This is the perfect appetizer recipe for your next gathering or tailgate. This Pig Shots Recipe is hit with that spicy and rich cream cheese filling and then that smokiness from that bacon and sausage. There is just so good you top it with that little bit of sweet barbecue sauce on top.
What are Pig Shots?
If you need a smoked tasty appetizer or snack for your next gathering or great for your game day tailgating appetizer at your holiday feast, so this smoked Pig Shot is the best one for you.
Smoked pig shots are a tasty appetizer or snack made by stuffing a hollowed-out jalapeño pepper with a mixture of cream cheese and/or shredded cheese, along with chopped smoked sausage or bacon.
The stuffed pepper is then wrapped in a slice of bacon, securing the filling inside, and smoked or grilled until the bacon is crispy and the filling is melted and bubbly. The result is a savory and slightly spicy bite-sized treat that is perfect for parties, tailgating, or just a fun and flavorful snack.
What You’ll Need to Make Easy Smoked Pig Shots Recipe
If you never try smoked pig shots before and this is absolutely delicious. There is no need lot of ingredients to prepare this Pig Shots Recipe and it doesn’t take lots of time to make.
These easy Smoked Pig Shots are made with the following ingredients.
- Bacon – thick-cut bacon is preferred, and you’ll need one slice per pig shot.
- Cream cheese – softened at room temperature, about 1-2 tablespoons per pig shot.
- Sausage or meatballs – fully cooked and cut into small pieces, about 1-2 tablespoons per pig shot.
- BBQ rub or seasoning – optional for additional flavor.
- Toothpicks or skewers – to hold the bacon in place.
If you want you can check other best appetizer jump into here Shotgun Shells Recipe and Texas Twinkies Recipe.
How to Make Smoked Pig Shots
All right first, to prepare our Pig Shots Recipe, we need some Smoked Sausage. You can use whatever you want I just figured this smoked sausage would be good. It’s got a little bit of a bite to it and it’s a little bit thicker
So I’m going to start by cutting these about half of an inch thick. That’s going to be awesome for making these smoked pig shots.
Next, I’m going to grab my bacon and so what I’ve got here is some thick-cut bacon. This bacon can hold up and has some integrity to hold our cream cheese filling. That I cut it into two halves and so to make our shot glasses. I’m going to take one of these strips of bacon and then wrap that around that sausage.
Then grab one of the toothpicks and place that through the bacon and the sausage. It will be secure just like the picture. That’ll help maintain the integrity and the shape. You can see we’ve created these bacon and sausage like shot-glasses, which are going to be the holder for our filling.
How to Choose the Best Bacon for Pig Shots?
Choosing the best bacon for Pig Shots Recipe depends on several factors such as flavor, texture, and thickness. Here are some tips to help you choose the best bacon for your pig shots:
- Look for thick-cut bacon: Thick-cut bacon is preferred for making pig shots because it holds its shape better while cooking and provides a nice texture.
- Consider the fat content: Bacon with a good balance of fat and meat is ideal for making pig shots. The fat adds flavor and moisture to the dish, while the meat provides structure.
- Choose a flavor that complements the filling: Bacon comes in different flavors such as hickory-smoked, maple-flavored and apple wood-smoked. Choose a flavor that complements the flavors of the filling.
- Check for any additives: Some bacon brands may contain additives such as preservatives, nitrates, or nitrites. Choose a bacon brand that uses natural ingredients without any additives.
By following these tips, you can choose the best bacon for your pig shots, which will help ensure that they turn out delicious and flavorful.
Make the Cheese Filling
Start with one block of cream cheese; I am going to throw that into the bowl. Then add in about half a cup to three-quarters of a cup of shredded cheese. Add in one diced jalapeno and you can add in as much or as little of this.
You can leave the seeds in or you can take them out it’s completely up to you.
Lastly, I’m going to add some Barbecue seasoning. This barbecue original rub is going to go really great in these pig shots. Let’s go ahead and sprinkle in about maybe about a tablespoon of rub.
Just going to mix this all together, you want it really good, soft nice, and thoroughly.
What we need to do now is get this mixture inside the pig shots and so you can either use a spoon or a piping bag. I am going to use the bag to fill the mixture. I just prefer to use a Ziploc bag.
I’m going to place all of this inside of the bag. That I like to twist it up, so it’s tight and then cut off the corner. There’s a big enough opening, I can fill these without straining too hard. So then it’s in the bag ready to be piped just grab your pig shot and begin to squeeze it into the center.
We’re going to add a little bit more of the original seasoning to the outside. Just going to sprinkle a little bit of that on top. It will add a little bit of extra color as well. Just reinforce some of those flavors.
Look at that, those are looking great…..
All done and ready to transfer these pig shots into the grill.
How Long to Smoke Pig Shots
The Smoke time for pig shots can vary depending on a few factors, such as the temperature of your smoker and the thickness of the bacon.
As a general guideline, you can smoke pig shots at a temperature of around 275-300°F for approximately 1-1.5 hours, or until the bacon is crispy and the filling is fully cooked through. However, it’s always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the filling has reached 165°F (74°C) for food safety reasons.
Keep in mind that cooking times can vary based on individual preferences and equipment, so it’s important to monitor the progress of your pig shots and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Set up for your smoker around 275 to 300 degrees. Time to get these pig shots onto the grill. I’m going to add on a little bit of hickory wood just add a little bit of smoky flavor.
Close up this lid and we’re going to begin cooking this around 275 degrees and it’s probably going to take around 60 minutes.
Our pig shots should be getting close to being done after 60 minutes, so let’s open up the grill. Take a look wow,,,,, just look at those.
They’ll have some nice color on them and you can see as that bacon is cooking and tightening up a little bit. It’s pushing out some of that cream cheese that’s inside there.
Giving you a very unique look to it. These look really good and so these are looking very nice for me. You can see that bacon is firming up and crisping up a little bit which is exactly how I like my bacon.
If you like yours a little bit crispier just keep it on a little bit longer. Next thing, I’m going to take a little bit add barbecue sauce, and going to drizzle them on top of these pig shots. Just allowing that sauce just to ooze down the sides as it sets.
Those look really nice and so with our pig shot sauced. Again I will close up this lid and going to let this continue to cook for about seven to 10 minutes to allow that sauce to set up.
Ohh looking good…. After 7 to 10 minutes remove them from the grill. Time to taste our Smoke Pig Shots.
I’m going to let them cool off for about 5 to 10 minutes beautiful shine our Pig Shots.
After an hour and 10 minutes, these pig shots are all done and they smell absolutely wonderful. I love the look of these and you know the way that cream cheese just oozes out and takes on some of that smoky flavor.
Pig Shots Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-8 OZ Thick-Cut Bacon
- ½ Cup Cream cheese
- ¼ Cup Jalapeno
- 1 Block Cream Cheese
- 1 Packet Smoked Sausage
- 2 Tbsp Barbecue Seasoning Rub
- 2 Tbsp Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- Cut the Smoke Sausage about half of an inch thick.
- Make shot glasses, take one of these strips of bacon and then wrap that around that sausage.
- Grab one of the toothpicks and place that through the bacon and the sausage.
- Put block of cream cheese,shreddedcheese and jalapeno together to the bowl and mix those thoroughly. Put the mixture in to Ziploc bag.
- Grab your pig shot and begin to squeeze it into the center. Add a little bit more of the original seasoning to the outside.
- Transfer all the Pig Shots into Smoker and cook under temperature of around 275-300°F for approximately 1-1.5 hours.
- Take a little bit add barbecue sauce, and drizzle them on top of the pigshots.
- After another 10 minutes remove them from the grill and let them cool off for about 5 to 10 minutes and serve them.
