Jalapeno Poppers. Fire in the Hole!

Intro: Jalapeno Poppers. Fire in the Hole!

Stuffing something with cheese instantly makes it better. If you wrap it in bacon, UNSTOPPABLE! This instructable will show you how to turn a boring afternoon with some regular old jalapenos into a fiery fiesta!

When my sister Emily and her husband Jason were visiting his family in Texas, they were served whole jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and BBQ'd until nice and crispy. They were blown away, but my sister's gringo taste buds were burnin! When they got back to Michigan, they wanted to figure out a way to make the poppers year round, without the BBQ and without so much pop. Here is the recipe they came up with.

- Forkable -

STEP 1: Gather Ingredients

This recipe is very simple and doesn't require much-only the four most awesome ingredients ever.

15-20 Jalapenos
1 pound bacon
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 8 oz. box cream cheese

STEP 2: Prep Jalapenos

Cut jalapenos in half. Scoop out seeds and extra membrane

Soak peppers in a bowl of water for 30-60 minutes. This helps reduce some of the oil from the peppers which is what gives them their heat.

Tip: Use latex gloves when handling raw jalapenos, especially the seeds. Otherwise, the oil will get all over your hands and if you wipe your eyes or itch your nose, you are in for a world of pain. If you don't have latex gloves, just use plastic bags. Throw away gloves or bags as soon as you are done using. Wash your hands with soap just to be sure.

STEP 3: Stuff Peppers With Cheese

Mix the 1 cup of cheddar cheese with the package of cream cheese.

Using a knife, fill each pepper with cheese.

STEP 4: Wrap in Bacon

Take your 1lb of bacon. Depending on how many slices and how many pepper halves you have, cut the bacon in half or in thirds so you have enough for each pepper.

Take bacon strip and wrap as many times around bacon as you can.

Place wrapped peppers on a baking tray.

STEP 5: Bake 'em

Preheat the broiler in your oven.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon turns nice and crispy!

STEP 6: Eat 'em Up Yum!

Take out of oven.

No matter what, no matter how tempting, let them sit long enough to cool. This is the hardest step. You will be tempted to eat them sooner then later, but be warned. If you do, they'll burn your lips in more ways then one!

Melty cheese! Crispy bacon! Firery hot peppers! Once you pop, you can't stop.

Comments

[stephenmack]

I originally read about these in the instructables appetizer book, and ever since, they have become one of my family's absolute favorite dishes. Thanks for the great recipe!!!

[hamsammy]

Made these today. I used a spoon to get the seeds out. Worked well and I didn't have to go digging with my finger. They were a huge hit at the party! Thanks and great job!

[john4tvs]

After working with the raw Jalapinos, be sure to wash your hands very well before you touch your eyes or private parts.

[zomfibame]

ohhh, man.... I made these last night. I have a new item in my top 5 foods list. MIGHTY good.

[grandtvl]

I used non-fat cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, added diced onions and green peppers and heated it in a skillet prior to filling the jalapeno pepper halves..placed a very small 1 1 /2 inch piece of bacon on top......heated the grill and placed poppers on a cast iron skillet (fajita style) to cook... ready when jalapeno peppers are cooked through and through....

[ashbegash]

I luv these even though my mouth is on fire each
time I eat one! I can't get enough! =D

[Rowan_Winterhaven]

I have this recipe stashed away but I got it from www.tasteofhome.com mine calls for a mix of brown sugar and chili powder to be mixed in a small bowl then top each popper with a bit of it before baking/grilling and you get a delightful sweet/spicy caramelized crunch when you bite into them.

These are so very good! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

[cblair1]

I grow banana peppers which are the same size but sweet!!! I cannot wait to try this recipe but with my sweet peppers. I also will play with different cheese favors. Lastly I may try Prosciutto instead of bacon on half ! By using different cheeses and Prosciutto I will have a large platter with many flavors for my party! Thank you for a wonderful taste treat!

[im3733]

My wife and I made these....AMAZING!!! We ran out of the cream cheese mixture part way through and finished it off using Santa Fe baking creme from Philadelphia (the cream cheese guys). Both turned out amazing.

For those who like the flavor of jalapenos but not the spice, put these in the fridge and reheat them they still taste amazing, but aren't nearly as spicy. (they keep well for about a week, may last longer, but I ran out before then ;))

[gabe.lopez1]

Do you think it would work with some kind of shrimp/crab meat stuffing.. must buy bigger peppers =). Awesome recipe

[skimkinner]

I used just the cream cheese and placed half of a butterflied shrimp across the top before wrapping the bacon around it. My gas grill (at 400 degrees) worked great (and so do the bigger peppers!).

[Murphys Laws]

Make sure there are no shels or tail pieces. Then just chop up the shrimp/crab before mixing in the cream cz,

[farmette]

A grapefruit spoon with the little serrated pointy end works perfect to scoop out the pepper halves. Definitely no seeds or membrane. They won't be hot if you cook them all the way through. No crispy crunch in the peppers. Bake for at least 30 min at 350. Then you don't need to soak. Then why use the cheddar? The cream cheese is enough but use more than one box.

[Johanna1476]

Isn't this the same recipe that's in Pioneer Woman's cookbook (except she brushes on bbq sauce on the top)?

[WUVIE]

Ooh, Johanna, don't you just love her? I have made several of Bree's recipes, and they have all been wonderful!

[Goodhart]

It looks so good, and I can't have any.....(bacon and cream cheese are the kind of thing that caused me to have a double bypass done). Do you have a lower saturated fat version ?

[Furloy]

turkey bacon?

[Goodhart]

To make it taste like bacon, they add so much salt it could give a rock high blood pressure :-) I don't need mine any higher, thank you :-)

[VenomousKate]

Surely there's an Instructable around about making bacon at home without the nitrates?

Yep, there is: https://www.instructables.com/id/Makin-Bacon/
(Read the instructions about skipping the nitrates. You'll need a smoker but, hey, I bet there's an Instructable for that, too!)

[Goodhart]

Smoker, or liquid smoke carcinogens but then, should I really worry at my age ? :-)