Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Chilli-Stuffed Poblano Poppers
I think all food can be party food, but there are definitely certain recipes that say ‘party’ more than others, and especially some that say ‘Super Bowl party’ over those. I realized I don’t often share recipes for appetizers or snacks or typical ‘party’ foods, so I decided to do a twist on the classic jalapeno popper, to make the ultimate party appetizer. You’ll want to make these as a Super Bowl snack or for any get together. The first difference, is that I used poblano peppers instead of jalapenos, you get more stuffing real estate that way because poblanos are a bigger pepper. Instead of the classic cream cheese filling, I stuffed my smoked poblano peppers with pork chilli, shredded cheese and then wrapped them in bacon. The bacon-wrapped, chilli and cheese stuffed poblanos all go into the Alchemy smoker and cook until you have a perfectly melty interior and the bacon is fully cooked. I spread a big dollop of sour cream on my plate for dipping the poblano poppers, and added a little lime zest to the sour cream, then squeezed the lime juice on top of the poblano poppers. This is a step you can choose to skip, but I recommend it, since the lime juice cuts some of the fattiness of the bacon and richness of the cheesy/chilli insides, making a delicious and balanced bite. You can also serve with some lime wedges, so you or your guests can squeeze on some lime juice if they want to. However you eat them, these bacon-wrapped, cheese and chilli-stuffed poblano poppers are going to be a hit! Keep reading to find out how to make my Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Chilli-Stuffed Poblano Poppers or jump to the full recipe.
Preheat your smoker to 350F. Drizzle the poblano peppers with canola oil.
Place the poblano peppers in the smoker for about 10 minutes.
Finely chop half an onion, three red chili peppers and the white part of the green onions – reserve the green parts for later.
Add the onions and pepper to a cast iron pan on the plancha, season with about 1-1.5 tbsp chili powder and 1 tbsp cumin, add the water and mix. Cook until softened and then transfer to a bowl.
In the same pan on the plancha, add the ground pork and break it up with a wooden spoon.
Season with 1-1.5 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, salt, Alchemy Brown sauce, passata and mix. Add back in the cooked onions and pepper, stir.
Add in the canned corn and canned beans and mix to combine.
Place the chilli in the smoker and let it cook for one hour.
Remove the poblano peppers from the smoker. Allow to cool slightly before handling. Slice into the peppers lengthwise, making sure not to cut all the way through. Remove the seeds with a spoon.
Add about 1-2 tbsp shredded cheese into the cavity of the pepper. Spoon in the chilli and sprinkle more cheese on top. Once all the peppers are stuffed, wrap them in bacon.
The easiest way to do this is to place three strips of bacon, vertically, about an inch apart on your work surface. Place the stuffed pepper midway down the first two strips of bacon. Wrap the first piece of bacon around the pepper, starting with pulling the strip of bacon from the top over the pepper, and then taking the lower end of the strip and pulling it around the pepper. Repeat with the the second strip of bacon, slightly overlapping the first.
Move the half-wrapped peppers onto the third strip of bacon and wrap the pepper with bacon using the same method.
Place the bacon-wrapped poblano peppers into a cast iron pan and place in the smoker for 35 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the smoker and plate.
To plate, spread a dollop of sour cream onto the plate. Then zest one lime over top. Place the bacon-wrapped poblano chilli poppers on top.
Finely chop the reserved green onions and sprinkle on top. Squeeze the juice from the first lime on top of the poppers. Cut your second lime and place on the plate for garnish.
And now for the full recipe...
Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Chilli-Stuffed Poblano Poppers
Makes 3-4 poppers
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Ingredients:
3-4 poblano peppers
3-4 tbsp canola oil
½ onion
3 red chili peppers
5-7 green onions
2-3 tbsp chili powder, divided
1-2 tbsp cumin, divided
¼ cup water
2lbs ground pork
1 tbsp salt
¼ cup Alchemy brown sauce
1 cup passata
½ cup canned corn
½ cup canned beans
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
Bacon, 3-4 slices per poblano
3 tbsp sour cream
2 limes
How to Make Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Chilli-Stuffed Poblano Poppers
Preheat your smoker to 350F.
Drizzle the poblano peppers with canola oil and place in the smoker for about 10 minutes.
Finely chop half an onion, three red chili peppers and the white part of the green onions – reserve the green parts for later. Add the onions and pepper to a cast iron pan on the plancha, season with about 1-1.5 tbsp chili powder and 1 tbsp cumin, add the water and mix. Cook until softened and then transfer to a bowl.
In the same pan on the plancha, add the ground pork and break it up with a wooden spoon. Season with 1-1.5 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, salt, Alchemy Brown sauce, passata and mix. Add back in the cooked onions and pepper, stir. Add in the corn and beans and mix to combine. Place in smoker for one hour.
Remove the poblano peppers from the smoker. Allow to cool slightly before handling. Slice into the peppers lengthwise, making sure not to cut all the way through. Remove the seeds with a spoon, then add about 1-2 tbsp shredded cheese into the cavity of the pepper. Spoon in the chilli and sprinkle more cheese on top. Once all the peppers are stuffed, wrap them in bacon. The easiest way to do this is to place three strips of bacon, vertically, about an inch apart on your work surface. Place the stuffed pepper midway down the first two strips of bacon. Wrap the first piece of bacon around the pepper, starting with pulling the strip of bacon from the top over the pepper, and then taking the lower end of the strip and pulling it around the pepper. Repeat with the the second strip of bacon, slightly overlapping the first. Move the half-wrapped peppers onto the third strip of bacon and wrap the pepper with bacon using the same method.
Place the bacon-wrapped poblano peppers into a cast iron pan and place in the smoker for 35 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the smoker and plate
To plate, spread a dollop of sour cream onto the plate. Then zest one lime over top. Place the bacon-wrapped poblano chilli poppers on top. Finely chop the reserved green onions and sprinkle on top. Squeeze the juice from the first lime on top of the poppers. Cut your second lime and place on the plate for garnish.
