Atomic Buffalo Turds - ABTs - Jalapeno Poppers
Jalapeños stuffed with a seasoned cream cheese and cheddar mixture, topped with a Lil' Smokie sausage, wrapped in bacon, coated in BBQ rub, and slow-smoked until crispy and caramelized. The ultimate smoked appetizer that disappears faster than anything else on the table.
Ingredients
- 16 jalapeño peppers
- ½ cup BBQ Rub plus more for coating
- 1 lb thin-sliced bacon
- 1 pkg wooden toothpicks
- 1 pkg Hillshire Farms Lil' Smokies
Filling Mixture
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz sharp cheddar or pepper jack finely grated
- 3 tbsp BBQ Rub
Instructions
- Make the filling. Leave the cream cheese out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes until fully softened. Grate the cheddar or pepper jack on the fine side of a box grater — the finer shred incorporates better. Mix the cream cheese, grated cheese, and 3 tablespoons of BBQ rub together until smooth and evenly combined. Set aside.
- Prep the jalapeños. Slice the stem end off each pepper, then cut them lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out all the seeds and white ribs. The more thoroughly you clean them, the milder they'll be. Give your hands a wash after this step and try not to touch your face — even if you think you're being careful, you'll regret it.
- Fill the peppers. Using a spoon, fill each jalapeño half with the cream cheese mixture, filling it level with the edges. Don't overfill — the cheese will expand slightly as it heats and you don't want it overflowing everywhere.
- Add the sausage. Place a Lil' Smokie on top of the filling on each pepper. If your jalapeños are on the smaller side, slice a sausage lengthwise and use half.
- Wrap in bacon. Wrap each stuffed pepper tightly with one slice of thin-cut bacon. Secure with a toothpick pushed through the bacon, sausage, and pepper. For smaller peppers, cut the bacon slices in half.
- Season. Coat the outside of each wrapped pepper generously with more BBQ rub on all sides.
- Smoke. Get your smoker to 250°-300°. Place the ABTs directly on the grates and smoke for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the bacon is fully cooked and crispy. No flipping needed.
- Serve. Pull them off the smoker and let them rest for a few minutes — the filling will be extremely hot. Serve as-is or with a drizzle of honey or a side of your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
What to Serve with ABTs
These are born to be party food, so think about what works alongside them in a spread:- Ranch or blue cheese dressing — classic pairing that cools down any residual heat
- Honey — a drizzle of hot honey over the top right before serving is incredible
- Cold beer — not negotiable
- Alongside brisket, pulled pork, or ribs — ABTs are the perfect smoker side dish since they cook at the same temperature range as most low-and-slow mains