Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

Summer is here and I can't believe the fourth of July is just around the corner! Lately, I've been looking for ways to cook anything and everything on my BBQ. Here is a grilled take on a crowd favorite : Jalapeño Poppers.  

You can make these poppers as mild or as spicy as you like (we will circle back to this later) and you can prep them in advance and then finish them off right before you are ready to serve your guests. 

Grilled Jalapeño Poppers 

Makes 20 Halves

Ingredients 

10 jalapeño peppers

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 oz cheese cheese 

2 Tbsp of your favorite salsa 

4-5 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped 

fresh chives, minced for garnish

fresh cilantro, for garnish 

tomatoes, chopped for garnish

Method

1. Rinse jalapeños and drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil. Grill on your BBQ until skins are blackened. While the peppers are grilling, cook up your bacon. 

2. Mix the grated cheddar, cream cheese, and salsa together into a sort of "paste". Mix in the crispy bacon crumbles. 

3. Remove the jalapeños from your grill and let cool slightly. Turn your oven onto the broiler setting. 

4.  Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and here is where you decide how spicy you want your poppers to be - if you want spicier ones, leave the seeds, if you want mild popper, remove the seeds.  Next, stuff each of the halves with a bit of your cheesy mixture. Line them up on a sheet tray and then broil until bubbly and golden on top. 

5. Sprinkle with tomatoes, cilantro, and chives to finish before serving. If you want them even hotter, you can finish with a couple dashes of hot sauce as well. 

6. Enjoy!