Smoked shotgun shells are the perfect appetizer for your next summertime get-together with friends and family, or a game-day treat.
And the only thing dangerous about these smoked shotgun shells is that they’re dangerously delicious and a bit addictive.
Made with simple ingredients, these delicious smoked shotgun shells are loaded with ground beef, sweet Italian sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, gouda cheese, and a blend of simple seasonings.
Stuffed into manicotti shells, wrapped in bacon, and coated with barbecue sauce, our smoked shotgun shells have an explosion of flavor in every bite.
If you love delicious smoked treats, make sure to try our smoked pork belly burnt ends and smoked beef brisket burnt ends. They truly are meat candy!
Ingredients to make Smoked Shotgun Shells
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Smoked Shotgun Shells recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to use Gouda cheese?
No, you don’t. You can use Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, or any of your favorite cheeses.
How to make Smoked Shotgun Shells
- Remove the beef and sausage from the refrigerator about half an hour prior to starting the smoking process.
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Add the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, cumin, black pepper, and chili powder to a small bowl. Whisk to combine the BBQ rub and set aside till needed.
- Add the Italian sausage and ground beef to a large bowl. Add 2 ½ teaspoon of the barbecue rub seasoning to the meat mixture.
- Use your hands or a spoon to gently combine the ingredients.
- Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and shredded Gouda cheese to the mixture.
- Mix just enough to combine the cheese mixture with the meat mixture.
- Remove the uncooked manicotti shells from the packaging and begin stuffing them from the ends of the shells, until they’re full. Repeat the process until all the pasta shells are full.
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F., add your favorite wood chips to the smoke tube.
- Wrap a piece of bacon around the stuffed shells, covering the entire shell with the bacon. Repeat the process until all the shells have been wrapped.
- Sprinkle the remaining barbecue rub over the top of the bacon-wrapped shotgun shells.
- Place the stuffed shells on a rack in the smoker with a foil pan under to catch the drippings. Smoke for one hour.
*To make the process easier, place the shotgun shells on a wire rack and place the wire rack on a shelf in the smoker. - After one hour, use an instant-read thermometer to check the filling of the shotgun shells, they should be around the 160-degree mark.
- Remove the shells from the smoker and brush them with barbecue sauce.
- Return them to the smoker and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
*Add more wood chips to your smoke tube and return the shells on the wire rack to the smoker.
Smoked shotgun shells are a deliciously decadent, meaty snack that can be served as is or with your favorite dipping sauce. Try it with ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or simply with additional barbecue sauce.
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Recipe FAQ’S
You can definitely get creative and mix it up with different fillings. For the meat, you can use hot Italian sausage, Mexican chorizo, or chicken sausage. Some tasty add-ins would be jalapeno peppers (or your favorite hot peppers), diced onion, diced green peppers, or sliced green olives.
Brush the smoked shotgun shells with additional barbecue sauce and reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Absolutely. Cook then in a 375°F oven for 45 -60 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the shells have softened.
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Smoked Shotgun Shells
Ingredients
- 1 box dry manicotti shells -usually in boxes of 12
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb Italian sweet sausage
- 1 lb thin cut bacon
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Gouda cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
Instructions
- Remove the beef and sausage from the refrigerator about a half hour prior to starting the smoking process
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees and add your favorite wood chips.
- Add the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, cumin, black pepper, and chili powder to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine the barbecue dry rub and set aside till needed.
- Add the Italian sausage and ground beef to a large bowl.
- Add 2 ½ teaspoon of the barbecue rub seasoning to the sausage and beef mixture. Using your hands or a spoon gently combine until well blended.
- Add the shredded cheddar and shredded gouda cheese to the mixture and mix to combine.*Be careful not to overmix the mixture, it will make it tough once cooked.
- Remove the manicotti shells from the packaging and begin stuffing them from each end, until they are full.
- Repeat the process until all the shells are full.
- Wrap the bacon around the stuffed shells, covering the entire shell with the bacon.
- Repeat the process until all the shells have been wrapped.
- Sprinkle the remaining barbecue rub over the top of the shotgun shells.
- Place the stuffed shells on a rack in the smoker with a foil pan under to catch the drippings. Smoke for one hour.*To make the process easier, place the shotgun shells on a wire rack and place the wire rack on a shelf in the smoker.
- Smoke the shotgun shells for one hour at 225 degrees F.
- After one hour, use an instant-read thermometer to check the filling of the shotgun shells, they should be around the 160-degree mark after one hour.
- Remove the shells from the smoker and brush the shotgun shells with barbeque sauce.
- Add more wood chips to your smoke tube and return the shells on the wire rack to the smoker.
- Let the shotgun shells continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove the shells from the smoker and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with more barbecue sauce or your favorite dipping sauce
Carol Lamont says
What temperature for oven cooking?
For how long?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Hi Carol
Cook then at 375 degrees for an 45- 1 hour uncovered. Or until the bacon gets crispy and the manicotti shells have softened
Carol Lamont says
Is there any other way to cook these if you don’t have a smoker?
Karen says
I know the smoking is what makes this dish amazing. Is there a way to make without smoking. I do not have a smoker, gas grill or charcoal grill. I have a conventional oven and an air fryer.
Any suggestions
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can make them in the oven or on gas or charcoal grill. If you like the smoked flavor, simply add wood chips to your grill. You can also add a teaspoon of liquid smoke if you prefer doing. them in the oven. Or you can leave the smoke flavor out all together.
Timothy Green says
An excellent recipe and for sharing it with us all thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the shotgun shells!
Lisa says
These look scrumptious! I can’t wait to make them.