Smoky, cheesy, and loaded with flavor, these Smoked Jalapeño Poppers are the ultimate appetizer for backyard BBQs, game days, and good times.
There are appetizers you make because you should, and then there are appetizers that disappear before you even get them to the table. These Smoked Jalapeño Poppers are definitely the second kind. Fresh jalapeños are stuffed with a rich, creamy cheese filling, wrapped in smoky bacon, and slow-smoked until the peppers are tender, the cheese is gooey, and the bacon is perfectly crisp around the edges. The smoker does all the heavy lifting, giving these little flavor bombs that irresistible wood-fired smokiness you just can’t get from the oven.
They’re made for backyard hangs, game days, cookouts, or anytime you have friends coming over and want something seriously good to put out with a cold drink. Fair warning: make more than you think you’ll need. Between the smoky bacon, spicy-sweet jalapeño bite, and creamy filling, these tend to vanish fast. Good food, good drinks, a little attitude—and absolutely no boring appetizers allowed.
No Smoker? That’s o.k. You can still make delicious Jalapeno Poppers in the oven. Preheat your oven at 400 degrees and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until they look melty and delicious.
Ingredients in Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
- Jalapenos – Pick 10 jalapenos that have a nice uniform shape.
- Cream Cheese – An 8 oz. brick of cream cheese.
- Cheddar Cheese – 4 oz. of sharp cheddar cheese, such as Tillamook.
- Bacon – 10 strips of bacon. The thin stuff is best for this recipe.
- Cilantro – For garnish, if desired.
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More Seriously Salty Recipes
If you’re building a spread, don’t stop at the poppers. Keep the party going with Coca Cola Pulled Pork Sliders, piled high with tender, saucy pulled pork; Poblano Mac and Cheese, creamy, cheesy, and loaded with roasted poblano flavor; and Thai Party Wings, sticky, spicy, and ridiculously addictive. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just looking for an excuse to make a little more food, these are three damn good reasons to keep the smoker, oven, and drinks flowing.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat smoker to 230 degrees. Line a smoker shelf with foil.
- Combine cream cheese and grated sharp cheddar cheese in a bowl.
- Fill each jalapeno half with cheese mixture.
- Wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed jalapeno.
- Place jalapenos on foil lined smoker shelf. Smoke at 325 degrees for about 60 minutes. Crank up heat to 375 degrees and finish for about 15 minutes or until they look delicious.
