There is no single “right” way to craft a jalapeño popper – whether you barbecue them whole, slice them into boats, or keep the stems for a rustic look is entirely up to you.
However, my favourite technique is to slice them in half and load them with a blend of cream cheese & cheddar. I then wrap each half in streaky bacon. In my thinking, by halving the peppers, you effectively double your serving size while achieving the bangin’ ratio of spicy jalapeño to smoky, crispy bacon.
Jalapeño poppers can also be chicken fried-not-fried or served breaded, but I will save those options for another day.
Let’s turn up the heat…
Please note: wearing nitrile gloves during the prep stage is a really good idea!
1. Heat the Barbecue: Bring your grill, whether it’s gas, charcoal, or a pellet smoker to a steady temperature in the 190°C (375°F) range. Whatever you have on your deck will do the job perfectly!
2. Mix the Filling: In a medium bowl, blend your cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined. Set this mixture aside for a moment. This is the classic filling, but you can get creative with flavours to suit your theme – a favourite of ours is the addition of
finely chopped spicy chorizo sausage to the filling then served with a blue cheese sauce.
3. Prepare the Peppers: Slice each jalapeño lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and white ribs to control the heat. You can leave the stems on for a better look or trim them off; it’s your choice.
4. Stuff the Peppers: Fill each jalapeño boat with roughly one tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Aim for a flush surface, try not to overfill them, or the cheese will spill out during cooking.
5. Bacon Wrap: Wrap a half-slice of bacon snugly around each stuffed pepper. If the bacon feels loose, secure it with a toothpick (just remember to pull them out before eating!).
6. Add Seasoning: Dust the poppers with a simple salt, pepper, garlic rub, or my go-to is a light sprinkle of Rum & Que Rib Rocker – perfect paring in my opinion!
7. Grill to Perfection: Arrange the poppers indirect on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 20–25 minutes. Once the bacon is rendered and cooked through, move them over direct heat for a few minutes to get that bacon extra crispy.
8. Serve Hot: Take the poppers off the grill and pull out any toothpicks. Serve them while they’re fresh but be careful – the cheese filling will be incredibly hot, spicy, savoury, and very very moreish! A cold refreshing beverage is highly encouraged as a side to this crowd-pleasing appetiser!