Bacon Jalapeno Poppers with Pulled Pork

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When it comes to finding delicious appetizer ideas, you can’t go wrong with jalapeno poppers! But if you’re on the hunt for gluten free appetizers, traditional poppers are out of the question. That’s why these bacon jalapeno poppers are such a great option for your get-together! They’re naturally gluten free and low carb, making them perfect for any celebration — from a Super Bowl party to a backyard BBQ.

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Since these jalapeno poppers replace the traditional breading with bacon, they’re the perfect gluten free party food. And everyone at your get-together will love the BBQ filling made with pulled pork!

That delicious combination of crispy bacon and smoky BBQ pulled pork is a great way to kick off a meal. In fact, they’re so packed with flavor, these BBQ jalapeno poppers could be a meal all on their own!

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

One of the best parts about this simple gluten free recipe is that you only need a few simple ingredients to prepare it! That means you can whip up these spicy snacks in the kitchen with just a few minutes of prep work.

You’re going to love the short ingredient list in this appetizer recipe. All you need to make your own bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers is:

• Jalapenos. Fresh jalapenos are a must for this spicy recipe! Pick small peppers to make bite-sized appetizers or larger peppers for a bigger meal.
• Pulled pork. You can use leftover pulled pork from your last BBQ to make this or simply purchase a package of pulled pork from the store to add to your jalapeno popper filling.
• BBQ seasoning. Give your jalapeno poppers plenty of BBQ flavor with the help of a seasoning blend. I love Weber seasonings, but you can also make your own BBQ seasoning blend from scratch if you want.
• Cream cheese. You can’t make jalapeno poppers without cream cheese! This creamy cheese is the glue that will hold your filling together as the peppers bake.
• Cheddar jack cheese. In addition to cream cheese, you’ll also need another cheese to add more flavor to your filling. I used cheddar jack cheese, but there are a variety of other cheeses you could use. Scroll to the bottom of the post for variation ideas!
• Bacon. The final ingredient you’ll need to make these baked jalapeno poppers is bacon. I like to use center cut bacon for wrapping around the peppers. The strips are shorter and a little thinner than traditional bacon, making them the perfect texture for baking in the oven.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Preparing these bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers is actually easier and less messy than making the traditional ones coated in breadcrumbs! In fact, there are only a few steps you’ll need to follow to whip them up. After that, just pop them in the oven and let them cook!

The first step to preparing your jalapeno poppers is to mix the filling. Use a large bowl to mix up your cream cheese, shredded cheese, pulled pork, and BBQ seasoning.

Make sure to use softened cream cheese when mixing your filling. You can let your cheese soften at room temperature by taking it out of the fridge around 30 minutes before you want to start mixing your filling. Or simply take the cream cheese out of the wrapper and microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds until it’s soft.

After your filling is mixed, spread the mixture into the center of each of your jalapeno pepper halves. Make sure not to over-fill your peppers or the cheese will start exploding out of the jalapenos while they bake!

Wondering how to cut your peppers for jalapeno poppers? Scroll down to the bottom of the post for tips and tricks!

Once all your peppers are stuffed with BBQ filling, it’s time to start wrapping them in bacon. To ensure your bacon gets crispy as it cooks, make sure not to overlap the edges of the bacon while you wrap it around the jalapeno.

I used large jalapeno peppers and needed one full strip of center cut bacon to wrap each pepper. If you’re using smaller peppers you may need to trim your bacon pieces to fit the size of the jalapeno.

After wrapping all the peppers, it’s time to start baking. The key to keeping your jalapeno poppers from getting soggy as they bake is to use a wire rack in the oven.

Start by lining a large baking sheet with aluminum foil to catch the bacon drippings. Then, place the wire rack over the top of baking sheet. After that, you can start placing your jalapeno poppers on top.

Bake the peppers in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the peppers have softened.

How to Cut Jalapeno for Poppers?

Getting your peppers ready for stuffing is the first step to preparing this recipe. But if you’ve never cut fresh jalapenos before, you might be wondering what you’re supposed to do! Just follow these tips and trips for safely slicing your jalapenos for poppers.

• Wear gloves. The oils in jalapeno peppers can often burn your skin, which means it’s a good idea to wear prep gloves while you’re cutting. This will also prevent you from accidently wiping the spicy liquid on your face or eyes as you’re working.
• Cut the peppers in half. Once you’re prepped and ready to go, slice the peppers in half lengthwise. You can cut the stems off the peppers or leave them on for decoration.
• Remove the seeds and membrane. After cutting the peppers in half, you’ll notice the jalapeno is filled with tons of little seeds. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, along with the white membrane that the seeds are attached to. Both the seeds and membrane give the pepper most of its spiciness, so if you want really spicy poppers, you can leave the white part intact.
• Dry the inside. Use a clean paper towel to blot the inside of each pepper to remove excess moisture. This will help the filling stay in place and keep it from sliding around inside the pepper.

Bacon Jalapeno Popper Recipe Ideas

See how easy it is to make your own bacon wrapped jalapenos at home? And once you try this delicious combination of ingredients, this recipe is going to be your go-to appetizer!

With the help of these substitution and variation ideas, you can adjust the recipe to suit your tastes. That makes this one of the best party appetizers because it’s so easy to customize!

• Try different cheeses. I love using cheddar jack cheese in baked recipes because the cheese melts so well. But if you want to try other cheeses in your filling, you could also mix in some pepper jack, mozzarella, queso quesadilla, Velveeta, cheddar, or Colby jack instead.
• Use different meat in the filling. Pulled pork and bacon is such a delicious combination! But if you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute shredded chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef for the pulled pork.
• Substitute mini bell peppers. If you’re not a fan of spicy peppers, try making these bacon wrapped poppers with min bell peppers instead of jalapenos. You can make these stuffed bell peppers with lunchbox bell peppers following the same recipe instructions.

More Easy Recipe Ideas:

BBQ Bacon Little Smokies

Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob 

Salami Wrapped Pickles

Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels

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