Cranberry Jalapeno Pig Shots
Cranberry jalapeno pig shots are such a fun snack or appetizer recipe!
The filling is super simple because I am using cream cheese that already has the jalapenos mixed in.
These are the perfect mix of salty, spicy, and a little sweet tartness from the cranberry sauce.
Pig shots get their adorable name because when you assemble the smoked sausage and thick cut bacon, they look like a shot glass.
How to make cranberry jalapeno pig shots
First, slice a pound of smoked sausage into about half inch pieces.
You should get right around 20 slices.
Then cut 10 pieces of thick sliced bacon in half.
It is very important that the bacon is thick because regular sliced bacon will not keep its shape as they cook.
Wrap each half slice of bacon around each slice of sausage and overlap it slightly.
Once the bacon is tightly wrapped around the sausage, use a toothpick to poke through the overlapped part of the bacon and into the sausage to hold them in place.
This work is a bit tedious and takes some time but I promise it will be well worth your efforts!
At this point filling options are endless!
I started with the jalapeno cream cheese first.
It works best if the cream cheese is cold, then shape it in place with your hands and fill each.
Finally top each one with a spoonful of cranberry sauce or cranberry relish.
Next stop is either the Traeger pellet grill or oven!
If cooking on the Traeger you can place them directly on the grill grate.
But in the oven place on a baking sheet preferably on a wire rack over the baking sheet.
Either way they will cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Carefully remove the cranberry jalapeno pig shots when the bacon is cooked to your liking
We did have a few topple over slightly but it was no problem… they still tasted delicious!
Letting them cool is probably the hardest part because we all wanted to dig in right away.
Serve them warm, and if you are bringing them to another party or celebration just heat in the oven for a few minutes.
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If you like cranberry jalapeno pig shots, you might also like these recipes…
Smoked Jalapeno Cranberry Shotgun Shells
Traeger Maple Sriracha Bacon
Traeger Cheesy Meatball Flatbreads
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Cranberry Jalapeno Pig Shots
Equipment
- Traeger/Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked sausage
- 10 slices thick cut bacon
- 20 toothpicks
- 1 8 oz container cream cheese with jalapenos (or plain cream cheese and diced jalapeno mixed together)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup cranberry sauce or cranberry relish
Instructions
- Slice the smoked sausage (about half inch thick and you should get around 20 slices total) and cut the bacon in half.
- Wrap each piece of thick cut bacon around each sausage slice, attempting to make each look like a shot glass with the sausage as the bottom. Put a toothpick through where the bacon overlaps, through the bacon and into the sausage.
- Fill each with the cream cheese with jalapenos almost to the top, then spoon some cranberry sauce to top off each pig shot.Note: This works best if the cream cheese is cold or at room temperature, I rolled some with my hands in the same shape as the "shot glass" and placed in the center.
- Cook according to one of these methods:Traeger/ Pellet Grill: Set the temperature to 350 degrees and place the pig shots on the grate for 45 minutes to 1 hour (keep an eye on them and remove when the bacon is done to your liking).Oven: Cook in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a wire baking rack over a baking sheet.
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