Go Back
–+ servings
Print

Texas Smoked Shotgun Shells

Cheesy Mexican chorizo and beef stuffed manicotti shells wrapped in bacon, smoked, and glazed with spicy BBQ sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 24 Shotgun Shells
Calories 225kcal
Author Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Ground Beef 90/10
  • 1 pound Mexican Chorizo
  • 8 oz Shredded Mexican Cheese
  • 1 can (4oz) Diced Green Chiles
  • 2 Tablespoons Pickled Jalapeño Peppers diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Ranch Seasoning
  • 24 Manicotti
  • 24 slices Bacon regular or center cut
  • Sprinkle of Your Favorite BBQ Rub optional
  • 1 cup Spicy BBQ Sauce*

Instructions

  • Preheat smoker to 275ºF with the lid closed.
  • Mix the ground beef, chorizo, cheese, green chiles, diced jalapeño peppers, and ranch seasoning in a large bowl. 
  • Fill the manicotti shells with the meat filling, using your fingers to press the filling all the way through from end to end. 
  • Wrap each shell with a slice of bacon, making sure to start and finish both ends on the bottom of the shell. Optional: Sprinkle your favorite BBQ rub or Tex Mex seasoning over the bacon.
  • Place the bacon wrapped shells on the grill grates and cook for 75-90 minutes until the bacon is crispy.
  • Brush the shells with the BBQ sauce and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. 
  • Serve the shells with your favorite salsa, queso, ranch, or dips.**

Notes

*I used Traeger Texas Blazin' BBQ Sauce, but any BBQ sauce works. You can add a splash of hot sauce to your favorite sweet BBQ sauce for an extra kick.
**See post above for the smoked queso and smoked salsa recipes pictured here.
Smoke with a sweeter wood like apple or cherry for best results.
You can make these shotgun shells the day before and refrigerate until going on the smoker. You'll want to freeze them if you plan to make ahead any longer than a day.
To reheat smoked shotgun shells, you can use an oven or air fryer at a low temperature (300ºF) to reheat without burning the bacon. Reheat for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF again. You can also microwave a few at a time for 60-90 seconds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Shotgun Shell | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g