Crabmeat-Stuffed Smoked Jalapenos

I originally posted this recipe last year, but it’s a really good one, so I’m posting it again!

These peppers are ah-mazing!  Jalapenos stuffed with a rich crabmeat and cream cheese filling, wrapped in bacon, and smoked.  They are to die for!  And really not that hard to make!

 I used 20 jalapenos that I split in half and then seeded and removed the membranes.  Elizabeth helped me seed the peppers and remove the membranes.  The peppers I got this year were very mild, so we didn’t use plastic gloves.  If your peppers are hot, use those gloves!  Look at that redhead go!

I put all the pepper halves into a sink full of cool water.  If you missed any seeds, this will make them float to the top!

I removed the peppers and laid them face down on a couple of layers of paper towels.  I left them alone for about 10 minutes to dry.

While they were drying, I mixed softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic salt, breadcrumbs, and shredded crab meat together.  You can spoon or pipe the mixture into the pepper halves.

I used packages of regular (not thick cut) bacon and wrapped each pepper half with a strip of bacon, enclosing the cream cheese as much as possible.  Then I used a toothpick to secure the bacon.

I placed the peppers onto the racks of our smoker and smoked them at 250 degrees for 2 hours.  If you don’t have a smoker, you can grill them, but please be careful and watch them closely.  Bacon burns easily on the grill.  You can also bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.  Anyway you cook them, they’re going to be delicious.  I mean, we’re talking cream cheese and bacon!  How can you go wrong?

Crabmeat-Stuffed Smoked Jalapenos

• 20 jalapenos, sliced in half, seeded with membranes removed
• 2 packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
• 10 ounces of shredded crab meat (I used artificial this time, but you can certainly use the real thing!)
• 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs
• 3 packages of regular (not thick-cut) bacon
• box of toothpicks (not the colored ones!)

Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic salt, breadcrumbs, and crab meat together in a large bowl.  Put mixture into a large, zippered bag.  Snip one corner at the bottom of the bag.  Pipe the cream cheese mixture into each pepper half.  Wrap each in a strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Smoke at 250 degrees for 2 hours. Or grill until bacon is crisp, watching carefully to avoid burning the bacon.  Or bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving – or at least warn the eaters to remove them!

Well Duh #1:  Do you ever have trouble pouring something into a zippered bag and wish you had a couple of extra hands?  Well, we have gone through approximately 2,845 blenders since we got married in 1991.  What can I say?  We make alot of smoothies!  Anyway, the last time we killed one, I kept the pitcher.  Here’s what you do:

Put the zippered bag inside the pitcher, leaving the top 3 or 4 inches hanging out over the rim.

Now you just spoon or pour stuff into the bag!  The pitcher holds it for you!

When it’s full, pull it out carefully and seal the bag!

I snipped off a corner of the bag, and used it like a pastry bag to fill each pepper half with the cream cheese mixture.

Well, Duh #2: Word to the wise, don’t use the cute, colored toothpicks.  The color will bleed into the food!  We once had stuffed grilled chicken breasts with bright blue spots in them!

Well Duh #3:  These are better if they are NOT piping hot.

These peppers are so good!  I’ve been asked to bring them to lots of events.  I’ve even been PAID to make them for an event!  In fact, these are so delicious and so beautiful that Emeril Lagasse chose them to display on Good Morning America when he did a segment on grilling and smoking.  I’m not kidding!  Want proof?

See?  I took a picture of the t.v. screen!

Make them!  They may make you famous (or sort of, semi-famous for 15 seconds), too!