If you are a lover of pork, you’re going to be obsessed with this pig shots recipe!
These little bites of heaven make a delicious appetizer at a BBQ cookout or a tasty bite for a tailgate or super bowl party.
What are Pig Shots?
If you are looking for a Texas treat, try pig shots.
Pig shots are sausage bases, wrapped in bacon, and filled with a creamy bite of seasoned cream cheese and cheddar, and topped with a jalapeno pepper.
They are called pig shots because they look like shot glasses, but are made of pork and cheese!
Pig shots are similar to a jalapeno popper but with a lot more meat.
They’re perfect for a carnivore!
What Makes Our Recipe Special?
We season the outside of our bacon with brown sugar (similar to how we make our Candied Bacon Roses Recipe) and also add a dash of chili powder.
This adds just the perfect amount of sweetness to offset the spice in the jalapeno.
Tips for Assembling Pig Shots
- Thick Bacon – A helpful tip to avoid a messy mistake is to avoid using thin-cut bacon. You need a bacon slice that is thick enough to firmly stand up without flopping over. This is especially important when the cheesy interior starts to melt.
- Whipped Cream Cheese – Use whipped cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese. This makes it easier to mix your cream cheese filling and it is also easier to pipe it into the pork shots. You can use regular cream cheese as long as it is softened, but the whipped cream cheese is the easiest option.
How Long Do You Smoke Pig Shots?
In our opinion, the most delicious pig shots are smoked. We’ve made these on a pellet grill as well as on our Big Green Egg grill.
The smoke adds an extra layer of flavor that one can only achieve from outdoor cooking.
Smoke the pig shots on indirect heat at 300 degrees F for 80-90 minutes until the bacon is crispy.
How to Make Pig Shots in the Oven
If you do not have a grill or a smoker, don’t fret.
Just bake them on a baking sheet at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes, or until your bacon is crispy. The cook time can vary based on the thickness of your bacon, so keep an eye on the pig shots during the last few minutes of baking.
If you Love Pig Shots, You’ll Love these Other Smoker Recipes:
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Easy Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- The Tastiest Smoked Burger Recipe
- Smoked Cream Cheese Appetizer
Meaty, Cheesy Pig Shots Recipe
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes (Baked) or 80 Minutes (Smoked)
Yield: 22-24 pig shots
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of thick cut bacon, sliced in half
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1 Skinless kielbasa sausage link, sliced
- 8 ounces Whipped cream cheese
- 2 tbsp of a BBQ pork rub (we used our home rub from our Smoked Spare Rib Recipe)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 24 cheddar cheese cubes
- 2 Jalapeno, sliced
- ¼ cup of Shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Start by preheating your smoker to 300 degrees F (or your oven to 375 degrees F).
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the chili powder.
- Slice your bacon in half and coat the outside of one side of the bacon with the brown sugar mixture.
- Next, slice sausage about ½ inch slices, it should be about a third of the height of your bacon strips.
- In a medium bowl, combine the whipped cream cheese with the BBQ rub spices, salt, and pepper to make a well combined cream cheese mixture. Then, fill it in a piping bag or in a plastic sandwich bag with the corner of the bag tip cut off.
- Now let’s assemble the pig shots. Place a piece of the sliced sausage on a cutting board and wrap it with half of a slice of bacon so that it resembles an empty shot glass. Secure the bacon in the circular shape with a toothpick across the base of the sausage.
- Now place a cheddar cheese cube in the empty pig shot on top of the sausage.
- Fill the bacon cups with the cream cheese mixture until it reaches the top of the bacon.
- Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and a jalapeno slice to the top of the pig shots.
- Add to your smoker for 80-90 minutes or cook in the oven on a baking sheet for 40 minutes until you’ve achieved a crispy bacon exterior.
Note: Serve with a side of barbecue sauce as a dip, if desired. Or even maple syrup for breakfast pig shots. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Pig Shots Recipe (Smoked, Grilled or Baked)
The ultimate Smoked appetizer! This pig shots recipe starts with a slice of sausage, wrapped in candied bacon and stuffed with cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of thick cut bacon, sliced in half
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1 Skinless kielbasa sausage link, sliced
- 8 ounces Whipped cream cheese
- 2 tbsp of a BBQ pork rub (we used our home rub from our Smoked Spare Rib Recipe)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 24 cheddar cheese cubes
- 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
- ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Start by preheating your smoker to 300 degrees F (or your oven to 375 degrees F).
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the chili powder.
- Slice your bacon in half and coat the outside of one side of the bacon with the brown sugar mixture.
- Next, slice sausage about ½ inch slices, it should be about a third of the height of your bacon strips.
- In a medium bowl, combine the whipped cream cheese with the BBQ rub spices, salt, and pepper to make a well combined cream cheese mixture. Then, fill it in a piping bag or in a plastic sandwich bag with the corner of the bag tip cut off.
- Now let’s assemble the pig shots. Place a piece of the sliced sausage on a cutting board and wrap it with half of a slice of bacon so that it resembles an empty shot glass. Secure the bacon in the circular shape with a toothpick across the base of the sausage.
- Now place a cheddar cheese cube in the empty pig shot on top of the sausage.
- Fill the bacon cups with the cream cheese mixture until it reaches the top of the bacon.
- Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and a jalapeno slice to the top of the pig shots.
- Add to your smoker for 80-90 minutes or cook in the oven on a baking sheet for 40 minutes until you’ve achieved a crispy bacon exterior.
Notes
Serve with a side of barbecue sauce as a dip, if desired. Or even maple syrup for breakfast pig shots. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Click this link to pin this Pig Shots Recipe on Pinterest.
Also, don’t forget to follow us on instagram and facebook for more recipes and foodie recommendations.
If you’d like to automatically receive our posts in your email, register here.
Whip up this recipe? Be sure to tag us on social media as @coupleinthekitchen and we’ll share it with our foodie followers!
No Comments