# Good simple jalapeno popper recipe for beginner?



## wahoowad (Nov 29, 2017)

It's time to branch out from just focusing on the meat and I want to start with making some jalapeno poppers. Any suggestions for a simple recipe? I tend to be put off by recipes calling for lots of ingredients - my palette isn't sophisticated enough for that anyway :D. 

I will only be making a few at a time as I seldom have guests and my g/f has some crazy coughing fits when she eats hot foods. So I might be making small batches just for me. 

I don't like blazing hot foods - "some heat" is good enough for me, so other alternative peppers to use would be nice to know as well. I can handle a mild jalapeno, just sometimes some are less mild than others and I don't know until I try it.


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## griz400 (Nov 29, 2017)

1 brick phillie cream cheese, 12 ounce grated parm cheese, some type of sausage browned up ... I been using original brats out the casing, like 4 or 5 ... then mix all together and wrap with bacon ... this makes a lot, so buy a couple bell peppers .. they stuff up nice for those who don't like heat .. or poblano peppers
you can freeze mixture, or cut in half


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## bluewhisper (Nov 29, 2017)

Right, jalapenos can be wild cards and you don't know what you're getting until you try one. I'd suggest picking a particular source like a local store, and ask the produce management about the jalapenos they offer. Maybe buy a few and do a sample test-roast in a toaster oven or something.


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## motocrash (Nov 29, 2017)

Philidelphia Garden Vegetable or Chive and Onion mixed with shredded cheddar.Banana peppers are typically milder than Japs.


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## wahoowad (Nov 29, 2017)

Say I'm doing some ribs or butt. How long do the filled jalapenos need to be in the smoker? I'm assuming I work backwards and try to have them coming off when the meat is ready to be eaten?

I like the idea of mixing in a little cheddar!


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## troutman (Nov 29, 2017)

Here's what I've been doing for years.   Cut your jalapenos in half, clean them out, use cheddar/jack mix (or add what ever you fancy) and wrap with bacon.  Use a toothpick to hold the bacon and use a Phat Mat to avoid sticking to the grill grates.  Lately I've actually pre-cooked the bacon a little in the micro-wave because that's what takes the longest, the pepper and cheese are done in 15 minutes tops. I cook on the grill at about 300* for crispy bacon but you can smoke as well (which is what I did here)  Always a crowd pleaser at my house.....good luck !!!


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## motocrash (Nov 29, 2017)

wahoowad said:


> Say I'm doing some ribs or butt. How long do the filled jalapenos need to be in the smoker? I'm assuming I work backwards and try to have them coming off when the meat is ready to be eaten?
> 
> I like the idea of mixing in a little cheddar!


You can do it either way - put on with ribs as appetizer or wait so everything turns out at once.Don't get to greedy stuffing them,it expands.I'd say most do the appetizer way.Now you have to choose halved or tops cut off...


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## phatbac (Nov 29, 2017)

If you like a sweet app..try multi colored sweet peppers cut in half lengthwise and fill with blueberry or strawberry cream cheese. wrap with a third to half a piece of bacon and smoke until the bacon is crispy. if you dont want sweet go with the veggie cream cheese or the kind you like those peppers aren't very sweet (despite the name) but there is no heat to them. They come in a bag for about $3 at wally world. I use only third to half strip of bacon because that seems to get it done and use less bacon so i can make more poppers!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)


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## tallbm (Nov 29, 2017)

wahoowad said:


> It's time to branch out from just focusing on the meat and I want to start with making some jalapeno poppers. Any suggestions for a simple recipe? I tend to be put off by recipes calling for lots of ingredients - my palette isn't sophisticated enough for that anyway :D.
> 
> I will only be making a few at a time as I seldom have guests and my g/f has some crazy coughing fits when she eats hot foods. So I might be making small batches just for me.
> 
> I don't like blazing hot foods - "some heat" is good enough for me, so other alternative peppers to use would be nice to know as well. I can handle a mild jalapeno, just sometimes some are less mild than others and I don't know until I try it.



I've got you covered buddy.

Go with Jalapenos for sure.

Cut them in half and remove the White vein and all the seeds.  Doing this with Jalapenos will remove the heat!!!  If you miss some white vein or seeds then you will get just a tiny bit of spice so no risk of burning yourself out no matter what :)







Fill sensibly or even scantily (not over fill) with regular cream cheese.  If you want to get fancy feel free to try the chive and onion cream cheese.

Wrap with as little or as much bacon as you like and stab with a tooth pick to hold in place... or don't lol
A Little bacon:






Lot of bacon:






Smoke or grill at a higher temperature to ensure you get good bacon texture.
I would smoke at 275F+
If you want more smoke flavor then I would cold smoke or smoke at lowest temp you can and then turn up to cook them.  I don't imagine you would cook at a 275F+ temp for more than an hour or so.  Just check back on them and when they look done then they are likely done.  You can always pull one and taste test while checking :D

This is simple and deals with your spice level concerns.  Let me know if this helps :)

FYI, the pics are all from the internet, not mine :)


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## sqwib (Nov 29, 2017)

Chicken Taco ABT's

*Ingredients*

Cooked Chicken breast shredded
Cream Cheese (Optional)
Three cheese blend
Jalapenos
Bacon
Taco Seasoning
Cumin (Optional)
Dark Chili powder (Optional)
In place of the cream cheese I now use chicken broth from the boiled chicken.


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## wahoowad (Nov 29, 2017)

Outstanding recommendations guys.

I think my plan will be to prep the peppers as the meat is getting ready to come off, then swap the peppers for the met and bring the temp up to 275 for the peppers while my meat rests.

All of it looks good. Thanks again!


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## tallbm (Nov 29, 2017)

wahoowad said:


> Outstanding recommendations guys.
> 
> I think my plan will be to prep the peppers as the meat is getting ready to come off, then swap the peppers for the met and bring the temp up to 275 for the peppers while my meat rests.
> 
> All of it looks good. Thanks again!



Let us know how it turns out and take pics :D


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## griz400 (Nov 29, 2017)

here is some "bacon topped" cubanelle peppers, not hot at all, we love poblano peppers as well, and whenever we do peppers, we always get a bell pepper to use up any leftover stuffing , usually do some jalapenos as well.. on this batch, what i tried was partially fried bacon and just topped it off .. worked out great and got rid of most of grease ..


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## WillRunForQue (Nov 29, 2017)

It's probably blasphemy for some, but I keep it simple by crumbling cooked bacon in with my cheddar, cream cheese, and bbq rub mix.  I just find wrapping bacon to be more trouble than I want to deal with (even though the presentation is better with wrapped bacon for sure!).


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## wimpy69 (Nov 29, 2017)

Simple is as good as complex. There is and endless amount of combinations, thats what makes them fun. If its just acouple for the two of us or a hundred for a party, no matter how you make them, there's always none left.


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## wahoowad (Dec 1, 2017)

I will be making some tomorrow but don't have a popper rack. Suggestions? Just lay them on their side on a piece of foil or foil pan?


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## pc farmer (Dec 1, 2017)

wahoowad said:


> I will be making some tomorrow but don't have a popper rack. Suggestions? Just lay them on their side on a piece of foil or foil pan?[/QUOT
> 
> 
> Without a rack, I would cut in half length wise.  No rack needed.


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## motocrash (Dec 1, 2017)

+1 I like them in half anyway,you seem to get more bacon per bite =YEAH!


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## wimpy69 (Dec 2, 2017)

Inexpensive wire racks that have close spacing works the best. You can take them from prep to the smoker to service with no fuss. I normally place wire rack on sheet pan so they can go in fridge if prepped before hand or just ease of transporting them from prep area to smoker and back. Place rack in smoker or whole sheet pan if you like to keep messes down.


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## wahoowad (Dec 2, 2017)

So I made a few today, and I guess I'm not a big cream cheese fan. I used the chive (?) flavor and mixed in some shredded cheddar. I tried one warm and it was too much of that warm, soft cream cheese.

I need to add something to give it more body and thus cut down on the volume of cream cheese. Maybe the shredded chicken or crumbled sausage, or some bread stuffing with a good bit of cheddar and bacon mixed in...


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## motocrash (Dec 2, 2017)

More shredded cheddar to cream cheese ratio to make it pasty like.And sure add anything else you mentioned.Can't always lead off with a home run,sometimes you just get a base hit and learn from it.:cool:


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## wimpy69 (Dec 2, 2017)

I use crumbled smoked sausage chubs, minced red/vidalia/green onion, garlic and minced celery as filler to cut down on cc. I use Neufchâtel cheese in lieu of cc. Little easier piping mix and seems not as heavy in the mouth. When chubs are on sale, i'll smoke a half a dozen and freeze so I have some stock.


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 3, 2017)

I too am not a big fan of hot cream cheese. I like simple, a 1/4" X 1/4" stick of X-sharp Cheddar in each half Jap and wrap with 1/2 strip bacon. Two hours a 225 give good smoke but the bacon is a bit lip. A few minutes in a 500 degree oven fixes that...JJ


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