Description
Irresistible pig shots bring southern comfort to party snacks with crispy bacon cups filled with creamy cheese and savory sausage. Hearty appetizers promise delicious bites that guests will devour in seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 lb (454 g) smoked sausage, cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 lb (454 g) thick-cut bacon, cut in half
Cheese and Creamy Base:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese
Seasonings and Garnish:
- ¼ cup (14 g) green onions, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, for extra smoky flavor)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Prepare the bacon-sausage vessels by carefully wrapping thin bacon slices around sausage rounds, creating circular cups that are structurally sturdy. Secure each cup with a toothpick to maintain its architectural integrity.
- Create a robust cheese mixture by thoroughly blending cream cheese with sharp cheddar, incorporating finely chopped green onions and aromatic spices like garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a hint of cayenne for complex flavor depth.
- Gently fill each bacon vessel with the whipped cheese blend, ensuring complete coverage without overflowing the delicate bacon boundaries.
- Position the assembled pig shots on a lined baking sheet, allowing adequate spacing between each morsel to promote even heat circulation and crisp exterior development.
- Roast in a preheated oven at 400F (200C), monitoring the transformation as bacon edges turn golden and crisp while the internal cheese mixture bubbles and caramelizes, typically requiring 25-30 minutes of culinary alchemy.
- Extract the pig shots from the oven, permitting a brief cooling interval to stabilize the molten cheese interior and enhance structural integrity before serving these savory appetizer bites.
Notes
- Select thick-cut bacon for sturdier cups that hold their shape better during baking, preventing collapse and ensuring a crispy exterior.
- Use room temperature cream cheese to achieve a smoother, more easily spreadable filling that blends seamlessly with other ingredients.
- Experiment with different cheese combinations like pepper jack or gouda to create unique flavor profiles and personalize the recipe to your taste preferences.
- For a lighter version, substitute turkey bacon and low-fat cream cheese, making the appetizer more diet-friendly without sacrificing delicious taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg