Smoked Shotgun Shells on the Kamado

There are recipes that are a little too fun to ignore, and Smoked Shotgun Shells is exactly one of them. The name is half crazy, the setup looks almost too bold to work, and still you sit there after the first bite thinking you have to make this again. Crispy bacon all around, a juicy filling in the middle, cheese that melts together with rub and smoke, and pasta that goes from rock hard to perfectly tender inside the grill. It’s messy in exactly the right way.

This particular recipe is written for the Kamado Joe, and that’s no coincidence. A ceramic grill makes life very easy when you want to hold an even temperature, build some nice smoke and let everything finish without the bacon burning before the pasta has had time to soften. If you have a black Kamado Joe Classic at home, this is the kind of recipe that feels a bit showy when you serve it, but in practice is fairly easy to get right as long as you don’t stress.

The Recipe in Brief

Smoked Shotgun Shells are cannelloni or manicotti filled with ground meat, cheese and spices, wrapped in bacon and grilled indirectly with smoke until everything holds together. In this version the filling gets both saltiness, a little heat and a round, creamy cheesiness that goes really well with the smoke from the Kamado Joe.

• Servings: 6 as a main course or 10-12 as a BBQ snack
• Prep: 30 minutes plus 8–12 hours resting in the fridge
• Grilling time: about 2 hours
• Grill temperature: 248–275°F indirect
• Difficulty: medium, but very doable

Why You Should Try This Recipe

This is a recipe that delivers a lot of flavor per bit of effort. You get bacon, cheese, BBQ spices and smoke in the same bite, but it doesn’t just become heavy and greasy if you balance the filling right. Smoked Shotgun Shells work just as well when you want to put out something fun at a bigger grill dinner as when you just want a properly piggy Friday project on the grill.

• It looks impressive without being truly complicated.
• The Kamado Joe holds the heat steady and makes the recipe easier to get even.
• You can prepare everything the day before and just light the grill when it’s time.
• It works both as a main course and as a substantial appetizer for bigger BBQ tables.

If you haven’t worked much with indirect grilling in a ceramic grill before, it may be worth reading BBQLovers’ guide to grilling methods. It makes it easier to understand why these little rascals should cook gently instead of over too hard a heat.

Recipe: Smoked Shotgun Shells on the Kamado

MetricUS

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Ingredients

For the Shotgun Shells

• 18 cannelloni tubes or manicotti
• 1 lb 1¾ oz ground pork
• 10½ oz ground beef
• 5½ oz plain cream cheese
• 7 oz shredded cheddar
• ⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp finely chopped pickled jalapeño
• 1 small yellow onion, very finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tbsp BBQ rub
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp heavy cream
• 18 slices of bacon, depending on size

For the glaze

• ¾ cup + 1½ tbsp BBQ sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp chipotle paste or a few drops of hot sauce

For the grill

• good-quality charcoal for the Kamado Joe
• 2 wood chunks, preferably apple or cherry

Instructions

1. Mix the ground pork, ground beef, cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeño, onion, garlic, rub, black pepper, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and cream in a bowl. Work the mixture together until it feels smooth and a little sticky.
2. Fill the cannelloni tubes well from both ends. There should be no big air pockets in the middle, because then they easily get dry.
3. Wrap each tube in bacon. Start at one end and overlap slightly so the pasta is properly covered. If the bacon is narrow you may need two slices per tube.
4. Place your Shotgun Shells on a rack or tray, cover loosely and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. That rest does much more than people think. The filling helps the pasta soften even before the grilling starts.
5. Mix together a glaze of BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar and chipotle. Set aside.
6. Light your Kamado Joe for indirect grilling and aim for 250°F at the dome.
7. Put in the heat deflectors and place the grate on the upper level. When the temperature has stabilized, put 2-3 wood chunks directly on the coals.
8. Place the Shotgun Shells on the grate with a little space between them so the heat reaches all around. Close the lid and let them go for 1 h without hovering over it and opening the lid unnecessarily.
9. After the first hour the bacon starts to set and the color starts to come. Then brush on a thin layer of glaze all around and let them continue for another 30 min.
10. Then open up and check both color and feel. If the bacon still needs a little more time and the pasta isn't quite soft, let them go another 20 min. Brush on a second thin layer of glaze toward the end if you like.

Grilling Method: How to Succeed on the Grill

Light your Kamado Joe for indirect grilling and aim for 248–275°F at the dome. I fill the firebox with charcoal, light it in the middle and let the grill work its way up calmly. Put in the heat deflectors and place the grate on the upper level. When the temperature has stabilized, put 2-3 wood chunks directly on the coals. Apple or cherry are safe bets here – better a little less smoke than too much, so the bacon, cheese and rub still have room in the flavor.

Place the Shotgun Shells on the grate with a little space between them so the heat reaches all around. Close the lid and let them go for 60 minutes without hovering over it and opening the lid unnecessarily. After the first hour the bacon starts to set and the color starts to come. Then brush on a thin layer of glaze all around and let them continue for another 30 minutes.

Then open up and check both color and feel. If the bacon still needs a little more time and the pasta isn’t quite soft, let them go another 20–30 minutes. Brush on a second thin layer of glaze toward the end if you like. I prefer thin and sticky to a thick layer of sauce that takes over everything.

The Kamado Joe is really good here because the ceramic body holds moisture better than many other grills. That helps the bacon have time to render and the filling to get done before the surface goes too far. That’s also why I would rather run this recipe on a kamado than on a hot gas grill.

Temperature, Time and Signs That It’s Done

• Grill temperature: 248–275°F
• Normal grilling time: 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes
• Internal temperature in the filling: at least 162°F, preferably around 165–169°F for a safe and juicy result
• Resting time: 10 min before serving

The most important sign that they’re done isn’t just the temperature. Stick a small test skewer or toothpick through the pasta. It should go through without resistance. The bacon should have shrunk, look glossy and appetizing and not feel limp. When you lift a Shotgun Shell it should hold together nicely without the filling being pushed out.

Which Grill Works Best?

This recipe can be made on several grills, but the version here is written for the Kamado Joe for a reason. A kamado is almost ridiculously good for Smoked Shotgun Shells because it holds a low, even temperature for a long time, gives fine control of the airflow and builds a gentle smoke without the food drying out. If you have a kettle grill you can also succeed, but then you need to be a bit more watchful of the heat and preferably work with a water pan to get the same gentle environment.

Serving Suggestions

This is pretty rich food, so it works best if you build the plate with something fresh, something sour and preferably something green that actually tastes of grill. If you want classic crunch and a bit of coolness for the smoky filling, the world’s best coleslaw is a really good move.

I also like to serve a few spoonfuls of Candied Jalapenos on the side. The sweetness and heat go perfectly with the bacon and the melted cheese. For something green with a bit more bite, grilled pointed cabbage is almost outrageously good with it.

If you want to take it more in the BBQ snack direction, you can slice them in halves and serve on a big platter with toothpicks, coleslaw in a bowl and extra glaze on the side. They disappear faster than you think, so make a few too many rather than too few.

Björn’s Tips

• Don’t use a filling that is too lean. A little fat in the mixture is needed to give the pasta a helping hand and to make the result juicy.
• The rest in the fridge is not decoration. It is almost half the trick of the whole recipe, especially if you use dry cannelloni.
• Brush the glaze on thinly. Shotgun Shells should taste of smoke, bacon and cheese too, not just sweet sauce.
• If you want clearer heat, finely chop extra jalapeño into the filling instead of pouring more hot sauce on top.

Common Mistakes

• Too high a grill temperature. Then the bacon gets dark long before the pasta has softened.
• Too dry a filling. If you skimp on cheese, cream cheese or cream you get a compact result.
• Too short a rest in the fridge. Then you risk hard pasta in the middle.
• Too much glaze too early. Sugar burns faster than you think on a hot kamado.
• Not checking both the internal temperature and the softness of the pasta before serving.

Variations and Adaptations

The nice thing about Smoked Shotgun Shells is that you can twist them in several directions without losing the idea. If you want a clearer Tex-Mex feel, you can swap part of the cheddar for pepper jack and stir in some taco-inspired seasoning. If you want to go more toward pure BBQ, you can skip the jalapeño and instead mix extra rub and a splash of BBQ sauce into the filling. If you need inspiration for the seasoning, there are several good options in my 10 BBQ rubs you can easily make at home.

If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to let them sit overnight, you can parboil the pasta for 3–4 minutes, let it cool and then fill the tubes. I still think the rest in the fridge gives the best end result, but this emergency option works when life gets in the way. For a milder version you can simply reduce the amount of jalapeño and let the glaze and smoke carry more of the flavor.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe works because several things help each other instead of competing. The filling contains fat, cheese and a little cream, which lets the pasta soften from the inside while the bacon protects the outside from drying out. The calm temperature in the Kamado Joe gives the meat time to cook through without the bacon having time to turn hard or bitter.

A lot happens in terms of flavor too. The saltiness from the bacon and rub meets the sweetness in the glaze, the little bit of acidity from the vinegar lightens the whole thing and the jalapeño gives just the right punch. When the smoke from apple or cherry settles around everything you also get that deeper BBQ feel that makes the dish seem more thought-through than just cheese and bacon in a tube. It is simply a balance of fat, salt, acidity, sweetness, smoke and texture, and that is why these little rolls go down well almost every time.

FAQ

Can I make Smoked Shotgun Shells completely ahead of time?

Yes, you can fill and wrap them the day before and let them sit in the fridge overnight. That is actually what I recommend, because the pasta gets a better starting point then.

Which smoking wood is best on the Kamado Joe for this recipe?

Apple and cherry are safe bets. They give a mild and slightly sweet smoke that suits both bacon and cheese without getting too heavy.

Do I have to use both ground pork and ground beef?

No, but the mix turns out very good. The ground pork gives juiciness and the ground beef a bit more meaty backbone. If you use only beef you often need a little extra fat or more cream cheese.

Can I make them without heat?

Absolutely. Reduce or skip the jalapeño and leave out the chipotle in the glaze. You still get a very tasty BBQ result.

How do I know the pasta is done?

Test with a thin skewer or a small knife. It should glide through without you having to push. If there is resistance in the middle they need a little more time.

Can I reheat leftovers the next day?

Yes, and they often turn out very good. Preferably reheat them gently, ideally indirectly on the grill or in an oven at around 302°F so the bacon doesn’t get chewy.

Smoked Shotgun Shells may not be the most discreet thing you can put on the grill, but sometimes that is exactly what is needed. When the Kamado Joe is running steady, the smoke is right and the platter comes to the table, it usually goes quite quiet for a while. That is a good review in my book.