1In a large bowl, combine ground sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Mix until fully combined.
2Fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the sausage mixture, using a piping bag or spoon. Wrap each stuffed shell tightly with a slice of bacon, overlapping slightly to fully cover the pasta.
3Place the wrapped shells on a wire rack or tray and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the pasta to soften before cooking.
4Preheat your smoker to 250°F. Place the shotgun shells on the smoker and cook for 1½–2 hours, until the bacon is rendered and the pasta is tender.
5Increase the smoker temperature to 375°F and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes to crisp the bacon.
6Remove from the smoker and rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot, optionally brushed with BBQ sauce or served with your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Bear Mountain Gourmet BBQ Pellets
1 lb ground sausage
10 –12 uncooked manicotti shells
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 TSP garlic powder
1 TSP onion powder
1 TSP smoked paprika
0.5 TSP black pepper
10 –12 slices bacon
BBQ rub
Equipment
smokerlarge bowlpiping bagspoonwire racktray
Tips
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the pasta to soften before cooking.
Optionally brush with BBQ sauce or serve with your favorite dipping sauce.