Traeger Pig Shots – Recipe and Cooking Guide
Hey Smokers, and welcome to my post where we will run through my recipe and cooking guide for Traeger Pig Shots. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things – and today, it’s another Friday afternoon snacky snack.
Now, as you may or may not know, since I have had this smoker, it has become almost a mandatory requirement in my house to produce a Friday afternoon ‘snacky snack’ before our son goes to basketball. The requirements here are twofold – it all has to be able to be cooked in a few hours – as I don’t have any longer than that on a Friday – and of course, it has to be tasty!
So today, after a bit of research, I found a recipe that I think may go down well… Let’s go
Traeger Pig Shots: What You’ll Need
Ok, so below is what I used to cook me some smoked pig shots (a.k.a bacon shots) on the Traeger pellet smoker:
Ingredients
- 1 pound of smoked sausage or kielbasa (I actually used Chorizo)
- 1 pound of thick-cut bacon
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup of diced jalapeños (optional for a spicy kick)
- Some brown sugar
- Your favorite BBQ sauce
- Your favorite BBQ rub
- Toothpicks
Equipment
- Pellet smoker
- Wood pellets (preferably hickory or apple for a sweet and smoky flavor)
- Mixing bowl
- Knife and cutting board
- Toothpicks
The Cooking Process
This is what I did and when…
- Preparation
- Preheat your pellet smoker to 275°F (135°C).
- Cut the smoked sausage or kielbasa into 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Cut the bacon slices in half.
- Making the Pig Shots
- Wrap each sausage slice with a half slice of bacon, forming a cup or “shot glass”. Secure with a toothpick.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, some BBQ rub and diced jalapeños (if using). Mix well until smooth.
- Spoon the cheese mixture into each bacon-wrapped sausage cup, filling them to the top.
- Seasoning
- Sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar or BBQ rubs over each pig shot (I actually did half with Brown Sugar and half with BBQ rub but to be honest, really couldn’t tell the difference at the end).
- Smoking
- Place the pig shots on the smoker grates, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
- Smoke the pig shots at 275°F (135°C) for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the bacon is crispy and the cheese filling is bubbly and slightly golden.
- Serving
- Carefully remove the pig shots from the smoker using tongs.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving, as the cheese filling will be very hot.
My Results
Winner winner chicken dinner – I mean, they may look a little rough, but trust me, they taste way better than they look.
Make sure you let them cool a little otherwise the cheese fill will burn your mouth but once that is done – they are really, really good.
To be honest, I probably left mine a little long as the top of the cheese mix went a little dry and ‘powdery’ however, once you bite into it, the creaminess inside is fantastic. There are some other things I learned here as well:
- Thick cut bacon is a must – I was unable to get it so had to double wrap the thinner slices which not only made it a bit harder to set the ‘shot glass’, but severly reduced the amount I could make.
- As above, don’t over cook them as the contents will dry quickly.
- We brushed a little BBQ sauce on them once they were done and this was a really great addition in flavor.
Tips for Perfect Pig Shots
- Wood Pellets: For a milder smoke flavor, use fruitwood pellets like apple or cherry. For a stronger smoke flavor, use hickory or mesquite.
- Cheese Filling Variations: You can experiment with different cheese fillings such as adding cooked crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, or using different types of cheese.
- Serving: Pig shots are best served hot and can be accompanied by a dipping sauce such as ranch, BBQ sauce, or a spicy aioli.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some awesome Pig Shots. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
