Bacon Wrapped Poppers – Roguechef Style

As promised in a prior post, here is a recipe for grilled/smoked jalapeno poppers with a bit of a roguechef twist. Instead of just basic cream cheese or cheddar, we’ll use a pimento spread as the stuffing. One could use this for Chiles Rellenos, but that would be another post. The variations on this theme are almost endless; for example, add a smoked miniature sausage to the pepper or replace the bacon with a thinly sliced strip of zucchini for a vegetarian-compliant dish.

Seasoning can also swing wildly, from none to a BBQ brisket rub, taco, chili, or even Cajun.

These go by many names, “Atomic Buffalo Turds (ABT’s),” “Armadillo Eggs,” Poppers, Jalapeno Poppers, etc. I’m not going to go down that path this morning.

Now, I call out Jalapenos here, but one can do the same with sweet baby bell peppers or go from mild to ragingly wild by using habaneros.

For those without a grill, the cooking is quite simple.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Assemble as directed.
• Bake in the oven until bacon is crispy, 25 to 35 minutes
• Broil the last few minutes for extra crispy bacon.

Wikipedia describes Jalapeno Poppers as:

Jalapeño poppers, or jalapeño bites, are jalapeño peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese, spices, and sometimes ground meat, and breaded and deep-fried. They are a common dish on appetizer menus in chain restaurants in the United States.

They are sometimes called armadillo eggs, especially if wrapped in bacon or sausage meat to give the appearance of an armadillo shell. The term has been used since around 1972 in Texas, antedating the trademark on “Jalapeño Poppers”. As chile relleno can be made with jalapeño, the jalapeño popper is probably a Tex-Mex version of that dish. The name armadillo eggs likely comes from the perceived similarity to Scotch eggs.

Pepper Poppers

Bacon-wrapped jalapeno peppers stuffed with melty pimento cheese and seasonings will become a new starter favorite for backyard BBQs.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, Southwestern

Servings 16 Poppers

Calories 136 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 ea Jalapeno Peppers Washed, Halved, Seeded
• 8 oz Pimento Cheese Spread https://www.roguechef.com/?p=4319
• 16 slices Bacon thin cut, ~ 1 lb

Instructions

 

• Bring the smoker/grill to 200 degrees F.
• Fill each jalapeno pepper half with the pimetno cheese spread.
• Wrap each stuffed jalapeno boat with a slice of bacon. Pierce with toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
• Smoke the poppers for 60-80 minutes, or until the peppers soften and the bacon is starting to crisp.
• Remove from heat, cool slightly, and serve.

Notes

As an alternative, for those without a grill/ smoker.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Assemble as above.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy, 25 to 35 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 293mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 0.01gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 142IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword Bacon, Jalapeno, Smoked

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!