- Makes
- 24 poppers, serves 6–8
- Grill setup
- Indirect heat
- Grill temp
- Medium, about 350°F
- Grill time
- 20–25 minutes
Ingredients
Makes 24 poppers (serves 6–8).
- 12 large fresh jalapeños
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack for extra kick)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 12 slices thin-cut bacon, cut in half (24 pieces)
- Toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Optional garnish: chopped chives or parsley
Instructions
Prep the jalapeños
- Slice each jalapeño in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes. Leave some in if you want more heat.
Make the filling
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, smoked paprika and onion powder. Mix until smooth.
Fill and wrap
- Spoon or pipe the cheese mixture into each jalapeño half. Don't overfill, or the cheese will spill over on the grill.
- Wrap each jalapeño half with half a slice of bacon and secure it with a toothpick.
Get the grill ready
- Set the grill up for indirect heat at medium, about 350°F. Gas grill: light the burners on one side only and leave the other side off. Charcoal grill: bank the coals on one side and set a drip pan under the empty side to catch bacon drippings.
- Lightly oil the grates, close the lid and let the grill heat for 5 minutes.
Grill and serve
- Place the poppers over the indirect (unlit) side, bacon seam side down.
- Close the lid and cook for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is crispy and the jalapeños are tender.
- Remove the toothpicks, garnish if you like, and serve hot.
Food safety for this recipe
- Cook until the bacon is fully crisp, not just browned at the edges.
- The cheese filling is perishable: serve the poppers hot, and don't leave them out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F outside (USDA).
Tips
- Cooking over indirect heat keeps bacon fat from dripping onto the flames and flaring up. If a flare-up does start, move the poppers away from it and close the lid.
- For smokier flavor, add wood chips to the grill before cooking.
Grill safely
- Use a food thermometer. Beef and pork steaks, chops and roasts are safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Ground meats need 160°F, and all poultry 165°F.
- Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter. To brush marinade on while grilling, use fresh marinade or bring the used one to a boil first.
- Keep raw and cooked apart. Put cooked food on a clean platter, never the one that held raw meat.
- Mind the heat. Keep cooked food at 140°F or warmer until serving, and don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F outside.
- Set up the grill safely. Keep it well away from the house, deck railings and overhanging branches. Open a gas grill's lid before lighting it, keep kids and pets 3 feet away, and never leave a lit grill unattended.
- Clear grease and fat buildup from the grill and the trays below it. Built-up grease is a fire risk, and it's exactly what our grill cleaning removes.
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart and Grilling and Food Safety; NFPA, Grilling safety.