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Poppable Pork Shots

With a double hit of pork from the sausage and the bacon, these keto Pork Shots have a hidden creamy filling that packs a bit of heat! Follow me, Chef Jenn, and I’ll show you all my tips and tricks to make these amazing keto bacon appetizers perfectly every time!

Pork shots on a white plate, ready to eat.
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I LOVE me some pork. I love it ground, in chops, roasted, sausaged, baconed, and more, and with a double dose of pork in these keto Pork Shots, I love love love them!

What’s not to swoon over? Sausage, bacon, and cheese?

This is a recipe even my mother-in-law would adore, because there are so few ingredients. But, because there are just a handful of ingredients, each needs to be the best it can be.

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Start with a good quality smoked sausage that’s not too fatty. Then, pick a good thick-cut bacon (regular cut just won’t hold together well), and sharp cheddar cheese.

You can switch up the spices – I used chipotle for a rich, smoky flavor, but jalapeno, canned chilis, and even cayenne would do the trick. The idea is to give them a good hit of spice.

The combination between the spiciness, smokiness, and saltiness is pure gold, making these a great choice for keto entertaining, keto potlucks, and keto snacks.

You’ll need a good baking tray for these little gems. You don’t want to use a cookie sheet, but rather a baking sheet with raised sides, to catch all the fat as it cooks off of the Pork Shots. I always recommend commercial grade equipment – it’ll last so much longer and hold up so much better. You’ll also need some round toothpicks. The flat ones are just too flimsy for this recipe.

Versatile Pork Shots

You can switch up the sausage in this tasty dish, picking your favorite keto-friendly smoked sausage.

Then, for keto entertaining, you might want to lower the heat level, but to jack it up, add some chopped serranos or jalapenos instead of the chipotle.

Finally, change up the flavor profile with a different cheese. Cream cheese is the base, but you can add pepper jack, Tex-Mex, Italian blend, or whatever you’ve got on hand.

Once assembled, these tasty Pork Shots can be refrigerated until you’re ready to bake and serve.

30 minutes is all they need in a hot oven, and don’t forget to take the toothpicks out before serving!

Chef Jenn’s Tips to Make PIg Shots

  • Switch up the flavor by using jalapeno or pepper bacon
  • Make these guys ahead of time and just pop them in the oven before you’re ready to eat
  • For added flavor, dip them into this Creamy Jalapeno Dip, Horsey Sauce, this keto BBQ sauce or this blue cheese sauce!
  • Try to get a pack of meaty bacon to help hold in all the cheesy goodness

Are Pork Shots Freezable?

Yes! These tasty bites will freeze just fine. For best results, prepare them right up to the point of baking. Then, cool them completely in the fridge, then wrap them well in freezer-friendly plastic or foil and freeze for up to three months.

To heat, thaw them in the fridge overnight and cook them as per the recipe.

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Pork shots on a white plate, ready to eat.
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4 from 17 votes

Pork Shots

Smoked sausage, salty bacon, and creamy cheese combined with a kick of spice are pure GOLD in these oh-so-good Pork Shots. Bet you can't eat just one!
Course Appetizers
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, keto snacks, pork, snacks, tailgating recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 337kcal
Author Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage
  • 6 slices bacon thick cut
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 tbsp chipotle chili
  • 1 tbsp keto-friendly spice rub no sugar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Slice the sausage in 1/2-inch rounds. Cut the sliced bacon into half or thirds (depending on the thickness of your sausage), and wrap a slice of bacon around the sausage so that there’s a pocket of space at the top of the sausage. Secure with a toothpick.
  • Combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, finely chopped chipotle, and half of the keto-friendly spice rub in a bowl until well blended.
  • Using a small spoon, place a rounded teaspoon (or so) of cheese mixture onto the top of each sausage. The cheese should be surrounded by bacon.
  • Continue until all bacon-wrapped sausages are filled with cheese. Dust with a sprinkle of the remaining spice rub.
  • Place the filled Pork Shots on a baking sheet with raised edges. Bake at 400-F for 30 minutes or until the bacon is golden-brown and crisp around the edges.
  • Sprinkle with smoked paprika, and serve!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 4pieces | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 861IU | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 1mg | Net Carbohydrates: 3g

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

about jenn

Hi, I’m Jenn!

I’m a cookbook author (Keto Soup Cookbook and Keto Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan) as well as a retired chef, recipe developer, and writer of this blog (that’s a lot of hats!). I embarked on a journey to create foodie-worthy Keto-friendly meals that any home cook can be proud of! No matter if you’re low-carb, no-carb, dirty, or strict Keto, there are recipes in Keto Cooking Wins for you and your family. Read more...

7 thoughts on “Poppable Pork Shots”

  1. I’m going to make these for our next game day because I know they will be a hit. I mean who doesn’t want a shot of sausage wrapped in bacon and topped with spicy cream cheese!

    Reply
4 from 17 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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