Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Peppers
Spicy, creamy, and delicious bacon wrapped jalapeño peppers perfect for summertime grilling!
Servings: 12
Calories: 200kcal
Ingredients
- Fresh Jalapeño Peppers about 6-10
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1 pack thick cut bacon We love Applewood smoked
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese pre-shredded is fine
- 1 tbsp cajun spice
Instructions
Preparing the peppers
- Cut each jalapeño pepper exactly in half, as symmetrically as possible. DO NOT CHOP TOP OFF! You can remove the stem, but so not remove the whole top.
- Using a small knife, carefully carve out all of the insides, leaving only the shell of the pepper.
Mixin' and Stuffin' and Wrappin'
- Rough chop cream cheese into large cubes, just to make the mixing process a little easier. Room temperature cream cheese makes this process a LOT easier.
- In a medium bowl, add your cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and cajun spices. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Fill each pepper shell with the mixed stuffing. Just use enough to completely fill the shell to the point where the stuffing if flush with the top of the pepper. No need to dome the top.Note: I just use my hands for this. I grab a chunk, roll it like play-dough into a long skinny tube shape, and lay it right in the pepper.
- Take one slice of bacon and wrap the jalapeño, beginning at the stem end. Overlap the ends of the bacon slightly with each pass to seal in the stuffing. Cover all the way to the end. You will probably have a little left over at the end. Use this piece to wrap it back toward the middle. This is the best place to pin it. Using a toothpick, skewer the pepper laterally. Stick the end of the bacon, through one side of the pepper, through the cheese, and out the other side. This will give you the most secure hold. You should only need one toothpick, but you can certainly add more if you feel like it it not secure.
Cooking your peppers
- On your already hot grill, add your peppers directly over the hot coals for the most heat. The fire will start to render the bacon and you will get some pretty big flare ups. This is ok! Let it fire your bacon for a couple minutes. Some char is great, but watch carefully, as you don't want it too burned. You might want to rotate them around so they all get so direct fire. This will jump start cooking the bacon on the surface level.Note: Your cream cheese may leak a little during this part. That's ok, don't panic. If you sealed it well with the bacon, you will still have plenty of filling.
- Once you get some good heat and fire on the first side, flip and repeat the process. You will continue to get more flare ups as this side of the bacon begins to render.Note: You will not completely cook the bacon during this part. This is to just get it started.
- When you are satisfied with the initial bacon sear (usually just a couple minutes per side), move the peppers onto the other side of the grill far away from the fire.
- Cover the grill and let cook (grill will be at about 400°) for 20-25 minutes, or to desired level of doneness. The longer it cooks, the softer and less spicy the peppers become.
- Remove from the grill and enjoy! Be careful, that cream cheese can be like a lava bomb when it first comes off (but a delicious lava bomb).
Nutrition
Serving: 1half pepper | Calories: 200kcal