Smoked Jalapeno Poppers are scrumptious and perfect for an appetizer, party, and to serve on game day. These smoked bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers will disappear quickly.
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What Makes Smoked Jalapeno Poppers One of the Most Desired Snacks?
Jalapeno Poppers make the shortlist for everyone's favorite game-day snacks. And why not? They're meaty, creamy, and spicy in one bite-sized package.
But if you are getting a wee bit bored with your usual Jalapeno Poppers, why not call an audible and try this smoker version instead? It's an exciting twist on a true classic!
Why This Is the Recipe You Should Try
Since this version of Jalapeno poppers doesn't contain any breading, you get more of the flavors that you love about this dish; the salty bacon, the spicy pepper, and the cooking cream cheese filling.
Smoking these beauties adds another dimension to these tried-and-true tailgating favorites. Secure the MVP award for snacking by serving a platter of these hot and crispy Smoked Jalapeno Poppers at your next tailgate or party.
Ingredients For Bacon Wrapped Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
For this recipe, you'll need:
- Jalapeno peppers
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar or Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chipotle powder
- Bacon
Equipment Necessary For This Recipe
To make Jalapeno Poppers smoked with pellets, you will need some sort of wood smoker. If you don't have a pellet smoker, you can use a traditional smoker, but you may need to adjust the cooking time in this recipe.
If you don't have a smoker, see the section below to learn how to cook these poppers on a standard grill.
How To Make Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
To prepare this bacon wrapped Smoked Jalapeno Popper recipe:
- Preheat your smoker to 180°F. Although your smoker probably has a built-in thermometer, it is always best to use a second one that you can set inside the smoker for a more accurate reading.
- Cut the bacon strips in half. Cover with plastic wrap and place the bacon in the fridge for later.
- Add the shredded cheese, cream cheese, chipotle powder, and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl of a food processor or in the jar of a blender. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. Scrape down the sides of the container with a spatula, as required.
- Use a spatula to scrape the filling out of the food processor and into a small bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until needed.
- Put on food-safe gloves, and cut the jalapenos in half. Use a spoon to scrape out as many seeds as you desire based on your preferred spice level.
- Fill each hollowed-out jalapeno half with cream cheese filling and wrap with half a strip of bacon. You can use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place if necessary.
- Place the bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers on a baking tray a half-inch apart and put the tray in the fridge for around 20 minutes.
- Put the jalapeno poppers in the smoker for 30 minutes.
- Crank up the heat to 350°F and smoke for 30 minutes more.
- Remove from the smoker and serve with dipping sauces.
Recipe Variations
Are you a raging carnivore? Try sprinkling diced chorizo sausage, chopped cooked Chicken Zingers, or browned ground beef on top of the cream cheese filling before wrapping the Jalapeno Poppers in bacon.
What To Serve With Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
You can never serve too many sauces with your bacon wrapped Smoked Jalapeno Poppers. Try giving your guests options with two or three of these delicious dipping sauces:
- Garlic Aioli
- Chipotle Sauce
- Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
- Sour Cream
- Queso Dip
- Ranch Dressing
How To Store Leftover Jalapeno Poppers
You can keep extra Jalapeno Poppers in the fridge inside a sealed container for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
What's the Best Way to Reheat Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
The best way to reheat Jalapeno Poppers is in an air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Heat the thawed poppers for 4 to 5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.
If you don't have an air fryer, try using the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the jalapeno poppers straight from the fridge onto a wire rack set on top of a rimmed baking tray.
- Place the tray of poppers into the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Turn the poppers over after 5 minutes.
What is the Best Wood To Use to Smoke Jalapeno Poppers?
When making Smoked Jalapeno Poppers pellet grill style, the type of wood you choose will significantly affect how the poppers taste. Fruit woods, particularly apple and cherry, go well with all the components of this dish.
How to Grill Them if You Don't Have a Smoker
Even if you don't have a smoker at home, you can prepare this dish:
- Heat the grill to medium-high.
- Place the bacon wrapped poppers directly on the grate. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes. Turn the poppers frequently to prevent the bacon from burning.
- If you really want the flavor of smoke, consider a smoker box with your preferred wood chips. If you use a smoker box, reduce the heat to low and use a grill with a lid. The poppers are ready when the bacon is cooked through.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound jalapeños
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 pounds sliced bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 180°F.
- Slice the jalapeños in half and use a spoon to hull out the middle pith and seeds. The seeds are where the bulk of the heat is, so if you like them hot leave some of the seeds inside.
- Into the bowl of a food processor, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and chipotle powder. Pulse until the mixture is well blended.
- Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese blend.
- Wrap each stuffed jalapeño half with one slice of bacon so that the pepper is completely covered.
- Refrigerate the poppers for about 20 minutes to firm up the cheese stuffing and allow the flavors to meld.
- Place the jalapeño poppers on a rimmed baking sheet about ½ inch apart, and smoke for 30 minutes. Then turn the smoke up to 350°F, and smoke for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from the smoker and serve.
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