Description
Smoked Armadillo Eggs are a smoky, juicy appetizer combining fresh jalapeños stuffed with a creamy mixture of sausage, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese, wrapped in crispy bacon, then smoked to perfection. This flavorful, easy-to-make dish offers a perfect balance of spicy, smoky, and creamy that’s sure to impress at parties or casual BBQs.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 12 medium fresh jalapeño peppers
Meat and Cheese
- 1 pound breakfast or spicy ground sausage, cooked
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 slices thinly sliced bacon
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons BBQ rub or seasoning blend (or salt and pepper to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Jalapeños: Carefully slice each jalapeño pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes to control the heat level. Rinse the peppers and pat them dry thoroughly to ensure they are ready for stuffing.
- Make the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, softened cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated, creating a creamy, meaty, and cheesy filling.
- Stuff the Jalapeños: Spoon the prepared filling evenly into each jalapeño half, packing it firmly to prevent any filling from leaking out during smoking.
- Wrap with Bacon: Wrap each stuffed jalapeño half with a slice of thinly sliced bacon, securing it with a toothpick if necessary to hold everything together while smoking.
- Season and Preheat the Smoker: Sprinkle your favorite BBQ rub or simply salt and pepper over the bacon-wrapped jalapeños. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C) to prepare for low and slow cooking that maximizes smokiness.
- Smoke the Armadillo Eggs: Place the bacon-wrapped jalapeños directly on the smoker rack and smoke for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the bacon is crisp and the filling is hot and bubbly. Keep the smoker lid closed the entire time to maintain consistent heat and smoke infusion.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the smoked armadillo eggs rest for a few minutes before serving. Carefully remove toothpicks and serve warm for the perfect smoky, melty appetizer.
Notes
- Choose fresh jalapeños to ensure ideal heat and avoid sogginess.
- Adjust the heat by removing more or fewer seeds and membranes.
- Pre-cook sausage well to prevent excess grease in the filling.
- Secure bacon tightly with toothpicks but remove them before serving for safety.
- Maintain a low, steady smoker temperature for even cooking and maximum smoke flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American BBQ
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed jalapeño half wrapped in bacon
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Smoked Armadillo Eggs, jalapeño appetizer, smoked jalapeños, BBQ appetizer, bacon wrapped jalapeños, sausage stuffed jalapeños, creamy spicy appetizer