This popular social media recipe is even better when made with ground venison
Grilled Venison Barbecue Shotgun Shells
45 Min
Prep Time
25 Min
Cook Time
5-10
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
I love developing and experimenting with my own new recipes. But I'm also not one to turn down a tasty looking recipe that is trending on social media. If you follow any cooking pages or groups, you've probably seen this one yourself. Uncooked manicotti shells get stuffed with cooked ground meat, wrapped in bacon, and grilled.
For a better finished texture on the pasta, I've found it best to fill the tubes, go ahead and add the bacon, then refrigerate for 4-8 hours to let the pasta absorb some of the moisture. Then they go onto the Traeger Grill and get brushed with a bit more BBQ sauce for a glaze. We served them as appetizers and they were a huge hit. These would be perfect for tailgating, since you can do all the prep work at home before tossing them on the grill to cook the bacon and heat the filling.
Ingredients
1 pound ground venison
1 pound sliced bacon, the thinner the better (you might need more, depending on number of slices in package)
1 pound ground breakfast sausage
Two 8-ounce boxes of manicotti pasta, uncooked (you will need 16-20 shells)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup Myron Mixon Hickory BBQ Sauce, plus more for grilling
1 tablespoon Myron Mixon Original BBQ Rub
Cooking Instructions
Start by browning the venison and sausage in a large skillet. Once the meat has browned, drain any accumulated fat from the sausage. Add the BBQ rub and stir to combine.
Use a spoon to completely fill the uncooked shells with the meat mixture. Take care not to break the shells.
Set your Traeger Grill at 350 degrees. Add the filled manicotti. Grill for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through, turning often and brushing with BBQ sauce after each turn.
