Shotgun Shells

Bacon Wrapped Pasta (Shotgun Shells)

Bacon wrapped pasta, also known as Shotgun Shells, is a BBQ favourite for good reason. Stuffed cannelloni wrapped in crispy bacon, smoked first and then finished in sauce and cheese, this recipe has a few steps—but every one of them is worth it.

What are Shotgun Shells?
Shotgun Shells are uncooked cannelloni tubes stuffed with a seasoned meat and cheese filling, wrapped in bacon and cooked low and indirect. The pasta softens during the cook while soaking up smoke, sauce and fat from the bacon.

Choosing the Pasta:
Cannelloni tubes are ideal for this recipe. They’re wide enough to stuff easily and strong enough to hold their shape during the cook. There’s no need to pre-cook the pasta—the sauce and finishing stage will take care of that.
Meat and Bacon Selection:

A 50/50 mix of pork and beef mince gives you the best balance of flavour and moisture. For the bacon, use streaky bacon with enough length to fully wrap each tube. Thin bacon renders better and crisps up more evenly.

Equipment Needed:
•    Weber kettle (57cm / 22”) or similar charcoal BBQ
•    Charcoal baskets
•    Chimney starter
•    Baking rack and tray
•    Saucepan
•    Tongs

A lid thermometer is fine here, but this is a forgiving cook.

Preparation:
Start by mixing your pork and beef mince with salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary and garlic powder. Add grated cheddar cheese and mix until just combined.

Carefully stuff the mixture into the cannelloni tubes. Take your time here—over-packing can cause the tubes to split.

Wrap each stuffed tube with a single slice of streaky bacon, overlapping slightly so the seam is underneath. Place them seam-side down on a baking rack set over a tray.

The Cook:
Set your Weber up for high indirect heat (220–240°C / 428–464°F) using charcoal baskets.

Fill the baskets with briquettes, light them fully in a chimney starter, then place them at opposite ends of the charcoal grate. Add a chunk of smoking wood—sugar gum works well for this recipe.

Leave all vents wide open and allow the BBQ to preheat for about 5 minutes.

Place the tray of bacon wrapped pasta in the centre of the grill, away from direct heat. Cook for 15 minutes with the lid vent positioned over one of the charcoal baskets.

After 15 minutes, rotate the lid 180 degrees so the vent sits over the opposite basket. This helps keep the cook even.

At the same time, start your pasta sauce. Soften chopped onion in a saucepan, add garlic, then stir in passata and fresh herbs. Simmer gently until warmed through.

After around 30 minutes total cooking time, the bacon should have taken on enough smoke and colour. Remove the pasta from the BBQ.

The Payoff:
Pour a layer of pasta sauce into a large pan or tray. Arrange the smoked cannelloni over the sauce, then spoon more sauce over the top.

Finish with a generous layer of grated cheese and return the tray to the BBQ, still cooking indirectly at 220–240°C (428–464°F).

Cook for another 30 minutes, rotating the lid halfway through. This stage softens the pasta and melts the cheese.

Once done, remove from the BBQ, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with rustic bread for soaking up the sauce.

Ingredients:
Meat Filling
•    250g beef mince (8.8 oz)
•    250g pork mince (8.8 oz)
•    1 tsp salt
•    1 tsp cracked black pepper
•    1 tsp dried thyme
•    1 tsp dried rosemary
•    1 tsp garlic powder
•    100g grated cheddar cheese (3.5 oz)
Pasta & Wrap
•    12–14 cannelloni tubes
•    12–14 slices streaky bacon
Pasta Sauce
•    1 tbsp olive oil
•    1 brown onion, finely chopped
•    2 cloves garlic, chopped
•    700ml passata (23.7 fl oz)
•    Fresh herbs (basil, parsley or oregano)
To Finish
•    Extra grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
•    Fresh parsley, chopped
•    Rustic bread, to serve

Recipe Steps:
1    Mix beef, pork, seasoning and grated cheese in a bowl.
2    Stuff uncooked cannelloni tubes with the meat mixture.
3    Wrap each tube with streaky bacon and place on a rack over a tray.
4    Set up BBQ for indirect heat at 220–240°C (428–464°F).
5    Add smoking wood and preheat BBQ for 5 minutes.
6    Cook pasta indirectly for 30 minutes, rotating lid after 15 minutes.
7    Prepare pasta sauce while the shells are cooking.
8    Remove pasta from BBQ and place into a pan with sauce.
9    Top with more sauce and grated cheese.
10    Return to BBQ and cook for another 30 minutes, rotating lid halfway.
11    Remove, garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Recipe Info:
•    Prep Time: 25–30 minutes
•    Cook Time: 60 minutes
•    Serves: 4–6
•    Effort: Average
•    Course: Main
•    Cuisine: Australian / American
•    Hydration: 2 beers (optional but very recommended)

Tips & Variations
•    Don’t parboil the pasta: The sauce and finishing cook will soften it perfectly.
•    Cheese options: Mozzarella gives better melt, cheddar adds sharper flavour.
•    Add heat: Mix chilli flakes or hot sauce into the meat filling.
•    Smoker option: This recipe works just as well in a pellet grill or offset smoker at similar temperatures.
•    Make ahead: Stuff and wrap the shells earlier in the day and refrigerate until ready to cook.

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