Have you been on the hunt for the perfect appetizer for your cookout or game day? An onion bomb reigns supreme as the ultimate BBQ appetizer. This delicious creation is a meatball loaded with cheese, encased in an onion, then wrapped in bacon and generously coated with BBQ sauce .
As the onion bomb cooks, the bacon crisps up, and the inside melts, creating gooey cheesy goodness when you cut it open. Perfect for game day, backyard cookouts, and any time I want an appetizer that does the talking for me.
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Table of contents
What You’ll Need
- Yellow Onions — look for large, perfectly round ones. Flat or oblong onions are harder to form into bombs and the rings don’t sit evenly. I pick the biggest ones I can find.
- Ground Pork Sausage — I use pork sausage rather than plain ground pork or ground beef. The seasoning in the sausage adds flavor to the filling without needing to add much else.
- Cheddar Cheese — cut your own cubes from a block. Pre-shredded has added starch that affects how it melts. You want a clean melt that oozes when you cut the bomb open.
- Garlic, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, BBQ rub, BBQ sauce, bacon, jalapeño (optional).
How to Make Onion Bombs on a Pit Boss
Step 1: Slice and Prep the Onions
Firstly, slice both ends of the onions. Cut each onion in half lengthwise, removing the papery outer skin and blemished layers. Separate the onions into layers, keeping the matched pairs together/ Reserve the large pairs to be the exterior shell of your onion bombs.
Step 2: Make the Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork sausage, minced onion from the centers, garlic, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, and BBQ rub. Mix until just combined — don’t overwork it or the filling will be dense. The mixture should hold together when pressed but not feel wet or sticky.
Step 3: Stuff and Season the Shells
Place two matching large onion layers on your work surface, rounded side down. Take a portion of the meat mixture and stuff in one-half of the onion. Press a cube of cheddar cheese into the center.
Now, top the mixture in the matching half. Wrap each onion bomb in bacon, with one slice of bacon on the seam and the other over the holes in the onion to keep the stuffing in. Secure them with toothpicks. Generously season the stuffed bombs with your BBQ rub.
Step 4: Smoke the Onion Bombs
Place the onion bombs on the Pit Boss grates with space between each one. Close the lid and smoke at 250°F for approximately 2.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 155°F. At the 2.5-hour mark brush each bomb generously with BBQ sauce, close the lid, and continue smoking for 30 more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 175°F.
When ready the bacon will be deep mahogany and slightly crisp at the edges, the sauce will be lacquered rather than wet. Rest for 5 minutes before serving — the cheese inside is very hot. Once cooked, transfer to a plate. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
What Temperature to Cook the Onion Bombs At
The onion bombs should be cooked at a medium-low heat of about 250°F-275°F. Plan for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours total — around 2.5 hours to reach 155°F, then another 30 minutes after basting to reach 175°F. Always monitor by temperature rather than time.
Tips for Smoking the Best Onion Bombs
- Cut the ends off: Separating the onions can be a hassle. Thus, cutting the ends off the onions before halving and separating them is most helpful. After doing this, you can push the individual onion rings out from the ends.
- Have fun with flavors!: Keep things fun by mixing the recipe up with a seasoning and sauce of choice. You may even fill the bombs with a different blend of cheeses, or add pickles or anything else that sounds good to you!
How to Store Leftovers and Reheat
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Don’t freeze them — the onion shell releases water when thawed, and the bacon goes soft and rubbery.
To reheat, place in a 325°F oven for 12–15 minutes until warmed through. An air fryer at 350°F for 5–6 minutes also works well and gets the bacon back close to its original texture. Avoid the microwave — it makes the bacon soft and rubbery and the onion releases moisture.
Yes, you can certainly freeze these for up to 3 months. However, the bacon will not be as crisp when eaten after freezing.
What Wood Chips to Use?
I use hickory as my default on onion bombs — the stronger smoke works well with the sweet onion and the fatty bacon. Cherry is worth trying if you want a milder result with a better color on the bacon. Apple can get lost against the richness of the filling — if you want a fruit wood, blend it 50/50 with hickory.
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More Bacon Recipes
Pit Boss Smoked Onion Bombs
Equipment
- 1 Pellet smoker
Ingredients
- 2 whole large yellow onions look for perfectly round ones
- 8 ounces medium cheddar cheese cut into 2-ounce cubes
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 whole egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp Rub
- 4 tbsp BBQ Sauce
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F with your hickory wood chips.
Step 2 :Prep the Onions
- Slice the root and stem ends off the onions. Cut each onion in half and remove the outer skin and any blemished layers.
- Leave the outer rings intact while removing the inside of the onions and mince.These large rings will go on to form the exterior shell of the onion bombs.
Step 3: Make the Meat Stuffing
- Combine the ground pork sausage, minced onion, garlic, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, and BBQ rub in a large mixing bowl. Mix until just combined. The cheese cube goes in the center during assembly — not in the mixture.
Step 4 : Assemble
- Place some of the meat mixture in the bottom round of one onion ring. Gently press a cheese cube into the center of the sausage.
- Top with another onion ring stuffed with sausage. Seal up the edges to keep the cheese in.Make sure that your meat-stuffed onions are nice and round.
Step 5: Wrap in Bacon
- Wrap the seam of each onion with a slice of bacon, securing it with a toothpick.
- Wrap an additional piece of bacon from the top to the bottom and back up, sealing the holes on the ends, securing the onion with another toothpick.
Step 6: Smoke
- Place the onions on the smoker and cook for 2.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 155°F.
Step 7: Baste The Onion Bombs
- At the 2.5-hour mark brush each bomb generously with BBQ sauce. Close the lid and continue smoking for 30 more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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