This BBQ Shotgun Shells recipe would be the hit of your subsequent tailgate or cookout! Bacon-wrapped manicotti shells are full of a tacky jalapeño and floor meat combination. Brushed with bbq sauce and cooked to crispy, caramelized perfection on the grill or smoker — and even within the oven or air fryer.
Jessica’s Notes
From the second these viral BBQ Shotgun Shells began popping up on social media, I knew we needed to make them! All of the shotgun shells recipe I discovered didn’t cook dinner the noodles, so we tried it that manner and ended up with crunchy noodles. ☹️ So we obtained busy and began testing and located that a fast boil on the manicotti makes all of the distinction! We prefer to serve them up alongside crispy grilled pork stomach burnt ends and our favourite simple baked beans recipe and a bowl of broccoli salad for a real bbq feast.
What Makes This BBQ Shotgun Shells Recipe So Good?
- Drool Worthy: The crispy caramelized bbq bacon exterior enhances the tender pasta and creamy and meaty filling so completely.
- Make-Forward Pleasant: Assemble them a day earlier than your occasion, then cook dinner when prepared for a straightforward, stress-free appetizer.
- Smoky and Savory: My Dad described these as a “meaty taste explosion” and we couldn’t agree extra, they’re actually bursting with daring flavors.
- Excellent for Events: These beefy shotgun shells are assured to be successful, particularly for a Fourth of July bash or recreation day. Your visitors will probably be begging so that you can share the recipe!
Key Components
You’re going to like how all of those daring elements style after they come collectively in a single chew. Scroll right down to the recipe card beneath for the complete ingredient record and precise quantities!
- Manicotti Shells: These giant, fats noodles are good for stuffing. Many shotgun shell recipes don’t cook dinner the noodles, however after making an attempt it that manner, we don’t suggest it. The noodles don’t soften all the best way and stayed crunchy. Doing a fast 3-minute boil simply fixes that challenge!
- Floor Meat: We like to make use of a mixture of floor beef and floor Italian sausage, however you should use any form of floor meat you favor. Chorizo is one other nice alternative! We like to make use of scorching floor sausage when we don’t make them for the children.
- Cheese: We used Colby Jack, however you possibly can substitute this with Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar, or any comparable melty cheese.
- Cream Cheese: It must be room temperature, so don’t neglect to depart it on the kitchen counter for an hour or so previous to utilizing.
- Barbecue Sauce: Use your favourite model! I sometimes go for the unique Candy Child Ray’s because it’s barely candy and completely compliments all of the spicy and savory flavors.
- Jalapeños: For delicate warmth, take away the seeds as that’s the place many of the warmth is. Or, in the event you like a little bit additional spice, depart the seeds within the combine.
- Bacon: Any model/sort of bacon will get the job achieved, however we desire to make use of thick-cut bacon.
The right way to Make BBQ Shotgun Shells
Take a fast have a look at find out how to make these bbq shotgun shells, however please scroll right down to the recipe card for full directions! You’ll be able to grill them, smoke them, and even oven bake or air fry them in the event you don’t wish to must go outdoors. In case you are cooking them inside, be at liberty so as to add a 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the filling for a extra genuine style.
Chef’s Ideas & Variations
- Stuffing the Shells: Make certain to press the meat all the best way in, ensuring there are not any air bubbles within the center. I discover it best so as to add the meat combination from only one aspect, that manner you already know it’s full when it begins popping out the opposite aspect.
- BBQ Sauce: We prefer to brush them a number of occasions with bbq sauce all through the cooking course of to essentially caramelize the bacon and assist to develop a deeper, richer taste.
- Further Spicy: For an additional fiery model, swap the jalapeños for serrano peppers or habaneros. It's also possible to use a spicy bbq sauce.
- Add a Candy Kick: Combine a little bit honey or brown sugar into the BBQ sauce for a delicate sweetness that balances the warmth.
- Make It a Meal: Serve alongside creamy garlic mashed potatoes and grilled corn, candy creamed corn, or these crispy corn ribs recipe for a whole dinner.
How To Put together This Shotgun Shells Recipe in Advance
Sure you may make these forward – simply just remember to don't cook dinner the noodles any longer than 3 minutes or they'll turn out to be soggy as they relaxation.
- Make Forward: Assemble them upfront, stopping on the step of wrapping them in bacon (don't brush them with bbq sauce but). Retailer them within the fridge in an hermetic container for as much as 48 hours.
- Prepared To Prepare dinner: Take away them from the fridge half-hour earlier than cooking. Brush them with bbq sauce and cook dinner as directed.
Yield: 32 servings
BBQ Shotgun Shells Recipe
This mouthwatering bacon-wrapped BBQ Shotgun Shells recipe is the right smoky, tacky, and meaty appetizer your visitors will devour!
Components
- 16 oz manicotti shells
- 1 ½ lbs floor beef
- 1 lb floor Italian sausage
- 1 ½ cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, or sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce, divided
- 2 jalapeños, minced (seeds eliminated for delicate warmth)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb thick-cut bacon
Directions
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Deliver a pot of water to a boil and add the manicotti. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse. Separate the noodles so that they don’t stick or collapse. Do not boil the noodles any longer, or they'll turn out to be soggy!
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Combine the meat and sausage collectively till mixed. Add the cheese, cream cheese, ½ cup BBQ sauce, jalapeños, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper and blend till effectively mixed.
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Utilizing your palms, gently stuff the shells with the meat combination, ensuring to push the filling all the best way to the center, with no air bubbles. I like so as to add the meat from one aspect to make sure the middle of the shell will get stuffed.
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Wrap a chunk of bacon tightly round every shell. Brush the bacon wrapped shells with BBQ sauce.
Grilling
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If utilizing a fuel grill, warmth the grill to 300°F, then flip off the burners on half the grill. If utilizing a charcoal grill, lay the charcoal on one aspect solely and preserve the hearth decrease at round 300°F.
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Place the shotgun shells on the aspect away from the hearth. Brush with extra BBQ sauce and canopy the grill. Prepare dinner for quarter-hour, then flip and brush the opposite aspect with BBQ sauce. Proceed cooking for about 10 to fifteen minutes extra, till the bacon is crispy and a meat thermometer inserted into the middle reaches 160°F.
Smoker
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Preheat your smoker to 250°F. Smoke for 60 minutes, brushing with bbq sauce half manner by. After the primary 60 minutes, flip the shells over, add extra barbecue sauce, and proceed smoking for one more half-hour.
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Brush them with bbq sauce as soon as extra after which proceed smoking them for 20 to half-hour extra, till the bacon is crispy and a meat thermometer inserted into the middle reaches 160°F.
Oven
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Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Organize the shells on the baking sheet in a good layer, leaving a little bit room between every one for even cooking.
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Bake for 20 minutes. Flip and brush with bbq sauce, then bake for quarter-hour extra. Flip as soon as extra and brush once more with bbq sauce. Prepare dinner for five to 10 minutes extra, till the bacon is crispy and a meat thermometer inserted into the middle reaches 160°F. For those who bacon just isn't crispy sufficient, you possibly can broil them for a couple of minutes, simply watch very intently!
Air Fryer
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Place 5 to six shells within the air fryer basket and set the air fryer to 300°F. You will want to cook dinner the shotgun shells in batches. Prepare dinner the shells for 10 minutes, then flip and brush with extra BBQ sauce. Flip and brush them with bbq sauce as soon as extra, cooking for 10 minutes extra.
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Flip one final time, brushing with bbq sauce as soon as extra, after which cook dinner for one more 5 to 10 minutes, till the bacon is crispy a meat thermometer inserted into the middle reaches 160°F.
Notes
- Storing: Shotgun shells are finest served recent when the bacon is nice and crispy, however you possibly can retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat within the oven or air fryer to attempt to crisp the bacon up once more.
- Liquid Smoke: If cooking them within the oven or air fryer, be at liberty so as to add 1/2 a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the meat filling. This may add extra of an genuine smoky taste.
Diet
Serving: 1 serving, Energy: 288kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 11g, Fats: 19g, Saturated Fats: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g, Monounsaturated Fats: 8g, Trans Fats: 0.3g, Ldl cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 447mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 217IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 1mg
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