Smoked Shotgun Shells Recipe

Name: BBQ Shotgun Shells
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 24 Manicotti Shells; 1 lbs Bacon (thin cut); 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce; 2 lbs Lean Ground Beef; 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese; 8 oz Cream Cheese (Softened); 2 tbsp BBQ Dry Rub; 1/2 cup Tomatoes (Diced); 1/2 cup Corn; 1/2 cup Scallions (sliced); 1/4 cup Jalapenos (diced)

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Looking for a smoked appetizer? These bacon wrapped bbq shotgun shells make for a delicious appetizer yet come from a simple but tasty recipe!

bbq shot gun shells stacked on a plate with southwest ranch

Manicotti piped with a ground beef filling, wrapped in bacon, and brushed with bbq sauce; smoked shotgun shells never tasted so good!

Why My BBQ Shotgun Shells Are The Best

Made with pasta, ground beef, cheese, onion, jalapenos, and more, these shells make for an insane barbecue snack you won't stop eating.

Looking for more easy smoker recipes? Check out Smoked Bacon Wrapped Oreos, Smoked Chicken Wings (0-400 method), and The Best Smoked Cream Cheese on the Pellet Grill!

It is my not-so-humble opinion that everything cooked in a smoker is delicious.

These shotgun shells, however manage to come out extra incredible.

The best part is ... you can prep this recipe ahead of time and toss them in the smoker when you are ready to cut down on the time you spend in the kitchen while you are entertaining.

standing next to a tray of smoked bbq shogun shells

@culinarylion
Sometimes you need a meal prep montage!!! shotgunshells #bbqtiktok #mannicotti #baconwrapped #bbqlife
♬ No Easy Way Out (From "Rocky IV" Soundtrack) - Robert Tepper

piping bag filled with ground beef cheese and veggies to make bbq shotgun shells

piping beef mixture into manicotti shell

filling manicotti shell with ground beef mixture using a pipping bag

stack of manicotti shells stuffed with ground beef and cheese

Ingredients for BBQ Shotgun Shells

Pasta: Manicotti is the Vessel for all of the deliciousness.
Bacon: This is one of the few times Ill say this but buy thin cut bacon for this recipe so it gets crispier fast.
Filling: Ground Beef, Corn, Diced Onion, Tomatoes, Jalapeños, BBQ dry Rub, Cream cheese and Shredded Cheese
BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite sauce to baste the shotgun shells once the bacon is fully cooked.

stack of prepped raw bacon wrapped manicotti shells ready to smoke

How to Make Smoked BBQ Shotgun Shells

Make the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients and place them into piping bags.
Prep the pasta shells. Pipe the filling into the uncooked manicotti shells, then wrap each manicotti with bacon and chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. The bacon will soften the pasta.
Smoke. Place the shotgun shells on the smoker at 275 degrees f for about 1 hour. Brush with your favorite barbecue sauce and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy! Let the shotgun shells rest for 5 minutes before serving with a delicious side of southwest ranch dressing for dipping.

bbq shotgun shells with a knife and thermometer in the background

FAQ

Can I make this Recipe in the oven or Air Fryer

Almost any recipe that I make using a pellet grill can be made in the oven or air fryer. You won't have that smoky grilled flavor but they are still tasty and often take a lot less time.

What can I use other than Ground Beef as a filling?

You can substitute any ground meat you like, Deer, bison, sausage turkey or chicken just to name a few. you can also chop up leftover brisket or pulled pork.

stack of bbq smoked manicotti shells stuffed with beef and cheese

smoked bacon wrapped mannicotti shells stacked on. a tray

Helpful Tips

Store the leftover bbq shotgun shells in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container. You can freeze the leftovers for up to 90 days.

I recommend reheating your leftover stuffed shells in the air fryer to bring back that same great taste and crispy bacon.Toss them in the air fryer basket at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes, and before your know it, your shells are as good as new!

You can substitute any meat you like for this recipe, some people do ground turkey or breakfast sausage. You can also chop up leftover brisket or pulled pork.

If you don't have a smoker, you can still make this recipe in your oven or air fryer. Just cook at 300 degrees F. for about 25 minutes

More Simalar Recipes

overhead shot of pellet grill bbq shotgun shells on a plate

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5 from 2 votes

BBQ Shotgun Shells

Manicotti piped with a ground beef filling, wrapped in bacon, and brushed with bbq sauce; smoked shotgun shells never tasted so good!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, BBQ

Keyword tailgate

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1

Servings

Calories 790kcal

Ingredients

24 Manicotti Shells
1 lbs Bacon thin cut
¾ cup BBQ Sauce

Filling

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
2 tbsp BBQ Dry Rub
½ cup Tomatoes Diced
½ cup Corn
½ cup Scallions sliced
¼ cup Jalapenos diced

Instructions

Brown off the ground beef in a skillet and drain any excess liquid. Transfer the ground beef to a large bowl and fold in softened cream cheese.
Add remaining filling ingredients and mix until smooth. Transfer the filling into piping bags (freezer bags will work as well)
Cut the tip off the piping bag and fill the raw manicotti shells with the ground beef mixture. Once you have all of the shells filled, wrap each shell with a slice of bacon. Make sure the bacon is wrapped tightly and covers the entire shell.
Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. This step is key because the bacon will soften the manicotti shell so that the shotgun shells are tender when you smoke them.
To prepare the shotgun shells, preheat the pellet grill to 275 degrees and place the shells on the grill at least 1 inch apart. Cook for about 1 hour until the bacon is fully cooked and the filling has reached an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
Brush on a coat of your favorite bbq sauce, then cook for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce has caramelized. Serve with a creamy dipping sauce like my Southwest Ranch, and enjoy!!!

Notes

The serving size is three shells.