ABT Questions

I'm not sure about your questions, but you can probably find an answer somewhere in here

Hey Steve!

Most like to use a popper rack.

If you don't have one, I've read that some will use a flat tray and cut the peppers in half, but leave them attached at the steam. This will make little boats and the cheese will not run out, because they are attached at the end.

Some folks preheat the bacon in the microwave and then wrap the peppers.

225* for 2.5 hrs should get you close on time.

Hope this helps a little.

1. Cook em at 250
2. Cream cheese doesnt seem to ooze much. But try adding other cheeses also. Leave some room for expansion and wrap them up completely with the bacon. Sometime I leave them in halves and sometimes put them back together. Cook them cheese side up.
3. When the bacon looks done, the are ready to take out. Takes about 2 hours. Sometimes I throw a sweet potato in at the same time.

Took me two tries to get it right. Can use lot of different stuffings. Enjoy.

Thanks much - good info.

Steve P.

If you want to make 'em hotter leave some membrane and seeds intact when you prep them. If you want 'em milder, remove more membrane and seeds.

SmokinMAINEiac

Here's my method:

1) I slice them in half length-wise, because a whole pepper is too much for some people to take. I also think this improves the balance of the different flavors.

2) Squirt a little honey in there first! (I just starting doing this a few months on someone's advice. The best.)

3) Half cream cheese/half shredded cheddar & Colby--or cheddar and Monterey Jack. (They sell them in these combinations.) You don't have to machine blend, but if using a wooden spoon or such, get to room temperature.

4) Wrap in uncooked bacon, which will cook just fine regardless of the cooking temps. For bacon, I get a cheap brand that doesn't even say it's smoked, although I think that's impossible. I do this because I'm using smoke anyway to cook 'em.

5) I use shallow aluminum pans, so the fat drippings from the bacon STAY there and add flavor to all of the peppers. But I transfer to clean pans or plates for serving.

6) Sprinkle liberally with rub.

7) All of the above mentioned temps work--it's pretty impossible to screw up--and I use hickory. And as said above, surprisingly, cream cheese doesn't ooze like "normal" cheese.

Enjoy!!!

The longer you cook them the milder they will be.

The thickness of the bacon matters for the temp you use. Thick bacon won't get done enough at a lower temp.

If you 1/2 them, keep the pepper whole (don't cut off the tops or ends) that way the stuff won't oozzeee out.

Mix some sausage in with the cheese.

The heat in peppers are in the veins and seeds, use those at your discretion.

Honey sounds good. Have also used green onion and slivers of garlic.

Had a lot of milder peppers from the CSA this year -- so did some of those with the jalapeno's -- not the same kick, but put a spicy rub on them -- more appealing to other members of the family and a still very tasty.

Wish bacon was a health food -- would have them more often...

quote:

Originally posted by uncsmoker:

Wish bacon was a health food -- would have them more often...

They make turkey bacon, which is healthier.

EEECCCHHHH!!!

Speaking of Bacon....

at this years Oklahoma State Fair, someone is selling chocolate covered bacon.

I use the cheapest, thinnest bacon I can put my hands on. I have tried precooked bacon, but that’s too pricey for my liking.

Cream cheese seems better suited for the smoker, but I do not like plain cream cheese. Try some with sun dried tomatoes and basil. That seems to bring it up a notch

The bacon doesn’t get really crisp unless you pop them under the oven broiler a few minutes. Otherwise it’s a bit chewy, doable but chewy

I have not tried splitting them in half; I always use a popper stand

The only wrong way is to not try anything at all

These are some ABT's that I smoked today with my BB Rib's. They were smoked at 225 for 2 1/2 hrs. I thought about pulling them at 2 hours but didn't want to open the smoker and decided 2 1/2 hrs would be fine.

Last week I smoked some with a brisket. Those were smoked for 1 1/2 hrs at 220 degrees. They were good, but I thought that the Jalepenos were just a bit too firm.

I think that at 2 to 2 1/4 hours at around 225 degrees would be perfect for me.

Thanks Tex, those look great.

I usually pop mine on a hot grill for a couple of minutes. It firms up the bacon and as well as giving me confidence that the bacon is thoroughly cooked. The plain cream cheese can be a bit bland so I usually mix mine with some fresh chive.
My wife is not a big fan of jalapenos so I will cut up a green bell pepper in thirds or quarters (depending on size) and do some that way for her.

All great ideas for ABT's! I like to sauteed a little shallot and garlic to blend in with the cream cheese. Then take some homeade Italian sausage links and cut in 1 inch pieces then quarterd so they will fit in a cored pepper. Wrap with thin sliced bacon and put in a popper rack for about 2.5 hours. If I'm lazy ground bulk sausage mixed in the creme cheese works good too. Be creative, it's all good.

WC BBQ