Cluckin Shotgun Shells That'll Blow Minds
Ever make grilled or smoked Shotgun Shells and not been happy with the texture of the manicotti shell? Well, we have the answer for you!
Things to know:
What are smoked shotgun shells?
Typical smoked shotgun shells are manicotti stuffed with meat and cheese, wrapped in bacon and smoked. A lot of people make them with Italian sausage, mozzarella, and parmesan and, while those are delicious, this recipe goes a totally different direction!
What goes with smoked shotgun shells?
These delicious shotgun shells are an amazing appetizer, especially when served with dips like smoked salsa and queso.
Do you pre-cook manicotti for shotgun shells?
While you normally cook manicotti shells before filling them when making most pasta dishes, you want to start with uncooked manicotti shells for your shotgun shells. As the shells cook, the pasta will soak in the juices from the meat mixture and the bacon wrapping, so no need to worry about crunchy pasta! Making them the day before you cook them and resting them in the refrigerator overnight will also help soften the shells.
What is the difference between manicotti and cannelloni?
Manicotti is the Italian-American version of Cannelloni. Both are pasta tubes, but the difference between the two is fairly minimal: Manicotti tubes are ridged, larger and slightly thicker and often open on the ends. Cannelloni tubes are smooth, a touch smaller and slightly thinner and closed on the ends.
What is the origin of manicotti?
Manicotti, a beloved Italian-American dish, has roots that trace back to traditional Italian recipes for stuffed pasta. The name “manicotti” means “little sleeves” in Italian, referring to the pasta’s tubular shape, designed to hold rich fillings like ricotta, mozzarella, and herbs.
Do they eat manicotti in Italy?
Instead of manicotti, Italians tend to eat a very similar pasta called cannelloni.
Ingredients
1 package of manicotti (typically 14 shells)
14 pieces of thinly cut chicken breast
28 strips of bacon
your favorite brine (we used Sweetwater Spice Co.’s Ancho Chipotle Brine, 2 cups water, 1 cup of the brine)
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese
1 cup of the shredded cheese of your preference
1/4 cup of diced chipotles in adobo
Rub of your choice (we used R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Rub)
1. Two days before making these masterpieces, place your chicken in a gallon sized ziplock bag (hopefully without holes…) and add the brine. Check that puppy in the fridge until the following day.
2. The next day, mix together your filling: cream cheese, shredded cheese of your choice and the diced chipotles. That is what we used, but the possibilities are endless!
3. Add the stuffing to a piping bag and stuff your manicotti shells.
4. Wrap each shell with a thinly sliced chicken breast.
5. Now wrap 2 slices of bacon around the chicken. Place the shells in a container and chuck those puppies into the fridge overnight.
6. On Shotgun Shell day, preheat your smoker to 250F, then apply your favorite rub to the outside you your shells.
7. Place the shells on the smoker and cook for about 90 minutes, then raise the smoker temp to 350F for another 10-20 minutes.
8. Remove from the smoker, allow to cool a bit, then CONSUME and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
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