Smoked Fried Jalapeño Poppers

No ratings yet

Smoked fried jalapeño poppers, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese, are a delicious twist on a classic game day appetizer.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Jalapeno and Stuffing:

6-8 Jalapeños
6-8 Bacon Slices
1 block Cream Cheese
1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
1 cup Favorite BBQ Rub
Ranch Dressing for serving

Batter:

3-4 Fresh Eggs whipped
2 cups Panko Crumbs
2 cups White Flour
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Cayenne
Frying Oil

Instructions

Smoking:

Begin by mixing together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese in one bowl.
Next, take a jalapeno and slice a “T” shape with the top slice being underneath the steam and the long slice going the length of the pepper. Using gloves or a utensil, scoop out all the filling and seeds from the inside of the jalapeno. Be careful not to break the stem off.
Once cleaned, stuff the pepper full of the cream cheese mixture.
Next, take 1-2 slices of bacon and carefully wrap it around the whole jalapeno making sure to fully encase it.
Season the outside of the bacon with your favorite BBQ seasoning and set to the side. Repeat this for all the other jalapenos until completed.
Preheat your smoker/grill to indirect heat at 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker for added smoke flavor.
Add your jalapeno poppers to the smoker and let cook for about 90 minutes or until the bacon has become dark amber and crispy.
Once done, pull them off and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to fully cool.

Frying:

Preheat frying out to 350F.
Add flour, salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and cayenne to a bowl and mix.
Whip your eggs in a separate bowl and place the panko crumbs in a third bowl.
Pull out the cooled jalapeno poppers and place in the seasoned flour, then into the egg wash (coat thoroughly) and then lastly into the panko crumbs. Set to the side and repeat for all of your poppers.
Add the jalapeno poppers to the oil to fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden crispy brown. Once done, pull off and let cool.
Serve with some spicy ranch or sour cream and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing from scratch is super simple. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/3 cup of buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 minced fresh garlic clove and chopped fresh herbs of your choice (I like to use cilantro, dill and parsley). Stick it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld, then serve and enjoy.

Nutrition