# ABT Question



## navyfe (Jul 19, 2007)

Going to try these this weekend. Have not decided how to stuff them - but will experiment. 

The question is - can you vacuum seal them and frezze?

Plan on smoking them for about 3 hours.

thanks


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## az_redneck (Jul 19, 2007)

I wouldn't freeze cheese after I cooked it unless it was a cheesecake mixed with other stuff. It tends to get real funky and crumbly once defrosted. I mean, you can try it, I just wouldn't do it unless it was mixed in with something else like eggs to keep it smooth.


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## crewdawg52 (Jul 19, 2007)

I do think a 3 hr smoke will be way too long for ABTs.  In my experience, at 
225 - 250 (doing other things of course), you'll only need around 1+30 to 
2 hrs only, if that long..  A three hr smoke will pretty much blacken the bacon and make the jap mushy (along with the filling being not to appetising.  ok i cant spell).  My suggestion is to go by looks with ABTs.  You want the bacon to be golden and crispy, and for me, that's  times I stated earlier.

Geat thing about cooking.....do it how you want to.  These are only suggestions.  Good Luck!


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## bbq bubba (Jul 19, 2007)

Keep it simple Steve, mix your favorite rub with some cream cheez, put it in a ziploc bag and cut the corner off like a piping bag, wrap with a half strip of bacon over the top to keep the yummies in and smoke about 1 1/2 hours, when the bacon's done, the ABT's are done......good luck, and don't forget pics


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## monty (Jul 19, 2007)

Steve,
I have to agree with AZ Redneck...do not freeze'em.

The products involved for the most part do not freeze well when cooked and generally, when done right...there's none to freeze!

Cheers!


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## up in smoke (Jul 19, 2007)

By the way guys, I saw a neat way to clean those jalapenosâ€¦ just make a slit down one side, about 1/2" from either end, then squeeze from ends just like that little rubber change purse your mom had, then scrape the inside with a teaspoon, stuff and they spring back to their formal shape (if ya donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t overstuff), then just wrap on the bacon, and you dont even need a rack! Is that cool or what!


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## monty (Jul 19, 2007)

Excellent, Carl!

Think I'll try that this weekend. If all goes well a friend will be here to photo the effort.

Neat stuff!

Cheers!


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## zapper (Jul 20, 2007)

@ BBQ Bubba, that is exactly how I pipe the filling into "Deviled Eggs". Kind of a disposable mixing/piping bag.

As for ABTs I like the split in half method. I tend to mound the cheese mix kind of on the proud side and then put the stuffed peppers into the fridge for awhile before wrapping with bacon. This lets the cheese firm up a bit and makes the bacon wrapping a little easier.

As for freezing? I don't know. Maybe in their unsmoked state, to have on hand for the next time that you smoked. Freezing in my opinion degrades everything just a bit and some things more. I don't think that I would freeze precooked ABTs and expect the reheat/thaw to be very kind to them. (Ain't no smokked ABTs gonna be left overs either, it's just one of those things)


ABTs are indeed a thing of love, they are alot of work for what they are. Spend almost an hour making them and then maybe two hours in the smoker, ten bucks or so in bacon, cheese and peppers. And for what? Out of two dozen I am lucky to get six! (Actually I knew the sacrafice when I took them into work the other day, if you want to be a hero, take some to the crew!)


I did a couple of "Anahimn" (SP) bannana peppers in the last batch, they were pretty good too. I just wish that I could tell what the heat will be on the Jalapenos, they were all over the place, from under ripe green to mild (NO Complaints here!) all of the way to "Damn! I can't believe I ate that!" hot!


Evryone that tried any has asked what I would charge for a batch of a dozen or two. I think that I could name my price, but I just don't want to have to work that hard for money!


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## deejaydebi (Jul 20, 2007)

Navyfe-

It kind of depends on temperature as to how long they need to smoke and whether you like your peppers soft or firm. The higher the temperaturer the fast they cook  (naturaly). I like mine crisp and firm so I pre cook the baco a bit in the microwave until it just starts to brown but is still soft and pliable. I hate soft bacon and it comes out real crispy with crisp japepenos this way.

Enjoy!

Carl -

That is a great idea! I Gotta try that. Thanks!


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## navyfe (Jul 20, 2007)

Thanks everybody!!!

Will give these suckers a try this weekend - will post the pics - good or bad.

Planning on using cream cheese - but see that some of you use cheddar.  Do you grate it up and mix with other ingredients???


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## gypsyseagod (Jul 20, 2007)

even if the fam won't do them- i'm going abt happy this wknd- doing mine w/ shrimp/fatty/crawfish/garlic paste(smoked),& king crab stuffing (cream cheese & sour cream topping)w/ home smoked bacon/comino wrap.


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## zapper (Jul 20, 2007)

I go about half by volume cream cheese to shredded Sharp chedder. You could use what ever cheese you like or a mix. I would say that the cream cheese helps keep the chedder from runing all over when it gets smoked.

Read around for a few different variations and see what you think appeals to you. I never do anything quite the same two times, but I do like sharp chedder and cream cheese for the base and then from there the filling can take on a life of it's own. Garlic powder, onion powder, honey, rub mix, shrimp, sausage, bacon bits, chopped pepper, whatever is on hand or what ever floats your boat. I must admit that I like mine cooked a little longer than most it seems, I like the pepper to be cooked to a softer state, but crisp is good too, if you just can't wait


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## franco61365 (Jul 20, 2007)

I made my first batch of ABT's this last Sunday, I just seasoned them with my rubs, and some S&P, BUT I am thinking of making some this coming weekend with crushed pineapple in them, I think they should turn out great.


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## chris_harper (Jul 20, 2007)

i buy a block of cheddar. i slice it in strips, different sizes. i put a slice in the jap, and keep adding more in until it is full. i push it in some with my index finger, and put a small cube of cheese in the top. then wrap with bacon, and slice a toothpick thru, close to the top. i smoke mine 2.5-3 hours. i like them this way, and my daughter likes the ones i smoke for 3 hours.


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## catfish (Jul 20, 2007)

I just did my first ABT's last weekend. creamcheese, sharp cheddar, bacon(bits I made). Smoked them for 3 HRS at 220. Turned out rubbery and tough. And the cheese was dry and kind of off. Fixing to try them this weekend with a little less time.


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## crewdawg52 (Jul 20, 2007)

I like using room temp onion and garlic cream cheese, grated sharp cheddar, and one of my rubs (got a few...depends on the seasoning I want that day), all mixed together.

Good luck on yours.


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## navyfe (Jul 22, 2007)

Just picked up some peppers.   The only ones I could get from the Farmers Mkt are about 2 1/4" long.  Is this about the right size????  Going to give them a try


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## low&slow (Jul 22, 2007)

Catfish, If you bump the temp up to about 300 and smoke them for about an hour, then your bacon will be nice and crispy.


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## catfish (Jul 22, 2007)

thanks for the tip low&slow. I usually go the first try from the site then try it a few different ways. The bacon was ok the peppers were what were rubbery. Think I wil try them a little hotter in the smoker and a little shorter time. practice practice practice. And I get to eat the mistakes.


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## deejaydebi (Jul 23, 2007)

I throw my bacon in the nukulator between paper towels for a few minutes until it starts to brown a bit but is still soft - then I wrap the ABT's and it's done crispy just right with the ABT's!


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## ron50 (Jul 23, 2007)

Chris:

Do you find they melt ok using chunks? It sure would save me a lot of time shredding.


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## deejaydebi (Jul 23, 2007)

Ron 

Mosts cheeses will start to melt with any heat above 110 degrees


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## chris_harper (Jul 23, 2007)

when i pull them out, the cheese is all melted together. so i guess it works good. i never thought about using shredded. if i went that route, i would buy already shredded.


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## brennan (Jul 23, 2007)

Last time I mixed shredded cheese in thr cream cheese, they came out really oily from the shredded cheese I used...too much oil.  When you use cheese, make sure that it doesn't have too much oil in it.


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## navyfe (Jul 24, 2007)

Which cheese would have the least oil?  I did notice that when I made my first batch of ABT's, I did mix some shredded cheddar and they did get a little runny.


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## deejaydebi (Jul 25, 2007)

Some companies add oil to replace the milk look at the ingrediants on the package. Cheese is fatty anyway but it's cheaper to add oil then to go all milk.


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## brennan (Jul 25, 2007)

I agree with Debi, just look at the ingredients and if it has oil, look somewhere else.  I mixed in some mexican blend shredded cheese in my last batch of ABT's and the cheese oozed out all over my smoker.  So long as you try to keep away from the oily cheeses you should have nothing but luck with your ABT's.  Also, if you let your fatty rest a while to let the cheese cool a bit, you should minimalize oozage


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## deejaydebi (Jul 26, 2007)

Get an all milk low fat cheese. Or get High temperature cheese!


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## brennan (Jul 26, 2007)

What qualifies as a high temp cheese? Would that generally be a hard cheese like parmesan? or is there a specific list of cheeses resistant to high temps?


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## hawgheaven (Jul 26, 2007)

I posted this a week or two ago... 

Cream cheese, ripe avocado, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together into a smooth, creamy consistency (I used my wife's Kitchenaid mixer). Stuff and wrap the peppers, smoke at 300 for an hour or so... or until bacon is done.

Not your normal ABT, but that avocado gives them a nice flavor. After I mixed it all together, I asked my wife to taste test the filling. She went nuts over it, telling me to use it as a dip instead! 

Debi, did you try the artichokes yet?


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## smokincowboy (Jul 26, 2007)

Navyfe  I too have had the Idea of Pineapple so I put some with creamcheese in a fatty the first time with crushed . no pineapple taste the next time with the tid bit size (small chunks) very little taste so the wife says to try mixing some of the juice with the cheese and the pineapple hope this helps  good luck


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