Nothing is better than a turf and turf appetizer that looks similar to a shot glass made of bacon. Welcome to the Smoked Pig Shots appetizer. Most people struggle to come up with appetizers to make on the BBQ, but this one is fast, easy, and tasty. Give this Pig Shots appetizer a try and you will find that is a a true crowd-pleaser. The ingredients are basic and easily available at any grocery store and it doesn’t take long to make.
Ingredients
- 8oz Cream Cheese, Softened
- ½ Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 TBSP of your favorite BBQ dry rub (I used Fire And Smoke Society’s Sweet Preacher Rub)
- ½ Onion finely diced (optional)
- 12oz Polish Sausage
- 10oz Bacon
- Cheddar Cheese
Substitutes
- Cheddar Cheese to Pepper Jack
- Polish Sausage to Garlic or Farmer Sausage
- Green Chili
- Add Jalapeño Peppers to the top for a little kick
- Add a bit of BBQ sauce to the cream cheese mixture for added flavor
Equipment
- Smoker (I used a pellet grill for consistent temperature)
- Bear Mtn. Apple or Bear Mtn Maple Harwood Pellets
- Mixing Bowl
- Fork
- Knife
- Toothpicks
- Pastry piping bag (or sandwich bag)
How To Make Smoked Pig Shots Instructions
Serving Size: Serves 2-4 pig shots per person.
Step 1. Preheat the Smoker and Prep
Get your smoker fired up and have it set to 350F for at least 20-30 minutes. Get all your ingredients out and make sure the cream cheese is slightly warmed so it is more mixable.
Step 2. Mix Cheese Filling
Once cream cheese is softened, add to mixing bowl. Add dry rub, shredded cheese, and diced onion. Mix thoroughly until combined.
Step 3. Slice Sausage and Bacon
Slice sausage into ½ inch thick slices and slice bacon in half.
Step 4. Wrapping
Wrap each slice of sausage with each half-slice of bacon to form shot glass-like cup. Secure bacon to sausage slices with toothpick.
Step 5. Load Your Shot
Spoon seasoned cream cheese mixture into your piping bag. Pipe mixture into each pig shot. Do not fill to the top because the mixture will expand during the cooking process.
Step 6. Smoke The Pig Shots
Place pig shots on the smoker and smoke for approximately 40-50 minutes. You’ll want to see the bacon tightening up and turning red. We want it cooked.
Step 7. Drop a Shot of Cheese
Add a single cube of cheese to each shot and cook for another five minutes to melt. Or use sliced cheese if that’s what you have on hand.
Step 8. Rest and Enjoy
Remove the pig shots from the grill when the bacon is cooked nicely. The cheese should be nicely melted. Allow the pig shots to rest for 5 minutes before eating. Enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Cut the sausage and bacon as uniformly as possible. When wrapping them together, make sure it is tight so the melted cheese will stay in the shot.
- Smokers have hot and cold spots. Try to smoke the pig shots evenly so they all finish at the same time. Move them around the grill area to cook evenly.
- If you have extra cheese filling left over, a great way to use it up is with some mini bell peppers. Pipe the mixture onto the bell pepper and smoke at 350°F until the pepper is cooked. You can add a couple of small cubes of cheese at the end as well. This is great for people who aren’t big fans of pork but want to enjoy a BBQ-style appetizer.
What To Serve Pig Shots With
Pig shots are a very versatile side and complement many other food items. Here are my favorite pairings. If you need some vibrant colors in your food, give this smoked burrata with roasted cherry tomato bruschetta recipe a try.
1. Prime Rib
Pig shots make an excellent starter or even side to beef cuts. Try it with our smoked prime rib recipe.
2. Mac And Cheese
Try these pig shots with smoked mac and cheese. They complement each other well and the pig shots bring protein to the meal.
FAQs:
Question: Can I Cook Pig Shots In The Oven?
Answer: You absolutely can. Follow the instructions above and preheat your oven to 350°F. You won’t get that wood flavor from smoking, but the other flavors will still be there.
Question: What Wood Should I Use With Smoked Pig Shots
Answer: When it comes to pork, I always recommend apple or maple. These work amazingly well for pork cuts.
Storing and Reheating
Store the leftover Pig Shots in a Tupperware container and refrigerate. For reheating, I recommend placing the Pig Shots in a microwave for 10-15 seconds, depending on how many you put in the microwave.
Smoked Pig Shots: Weird Name, Awesome Appetizer
Equipment
- Smoker (I used a pellet grill for consistent temperature)
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
- Knife
- Toothpicks
- Pastry piping bag (or sandwich bag)
Ingredients
- 8 oz of cream cheese softened
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese you can substitute with or mix in pepper jack for a little extra heat
- 1 TBSP BBQ Dry Rub I used Fire And Smoke Society’s Sweet Preacher Rub
- ½ Onion Diced
- 12 oz Polish Sausage you can substitute your favorite smoked sausage
- 10 oz Bacon Thick Cut
- Extra cheddar cheese cubed into ¼ inch cubes (can substitute with pepper jack cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 350°F.
- Remove cream cheese from fridge to soften.
- Once cream cheese is softened, add to mixing bowl. Add dry rub, shredded cheese, and diced onion. Mix thoroughly until combined.
- Slice sausage into ½ inch thick slices and slice bacon in half.
- Wrap each slice of sausage with each half-slice of bacon to form shot glass-like cup. Secure bacon to sausage slices with toothpick.
- Spoon seasoned cream cheese mixture into your piping bag.
- Pipe mixture into each pig shot. Do not fill to the top because mixture will expand during the cooking process.
- Place pig shots on smoker and smoke for approximately 40 minutes.
- Add single cube of cheese to each shot and cook for another five minutes to melt.
- Remove pig shots and let cool for five minutes then enjoy!
