Smoked Shotgun Shells
- 1.3 kg ground beef and pork mixture
- 120 g Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 80 g cheddar cheese, shredded
- 20 g Smoky Southwest rub
- 28 dry manicotti shells (2 boxes)
- approximately 2 kg thick-cut bacon
- Bold Original barbecue sauce, as needed for glazing
Combine the ground beef and pork, Monterey Jack, cheddar, and Smoky Southwest rub. Mix until evenly combined without overworking the meat.
Stuff the dry manicotti shells completely with the meat and cheese mixture. The quantities should fill approximately 27 shells.
Wrap each stuffed shell with thick-cut bacon, overlapping the bacon enough to cover as much of the dry pasta as possible, particularly around the ends. Depending on the width and length of the bacon, each shell will require approximately 1 to 1 1/2 strips.
Place the wrapped shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This allows moisture from the filling and bacon to soften the dry manicotti before cooking.
Preheat smoker to 250°F.
Place the shotgun shells directly on the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the filling reaches approximately 150°F.
Brush the shells with Bold Original barbecue sauce and continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F, approximately 2 hours total cooking time. Check the temperature of more than one shell and use the cooler reading to determine when the batch is finished.
Remove from the smoker and allow to rest briefly before serving.
Notes:
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Two boxes of the manicotti used for the original batch contained 28 shells total. One shell was left over after using the full 1.3 kg of filling.
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The original batch rested in the refrigerator for approximately 5 1/2 hours and cooked successfully, but a longer 6 to 8 hour rest is recommended to give the dry pasta more time to hydrate.
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Bacon width can vary considerably even between packages of the same brand. Wider strips may cover a shell with one piece, while narrower strips may require approximately 1 1/2 pieces.
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The original batch used thick-cut bacon. Approximately two 1 kg packages were purchased, with a small amount left over.
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Cooking time is only a guideline. Cook according to internal temperature rather than time.
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Barbecue sauce was applied when the coolest tested shell reached approximately 150°F. The shells were removed after the coolest tested shell exceeded 160°F.
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A broiler can be used briefly after smoking if additional bacon crisping is desired, but it was not necessary for the original batch.