Jalapeno poppers are one of those things that I usually only get when I go out to eat at my local pizzeria or pub. This year we were given four jalapeno plants for our garden. Who knew that they would produce so many big, hot jalapenos! So when I was trying to figure out what to do with all these peppers, of course poppers came to mind. Also with Football Sunday quickly approaching these would make a great addition to our appetizers.
I tried making these several ways to get the best taste and texture. I went from different fillings to different breading, to baking, to frying and final came up with the perfect method so that you didn't have to :) They are great for snacking, perfect for entertaining during the big game, and perfect for using up your plethora of jalapenos. There’s no faster way to get a party started so here’s our version of this recipe…just in time for football season!
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Ingredients
8 slices of bacon 1 block (8oz) cheddar cheese shredded 15 jalapeno peppers 2 1/2 c panko bread crumbs 4 eggs 1 c flour Oil for frying Preheat oven to 350° Lay a pepper on your work surface so that it sits flat without rolling. Make two cuts forming a “T” by first slicing down the middle lengthwise from stem to tip, then making a second cut going half way around the stem, being careful not to cut the stem off completely. Carefully open the pepper to expose the inside and scrape the inside to remove the seeds and ribs. Repeat with the remaining peppers; set aside. |
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Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and let drain on a paper towel. When cooled crumble or cut into small pieces. Shred the cheddar cheese into a bowl and add the bacon. Mix with your hands until it is well combined.
Take a pepper and open it up long way, fill with the cheese and bacon mixture and the squeeze closed tightly. It will not stay closed all the way and that is fine. Each pepper is a different size so I cannot say exactly how much cheese to put in each one. Use your judgment to fill them completely but not coming out of the slit. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
Next set up your work station. Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Put two of the eggs into another bowl and 1 cup of the Panko into a third bowl. I worked in batches because the egg mixture gets thick with the double coating. Roll the pepper in the flour, then dip the pepper in eggs, letting excess drip off, then coat with bread crumbs. Repeat coating with eggs and crumbs to form a second layer.
Do as many peppers as you can with the two eggs and add the other eggs one at a time as needed. Same with the breadcrumbs, start with one cup and then add breadcrumbs as needed. Set them aside on a plate until all the peppers are coated.
Heat oil in large skillet. The oil should be about 3/4 to 1 inch high. Working in batches, fry the peppers, turning to cook all sides until golden brown. Approximately 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer the peppers to a baking sheet. When all the peppers are done, place them in the preheated oven for 7 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve. These are best served with some Garden Salsa or even some sour cream.
Take a pepper and open it up long way, fill with the cheese and bacon mixture and the squeeze closed tightly. It will not stay closed all the way and that is fine. Each pepper is a different size so I cannot say exactly how much cheese to put in each one. Use your judgment to fill them completely but not coming out of the slit. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
Next set up your work station. Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Put two of the eggs into another bowl and 1 cup of the Panko into a third bowl. I worked in batches because the egg mixture gets thick with the double coating. Roll the pepper in the flour, then dip the pepper in eggs, letting excess drip off, then coat with bread crumbs. Repeat coating with eggs and crumbs to form a second layer.
Do as many peppers as you can with the two eggs and add the other eggs one at a time as needed. Same with the breadcrumbs, start with one cup and then add breadcrumbs as needed. Set them aside on a plate until all the peppers are coated.
Heat oil in large skillet. The oil should be about 3/4 to 1 inch high. Working in batches, fry the peppers, turning to cook all sides until golden brown. Approximately 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer the peppers to a baking sheet. When all the peppers are done, place them in the preheated oven for 7 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve. These are best served with some Garden Salsa or even some sour cream.
We have more jalapenos than we know what to do with in our garden which is why it is great that you can freeze these poppers after they cool. Just place them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer until your next party. Place them on a cookie sheet and heat in a 350° oven for 15 - 20 minutes. They come out just as crispy as when they were first made.
If you give them a try and think they are Mangialicious, take a picture and tag it #mangialicious on Instagram. We would love to see them!
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