Smoked Pig Shots

What could be more incredible than smoky bites of bacon, sausage, and cheese? Smoked pig shots are definitely one of the most fun appetizers we make in the smoker and are a huge crowd-pleaser. I’m just gonna tell you straight up that you should at least double this recipe, cause this is gonna fly off the tray.

If you think these look like a lot of work, I am here to put you at ease. For pig shots, you just need to wrap bacon around a chunky piece of sausage to form a “shot glass”, then fill it with a scrumptious cheese mixture.

After making the first few shots, you really get the hang of it and they’ll be ready in no time.

And here’s that extra motivation you didn’t know you needed. The layers of flavor here are incredible. You aren’t going to be disappointed by this simple, fun dish. Especially once we add that smoke element. Mercy!

🐷 Ingredients

Cream Cheese – I always recommend you compare ingredients between brand-name and store-brand and make sure you are getting a good brand. Sometimes, the generics add fillers you do not want or need. Some of the generics are fine, so just check the label.

Boursin – You can find this at your local warehouse store for excellent prices, or find it in your grocery store’s gourmet cheese section. It’s a flavored soft cheese spread and comes in several flavor options such as garlic, or chives. Boursin is a brand name; it may also be called Gournay, depending on where you live.

Jalapeńo – You can always bump up the heat by going with an even more aggressive pepper such as habeńero, Aleppo, or poblańo. Know your guests.

Smoked Sausage – You can use any variety of smoked sausage you like. It comes in beef, turkey, and even chicken. Some are flavored with spices, heat, or apples. We chose the mild country smoked sausage variety. Kielbasa also works.

Bacon – Thick-cut bacon is required to hold up in the smoker and create the effect of a shot glass.

Seasoning – Any BBQ Dry Rub will work, just use your favorite! You could go with a sweet seasoning mix and maple bacon or mix things up however you like. If you have leftover Pulled Pork Rub, this is a great time to use that up.

BBQ Sauce – Again, use your favorite.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Sharp Knife | Whatever you would use to slice bacon in half and slice up the sausage. Nothing fancy.

Disposable Aluminum Pan | We love buying these in bulk from a warehouse store to use in the smoker, but you can definitely pick them up in most grocery stores as well.

Plastic Bag | You can use a plastic baggy with a zipper or a disposable piping bag. Either works perfectly!

Basting Brush | Use this to cover your pig shots in BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking process.

Smoker | Should you be in the market for a smoker, we highly recommend the Big Green Egg. If you don’t have a smoker, you can make a similar recipe in the oven. You can also use a gas grill, charcoal grill, or pellet grill equipped with a lid and a smoker box.

Wood Chips | Whatever you have on hand will work. Just ease up a little if you have hickory or mesquite, which tend to be a bit more intense. For a milder smoke flavor opt for fruit wood such as apple or cherry. The latter will give the bacon a deeper color. Consult our printable smoking wood chart for more options!

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Preheat the smoker or grill to 350°F. Slice the bacon in half.

Step Two: Cut the sausage into 1/2″ or 3/4″ rounds. These will form the base of your shot glass.

Step Three: Wrap each sausage slice with a half slice of bacon, lining up the edges so that the bacon forms a shot glass with the sausage as a base. Use toothpicks to hold everything in place. Place the pig shots in the disposable pan. We’ll slather them with BBQ sauce for the last minutes of smoking so it’s way cleaner to use a pan than placing them directly on the grill grates or using a cooling rack.

Step Four: Combine the cream cheese, boursin, and seasoning using a hand mixer.

Step Five. Fill a bag with the cream cheese mixture and cut off one corner so that you can squeeze the filling into each bacon-wrapped sausage. It’s so much easier than using a spoon.

Step Six. Put those pig shots in the smoker and walk away. Come back 45-60 minutes later, when the bacon is cooked through and starting to crisp up.

Step Seven. Use your pastry brush to cover each smoked pig shot in BBQ sauce and let it caramelize in the smoker. This will take 5-7 minutes.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Soften the cream cheese to make mixing it and piping it significantly easier. You can set it out on the counter for one or two hours before you plan to make the recipe.

If you want to use shredded cheese instead, use one cup. Shredded cheese is easier and a bit cheaper. To make sure the shredded cheese melts, shred it yourself. 

The filling should fill about 12-15 pig shots. If you are cooking more, always double the recipe. Thin bacon doesn’t work as it won’t hold up the “glass” of the the shot glass. 

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

You have leftover smoked pig shots? That’s amazing! Pop those babies in the refrigerator in an airtight container or freezer-quality storage bag and they will keep for up to five days.

Microwave the leftovers for easy reheating. Start with thirty seconds and add time as needed until they are hot and bubbly.

You can also stick them in the oven on a sheet pan at 400ºF and reheat them until hot and bubbly. A skillet would also work, but it would require more hands-on involvement.

Freezing pig shots will change the texture of the cream cheese filling so that they aren’t fun to eat anymore. We do not recommend it.

Additions and Substitutions

Sausages – If you can’t find the longer sausage links in the flavor you want, you can always buy the smoked sausages intended for a bun as long as they are thick enough to form a good base.

Mix up the flavors – Bacon, smoked sausage, and Boursin all come in several flavors! Each time you make smoked pig shots, try different flavor combinations to keep it interesting.

Dry rubs – Switch up the dry rub! Besides the numerous store-bought options you can easily make your own at home. After all, it is just a matter of mixing the ingredients in a small bowl.

Try our all-purpose BBQ rub for grilling, the Yucatan dry rub full of lovely Mexican flavors, or the Java dry rub for a subtle coffee flavor to make things interesting.

Filling ingredients – Mix other tasty ingredients into the cream cheese filling. Some classic additions that complement the yummy pork shots are jalapenos, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese.

BBQ sauces – Going for different BBQ sauces will also create amazing variations for this recipe. Pretty much any combination will work.

This Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce goes perfectly with any and all pork dishes. For a tangy kick, the cherry bourbon BBQ sauce is an excellent choice!

Or, enjoy some boozy flavors with the whiskey BBQ sauce, or the smoked pumpkin bourbon BBQ sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Want to make your pig shots even more decadent? Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce or other toppings such as diced pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, and bell peppers before serving.

What should I serve with smoked pig shots? A better question is, “What can’t you serve with smoked pig shots?”! This handy finger food is a perfect addition to any party spread and pairs well with most BBQ sides.

Classic side dishes like grilled bourbon peach baked beans and grilled mac and cheese are always met with enthusiasm.

It’s also super easy to make other smoked sides while the pig shots smoke. Smoked fingerling potatoes, smoked corn on the cob, smoked asparagus bundles, and smoked butternut squash are wonderful choices to have for a BBQ feast.

You could also serve pig shots as your main dish for a meal at home. It’s a little decadent, but hey! I say go for it. Add a good beer, and maybe a salad with vinaigrette like this grilled peach and arugula salad to brighten things up a bit.

Or just nom away. It’s mostly protein, after all.

❓ Recipe FAQ

Related Recipes

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!