Ricotta Stuffed Italian Sausage Boats on the Smoker

Tantalize your taste buds with a mouthwatering dish that combines the savory goodness of Italian sausage stuffed with the creamy indulgence of ricotta cheese. Fire up the smoker, gather your ingredients, and prepare to elevate your grilling game with this delicious recipe.

Perfect Any Night Of The Week

Normally when I think of Italian sausage links I tend to think of the typical Sausage, Peppers, & Onions. It’s great but I get bored with the same recipe. So when I was rummaging through my fridge and spied my 5lb tub of ricotta, I knew I wanted to put a spin on it.

Having seen fellow Yoder Smokers team member Brad from Chiles and Smoke and his original stuffed sausage poppers, I wanted to follow his concept and put my spin on it.

Grab Your Ingredients

This recipe is so incredibly easy though it does require a bit of patience when it comes to making the sausages into boats.

• Italian Sausages
• Cheese – ricotta, mozzarella, shredded parmesan
• Egg
• Chupacabra Italian Seasoning
• Marinara, warmed

Mix and Stuff

What I love about this filling is that you can use it in this recipe, stuffed shells, lasagna, manicotti and so forth.

1. To a bowl, add the 3 cheeses, egg, and Chupacabra Italian Seasoning.
2. Using either a spatula or electric mixer, mix it all together until well combined. Set it aside while you make the sausage boats
3. Using a paring knife, make a slit about 1/2″ from each end lengthwise. Make sure to not cut all the way through.
4. Using your fingers, press down and out on the sausage creating a boat. You’re gently spreading it out and apart.
5. Place the filling into each boat stuffing it up and mounding up above the top of the sausages slightly.
6. Put the tray of stuffed sausage boats into the fridge, uncovered while you heat up the smoker.

Light Up The Yoder Smokers YS640

While the sausages are chilling out in the fridge, get the smoker ready.

1. Fill the hopper with your pellets of choice. I went with a competition blend.
2. Start up the smoker and set the temperature to 300F.
3. Once the smoker is to temp, wait 15 minutes and add the tray of prepared stuffed sausages to the top rack. It’s best to leave them on the cooling rack when you smoke them.
4. Smoke for 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165F.

While these are smoking, heat up some marinara.

1. To plate, top with warm marinara, grated parmesan, and some fresh oregano.

This paired so well with garlic bread and a side salad.

If You Can’t Find New York Style Ricotta

If you cannot find the brand I use, buy whole milk one and you’ll have to strain it. You’ll need a cheesecloth, strainer, rubber spatula, and bowl for catching the liquid

• Place the strainer over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth.
• Add the ricotta, use the spatula to gently push & spread it around in an even layer in the cheesecloth.
• Cover the strainer/bowl with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
• The next day, discard the liquid and use the remaining ricotta.

Additional Cooking Methods

If you don’t yet have one of these amazing smokers, you can make them on the grill and also in a home oven with some tweaking

Oven

1. While the sausages are chilling in the fridge, preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Place the cooling rack with the sausages on it, on a rimmed baking sheet and into the oven.
3. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165F

Grill

1. While the sausages are chilling in the fridge, preheat the grill to 275-300F set up for indirect grilling.
2. Place the prepared sausages directly on the indirect side and grill for 1-1.5 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165F.

Recipe Additions & Substitutions

I’ve made this with a bunch of different additions. They all are amazing.

• Sausage – this works with hot sausage, chicken, and turkey sausage.
• Veggies – Add chopped roasted red peppers, artichokes, caramelized onions to the filling

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