These smoked pig shots are the perfect BBQ appetizer. We're taking smoked sausage, wrapping it in bacon, stuffing it with a cheese filling, and then glazing it with a sweet maple syrup glaze. What could be bad about that?
We're also turning things up a notch by using caramelized onion cream cheese from Popup bagels and hot honey for the glaze. Let's make this thing.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Smoked Sausage — Pick yourself up some pre-cooked smoked sausage from he grocery store. I got the above Hillshire Farm brand.
- Thick-Cut Bacon — We're using the bacon to wrap around the sausage to create the "shot glass" effect. I used Jimmy Dean thick cut hickory bacon.
- Caramelized Onion Cream Cheese — It's okay, you can just use plain cream cheese. But my local Popup Bagels had caramelized onion cream cheese when I went in to pick up bagels, and I couldn't help myself.
- Colby Jack Cheese — You want to use another "melty" cheese in addition to the cream cheese. I used Colby Jack but you can use cheddar or Pepperjack or anything really.
- BBQ Rub — Use your favorite pork rub to help season the sausage and bacon.
- Hot Honey & Maple Syrup — We're going to make a ridiculously easy, ridiculously delicious glaze to brush all over the pig shots. The perfect blend of sweetness for a sticky glaze.
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED PIG SHOTS
1. Make the Bacon "Shot Glasses"
Start by taking your smoked sausage and cutting it into 1/2-inch thick discs. Then, take a half slice of bacon and wrap it around each sausage slice. It should look like the above picture. Secure the bacon to the sausage with a toothpick. It will form your "shot glass".
2. Make the Filling
In a medium bowl, take the softened cream cheese, shredded Colby Jack, BBQ, and honey, and mix it all together really well.
3. Fill the Pig Shots
Spoon the mixture into a small sandwich plastic bag, and cut one of the corners of the bag off. Then, push the filling out of the bag to fill up the bacon cups, leaving a little bit of room at the top (don't overfill them).
4. Smoke the Pig Shots
Add the pig shots to a wire rack and smoke them at 250F for 1 hour. Then, increase the temperature to 350F and cook for an extra 30 minutes to get the bacon nice and crispy.
5. Glaze the Pig Shots
During the last 10 minutes of smoking, make the glaze by mixing up the hot honey and maple syrup in a small bowl. Then, brush the glaze over the top of the pig shots to give it a nice, sweet finish.
6. Cool & Serve
Let the pig shots cool for 5 minutes, and then serve as-is and enjoy!
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Bacon choice — Use thick-cut bacon for these as it's nice and sturdy and holds the filling better.
- Caramelized onion shortcut — If you don’t have caramelized onion cream cheese and really want to try it, try mixing regular cream cheese with finely chopped caramelized onions.
- Glaze variations — You can definitely play with the glaze—try adding a splash of bourbon or a pinch of cinnamon for a nice twist.
Smoked Pig Shots
Ingredients
- 1 package smoked sausage sliced into ½-inch discs
- 1 package thick-cut bacon cut strips in half
- 8 oz caramelized onion cream cheese softened; sub regular cream cheese
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp BBQ rub
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Slice sausage into ½-inch discs. Wrap each with a half-strip of bacon to form a cup; secure with a toothpick.
- In a bowl, mix cream cheese, shredded cheese, BBQ rub, and honey until smooth.
- Fill bacon cups with the cream cheese mixture, leaving a small gap at the top.
- Smoke at 250°F for 1 hour. Increase temperature to 350°F and cook for an additional 20–30 minutes.
- Brush pig shots with a honey-maple glaze during the last 10 minutes of smoking.
- Cool for 5 minutes, remove toothpicks, and serve warm.
Notes
- Bacon choice — Use thick-cut bacon for these as it's nice and sturdy and holds the filling better.Â
- Caramelized onion shortcut — If you don’t have caramelized onion cream cheese and really want to try it, try mixing regular cream cheese with finely chopped caramelized onions.
- Glaze variations — You can definitely play with the glaze—try adding a splash of bourbon or a pinch of cinnamon for a nice twist.
