Meat Lovers Smoked Shotgun Shells

Step 1

Par cook the manicotti. Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil. Add your manicotti shells to the boiling water and cook for about 4-6 minutes to par-cook (partially cook).

Step 2

Preheat. Turn on the smoker and preheat your smoker to 275 degrees F using your favorite hardwood.

Step 3

Make the filling. While the noodles cook, combine the hot Italian sausage, mini pepperonis, and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl until just incorporated.

Step 4

Stuff the shells. Remove the partially cooked noodles from the water to a cooling rack set atop a baking sheet lined with foil. Stuff each shell with a portion of the sausage mixture. Grab a couple of ounces of the sausage and roll it into a cylinder shape before sliding it inside the pasta shell. Press with your fingers to load the shells with the sausage.

Step 5

Wrap and season. Wrap each stuffed shell with a slice of bacon, tucking the ends to prevent the bacon from unraveling while they cook. Set the wrapped shells back on the cooling rack. Season across the top with the Hey Grill Hey Chicken Rub.

Step 6

Smoke. Place the pan of shotgun shells on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the sausage reads 170-175 degrees F and the bacon has rendered. Remove the pan of shotgun shells from the smoker.

Step 7

Serve. In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Baste liberally across the tops of your finished shotgun shells. Allow the finished product to cool for 5 minutes or so before transferring it to your serving platter and enjoying it with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.