Smoked Pigs in a Blanket
With the big game coming up, guests will be looking for this party favorite at the snack table.
Not a football fan? No worries. You can still throw down some pigs in a blanket like a pro.
This quick and well-known appetizer of small sausages and puffed dough carries a fun nod to the everything bagel. The hint of smoke also brings those piggies to the next level.
The key players and plays
The pig
You have many choices, here, but make sure you choose a quality mini sausage or cocktail wiener.
I used a plain variety because more of the flavor will develop as we cook them.
The blanket
Use your favorite brand of crescent rolls. The name brands seem to have better perforations and are less sticky, but all brands puff up ok. Â
Make sure to keep the can refrigerated until just before you want to use the dough. It’s much easier to work with when it’s chilled.
If the can gets warm, the dough will become sticky and complicate your process, making the roll-up appear messy and even causing an uneven bake.Â
Crescent rolls are already perforated into triangles, but you will need to cut these triangles in half or even thirds since we are smoking mini pigs in a blanket here.
One can of dough should yield 16 or more if you cut them into thirds.
The assembly
- Remove one triangle.
- Cut it in half.
- Place a wiener at the base of the triangle and then roll the dough up to the tip.
- Place the covered wiener on a wire rack on a baking tray.
- Space them evenly on the rack
The topping
Now it’s time to start taking these pigs to the next level.
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a glass bowl or cup. Generously brush the tops of the dough-covered pigs with the butter.Â
The wire rack will allow any excess butter to run off, so the pigs do not become too greasy. The butter will help the dough to achieve a nice, rich brown color.
Next, sprinkle the everything bagel seasoning on top of the dough. Some will fall off, but the wire rack will help keep any excess away from the pigs for the cook. Â
The smoke
Unlike traditional pigs in a blanket cooked in the oven, we’re using a pellet smoker for this recipe with pecan pellets from Bear Mountain BBQ. They produce a nice, even smoke without bitterness.
If you do not have a pellet smoker, you can cook these in the oven. You will get the everything bagel feel but will miss the smoke. To compensate, you could even use a mini sausage that is already smoked.Â
If the baking tray under the wire rack is especially dirty after the butter brush and seasoning sprinkle, you may want to lift it carefully off and rinse the baking sheet underneath before beginning the cook.
By cooking at a lower temperature, the seasoning shouldn’t burn on the bottom, but I always say better safe than sorry. And you want these piggies to have a nice smoke flavor, not a burnt smoke flavor. Â
Set the pellet smoker first to 225°F.
Cook the pigs in a blanket for 15 minutes.
Turn the temperature up to 350°F and cook for a further 10 minutes to finish them off.
The dough should be golden brown. If they seem to be darkening too quickly, leave them on the lower temperature for longer and the high temperature for less.
The eating
Let the pigs in a blanket cool for at least 5 minutes before eating. Those dough blankets will hold in some heat!
Use your favorite dipping sauce if desired. We used a pre-made mustard barbeque sauce by our brand Smoke Kitchen that was absolutely delicious. However, a cheese dip would also be fun, and a cream cheese dip would round out that everything bagel seasoning taste!
You’ll find yourself putting this sweet, tangy, and addictive mustard sauce on everything.
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Need some more game-day appetizers to throw on the platter?
- Buffalo garlic pig wings
- Bacon wrapped cheese stuffed brats
- Jalapeño popper shotgun shells
- Smoked candied bacon
- Hot and fast baby back ribs
Smoked Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
- 1 package cocktail wieners
- 1 can crescent rolls
- 2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
- 2 tbsp melted butter unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough. Cut each perforated triangle in half.
- On half of one of the triangles, place 1 cocktail wiener at the base of the triangle. Roll from the base to the tip. The ends of the weiner will not be covered.
- Place each pig in a blanket about 2 inches apart on a wire rack that is on top of a baking tray.
- Melt the two tablespoons of butter. Brush each pig in a blanket with the butter.
- Sprinkle the everything bagel seasoning on each one.
- Smoke at 225°F for 10 minutes.
- Turn up the smoker to 350°F and cook for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.