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 25g
  • Cholesterol: 75mg