Pineapple Cream Cheese Pig Shots
On August 31, 2020 (Updated May 11, 2024)
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These Pineapple Cream Cheese Pig Shots are the perfect appetizer for holiday dinner parties and potluck summer BBQs. Everybody loves a good appetizer and when that appetizer includes bacon, well, let’s just say you’d better make a double batch just to be safe. These pig shots are beyond tasty and won’t last long.
What are Pig Shots?
In a nutshell, pig shots are like a little BBQ shot of pork goodness. I don’t know the true origin of the “Pig Shot” as a recipe. I searched deep into the underbelly of the internet yesterday and found some pretty awesome versions (like these guys with green chiles and cheese), but I couldn’t determine who created them originally. Maybe pig shots are just one of those BBQ recipes that have become common intellectual property, like Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers or 3-2-1 Ribs.
Wherever they came from, I am grateful, because these little bites of heaven are going to be a permanent fixture at our BBQ spreads from here on out.
Smoked Pig Shots
These pig shots are small rounds of sausage wrapped up in bacon to form perfect little shot glasses of meat. (Just being able to write that sentence means that I officially have the best job in the universe.) Our meaty shot glasses are filled with a sweet and savory filling of cream cheese, pineapple, and brown sugar. YUM!
Next, each cup gets a pineapple topping and a gorgeous dusting of my Homemade Sweet Rub. If you’ve been around a while, you know this rub is my go-to rub for a ton of my recipes and I keep it on hand at all times. I recommend you make a big batch and do the same! You can also save yourself some time and purchase this rub (plus many of my other award-winning rubs and sauces) pre-made from Patio Provisions.
How to Make Pineapple Cream Cheese Pig Shots
Ready to make your own amazing pig shots? Follow the instructions below, and scroll to the bottom of the page for a full printable recipe.
- Assemble the “shot glasses.” Slice sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds, and wrap each slice of sausage with half a slice of bacon. Season with a few sprinkles of Sweet Rub.
- Fill the shots. Beat together cream cheese, brown sugar, and pineapple chunks in a bowl. Pipe the pineapple cream cheese mixture into the “shot glasses.” Top with additional crushed pineapple and extra Sweet Rub.
- Smoke. After the assembly process, these bites get lots of love from my grill. I cook these over indirect heat in my Camp Chef pellet grill, but you can cook them on any indirect grill you like. I recommend using fruit or hardwoods like apple, cherry, hickory or maple to add smoke to these beauties.
- Serve. Allow the pig shots to cool slightly before serving warm.
Tips for Making Pig Shots
Before you dive into this recipe, here are a few tips I’ve found help the process of making these appetizers that much easier.
- Use thick cut bacon. The thick cut stuff stands up better on the smoker and holds all the filling in good and tight.
- Don’t forget the toothpicks! I recommend using a toothpick or two to secure the bacon. Remember how many you used so you can remove them prior to serving them to your guests.
- Assemble on a flat cooling rack (like you use for cookies). Use a flat cooling rack to assemble your pig shots. This makes it easier to get them on and off the smoker.
There you have it! You should be good to go! Make sure to scroll below to leave me a comment after you make these bad boys. I’d love to hear how they turned out for you!
Can You Make Pig Shots in the Oven?
Pineapple cream cheese pig shots are excellent on the smoker, but if you are holed up inside for the winter or you don’t have a smoker you can make these in the oven as well.
To cook these pig shots in the oven, simply follow the time and temperature instructions in the recipe below. Keep an eye on the pig shots as they cook to make sure they don’t burn.
More BBQ Bacon Recipes
Bacon, man. It’s a glorious addition to any grilled or smoked meat (and it tastes pretty darn good on its own, too!). For more awesome bacon recipes from Hey Grill Hey, check out these links below:
Pineapple Cream Cheese Pig Shots Recipe
Pineapple Cream Cheese Pig Shots
Video
Ingredients
- 1 package smoked pork sausage or kielbasa
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons Signature Sweet Rub
- 1 pound bacon cut in half width wise
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 300 degrees F. This method is also adaptable for the oven if you don't own a smoker. Simply preheat to the same temperature.
- Make the pig "shot glasses." Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Wrap each slice of sausage with a half of a slice of bacon so it forms a little "shot glass" of meat. Season the shots with the sweet rub.
- Make the pineapple cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and most of the pineapple chunks, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the pineapple to top the shots with later.
- Fill the pig shots. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a quart sized zip top bag and snip off the bottom corner. Fill each shot glass with some of the mixture, leaving just a little room at the top. Spoon the remaining crushed pineapple into the top of each shot and season them all again with a little sweet rub.
- Smoke the pig shots. Carefully transfer the shots to the grill grates (or a foil lined pan if using your oven) and cook for 75-90 minutes, or until the bacon gets crisp.
- Serve warm. Serve the pineapple cream cheese pig shots warm with plenty of napkins. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published in December 2016. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Excellent, we used sliced brats for the coins and the kids loved them!!
This recipe is right up my alley but my husband doesn’t like pineapple. Any suggestions on maybe what i can do to substitute on his half of the shots? More brown sugar perhaps?
Love your recipes. Keep up the great work!
Another fruit will work well, jalapeno will work if he likes spicy.
Honestly you really don’t taste a strong pineapple flavor. I’ve seen others with diced jalapeños and sharp cheddar mixed with the cream cheese.
We just made the Pig shots, excellent.
Mine are in the smoker as we speak. They look so delicious.
A great Xmas eve party starter.
Any pork sausage you recommend works best?
It all works well. Use whatever looks awesome to you!
Can you do these in the oven too ?
Yes. Follow the same time and temperature!
I have made these many times. Every time they were a HUGE hit. Next time I may cook them for a while before adding the filling. I’d like to see the bacon a bit crisper.
Hey grill girl. I made this tonight delicious but bottoms burnt. I cooked till bacon crisp. Any suggestions. Followed recipe. Should i cook on topbof indirect smoker. I was also smoking your wings to fie for. Yum
I’m making these today in my GMG for a Superbowl party – I know they are going to be amazing! Thank you for all of your creative recipes!!
Me too, got everything to make them last night
Pig shots are my go to thing to make when I’m supposed to bring a BBQ appetizer. My base filling is cream cheese and cheddar cheese, what you add to that is only limited by your creativity or what you have on hand.
I went spicy one time by adding Slap Ya Mama seasoning to the base and then a slice of Pickled Jalapeño to the bottom of the cup and on top of the filling. Another time, I bought some of those tiny precooked salad shrimp and added those. My personal favorite is to finely dice pulled pork and mix that with the base filling. For this version I add a drop of BBQ sauce to the top.
A couple tips I learned from making them so many times by request:
– I buy those cheap, disposable grilling sheets and assemble and cook them on that. Makes it easier to put on and take off the grill.
– I use thick bacon and keep it cold as long as you can to maintain its shape. I usually buy the thick peppered bacon, but that’s just personal choice. Thick bacon does mean you have to cook it a little longer to get the bacon crisp, but it’s also more stable.
– I only fill the cups about 2/3’s full. The cream cheese expands while cooking and this makes them fill up without overflowing.
– Finally, if serving to someone who has never had them before, I’ve seen them bite the top off, and then finish with the bottom as a second bite. You don’t get everything that way. I suggest tossing the whole thing in your mouth and chew. That way you get all the flavors in your mouth at the same time. If they want to be dainty, bite it half from top to bottom, and then eat the second half.
@Bill Svendsen – I poke the toothpick through the bacon, through the sausage “coin”, and back out the other side of the bacon. This holds the coin together until the bacon gets cooked and retains its shape.