Smoked Pig Shots
Howdy folks, and thanks for stopping by the website! I attend quite a few events that have to do with outdoor cooking, as you might imagine. Lately, there’s one recipe that has been popping up everywhere. It’s great at tailgates, it’s a delicious appetizer, it’s easy to make and it is flat out delicious. What am I talking about? Pig shots.
If you have never heard of a pig shot, it’s alright. You’ve come to the right place. A pig shot is a bacon-wrapped sausage and cream cheese food bomb of deliciousness. The whole thing is about the size of a shot glass, and I reckon that’s how this recipe got its name.
This recipe is really easy to put together, and it gives you an excuse to get out the smoker.
Sausage & Bacon
A pig shot’s main ingredients are sausage and bacon. Choosing the right ingredients at the store will make a big difference in how the recipe turns out. Look for a skinless kielbasa if you can find it, or any smoked sausage of your choosing. Make sure you get thick-cut bacon to hold all of this goodness inside.
Cream Cheese
The cream cheese adds a savory, creamy bite that mixes so well with the bacon and sausage. Use some of our Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce and mix until well combined. There’s a substitute listed below in the little recipe if you haven’t ordered your Rib Rub yet.
Tip: Instead of softening cream cheese to room temperature, use whipped cream cheese.
Put the mixture into a zip lock bag and set in the ice box or cooler until it’s time to put the pig shots together.
Pig Shots
Lay out a strip of the thick-cut bacon out as a guide and cut the skinless sausage link at least ½ inch smaller, then cut sausage in half again. When it’s time to roll the sausage inside the bacon, make sure the bottom of the sausage is flush with the edge of the bacon (see photo below).
Once the first piece of sausage is rolled up, set it upright. There will be a hole at the top center. That’s where you’re going to put the first teaspoon of cream cheese, followed by a small slice of jalapeno. Add a second slice of sausage, another dab of cream cheese, and one last jalapeno. Set aside until they’re ready to go in the smoker.
Tip: Cut the bottom corner of the sandwich bag that’s holding the cream cheese mixture, and use it to add the cream cheese to the pig shot.
Smoke ’em
Preheat the smoker to about 350. I use a good hardwood lump oak charcoal, some mesquite wood and some applewood. Smoke over indirect heat for about 30-40 minutes until the bacon is browned. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then you are ready to eat.
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Smoked Pig Shots – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 2 ½ tablespoons Kent Rollins’ Rib Rub, or substitute below
- 2 ½ tablespoons Kent Rollins’ Red River Mud BBQ Sauce
- 3 jalapenos thinly sliced
- 14 ounces kielbasa skinless sausage
- 2 pounds thick cut bacon
Kent Rollins’ Rib Rub substitute seasoning:
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl combine the whipped cream cheese, Kent Rollins’ Rib Rub, Kent Rollins' Red River Mud BBQ sauce and mix well. Set in the ice box for about 30 minutes.
- Lay a piece of bacon out as a guide and cut sausage at least ½ inch smaller, then cut sausage in half again.
- Wrap and roll one of the sausage pieces with bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Squeeze a bit of the cream cheese mixture on top of the sausage. Top with a jalapeno.
- Top again with another piece of the sausage. Add a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture, top with a slice of jalapeno and place on a baking sheet until all are done.
- Preheat grill/smoker to 350 and then place on the smoker and cook for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until bacon has browned well.
- Remove and let set for about 2 to 3 minutes to cool. Serve.
