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a tray of Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
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5 from 6 votes

Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

When it comes to barbecued appetizers, is there anything more popular than smoked jalapeno poppers? They're easy to make, and the kiss of smoke gives the jalapeno/cheese/bacon a great flavor.
I've made smoked jalapeno poppers quite a few different ways, but this one is quickly becoming my favorite. They take a little bit more time to make than traditional jalapeno poppers, but the time is totally worth it.
You can prep these the day before and then do the final one hour cook right before you serve.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword how to make jalapeno poppers, meat stuffed jalapeno poppers, smoked jalapeno poppers, smoked jalapeno poppers recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 40 Poppers
Calories 213kcal
Author Nick @ SmokedMeatSunday.com

Ingredients

  • 20 Jalapenos halved longways, deveined and seeds removed
  • 16 ounces cream cheese with chives
  • 12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 Pound of beef stew meat - you could use any type of beef here that is cut into small cubes.
  • 2 Pounds of bacon - strips cut in half
  • 2 tbsp of your favorite bbq rub - I used Caribeque Beef Rub on these.
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Barbecue Sauce

Instructions

  • Toss the stew meat with the bbq rub, and smoke at 225 degrees for 2 hours. The stew meat should be about 165 degrees internal temp.
  • Toss the stew meat with a tablespoon of butter and barbecue sauce and cook an additional 45 minutes covered in an aluminum pan at 300 degrees.
  • Combine the cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and spoon about one tablespoon of the mixture into each jalapeno half. Wear gloves to keep the jalapeno oils off your skin.
  • Put one or two pieces of smoked stew meat on top of the cream cheese mixture in the jalapeno, and then wrap with half a strip of bacon. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place.
  • Smoke the jalapeno poppers at 225 degrees for 30 minutes, and then adjust your smoker temp up to 375 degrees. They're done when the bacon has crisped to your preference and the internal temp hits 165 - approximately 30 additional minutes

Notes

Making smoked jalapeno poppers is easy, but there are a few things you will need to make the prep work easier.
  • Tomato Corer- This handy little tool makes it a lot easier to clean out the jalapenos.
  • Toothpicks
  • Rubber Gloves - I use these almost every time I am prepping food. They're especially handy when you're handling jalapenos. If you've ever scratched an itch or picked your nose (ew) after cutting jalapenos you know what I'm talking about.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 492mg | Sugar: 1g