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If you’re looking for the ultimate BBQ appetizer, these Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers deliver everything you could want in one bite. It’s the perfect recipe to use leftover pulled pork with. The smoky pulled pork, creamy cheese filling, spicy jalapeños, crispy bacon, give bold backyard flavor.
Perfect for game day, cookouts, tailgates, or weekend grilling, these loaded jalapeño poppers combine classic BBQ flavors with a spicy twist that’s impossible to resist.
Whether you smoke them, grill them, or bake them, this recipe is guaranteed to disappear fast.
Looking for more BBQ appetizers, then you have to try by Shotgun Shells, Cocktail BBQ Meatballs, or my favorite Loaded Potato Skins.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients needed to make Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers
- Prep the Jalapeno Peppers
- How to make the Pulled Pork Cheesy Filling
- Stuff the Peppers
- Recipe Tip
- How to Grill Jalapeno Poppers
- Flavor Variations
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Delicious BBQ Recipe Ideas:
- Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold spicy flavor balanced with creamy cheese
- Crispy bacon on every bite
- Smoky BBQ pulled pork filling (perfect way to use leftovers)
- Perfect appetizer for grilling season
- Great for parties, game day, and tailgates
- Easy to prep ahead
Ingredients needed to make Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers
- Jalapenos: adds heat and acts as the perfect vessel for stuffing.
- Pulled Pork: smoky, tender BBQ pork adds incredible flavor and texture.
- Bacon: thinly sliced bacon to easily wrap around the stuffed jalapeno.
- Cream Cheese: creamy base for the filling.
- Cheese: shredded cheddar cheese for that cheesy goodness.
- Seasoning: sweet BBQ rub to savoriness and to balance all the flavors.
Prep the Jalapeno Peppers
The key ingredient and vessel for the Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers are the jalapeno’s themselves. Try to pick ones that are larger and thicker. This will help hold all the stuffing inside.
Unlike the traditional way of slicing the jalapeno lengthwise and removing the stem, I cut out a large rectangle and scooped out all the seeds. Clean and keep the cut off piece as well. While both work well, this new method will hold more filling without spilling out much.
How to make the Pulled Pork Cheesy Filling
Traditionally, Jalapeno Poppers are filled with some kind of cheesy mixture inside. But since I had a bit of pulled pork leftover from an earlier cook, decided to add some protein into the mix. It’s the perfect recipe to repurpose ingredients to make something completely different and delicious.
In a mixing bowl, add the leftover pulled pork, a block of cream cheese – make sure it’s room temperature. Add in shredded cheddar and season with Dad’s Sweet BBQ rub. Mix the ingredients together until you have an equal blend of the cheese to meat ratio.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Stuff the Peppers
Take a generous spoonful of the stuffing and start shoving it into the jalapeno. Don’t be shy, make sure to fill it up all the way.
Next, close off the jalapeno with the removed piece and wrap the entire pepper in bacon.
Finally, season with more of Dad’s Sweet BBQ rub and place it on a wire rack.
Recipe Tip
Use thinly sliced bacon for the wrap. It will crisp up nicely and tighten the grip around the stuffed jalapeno. Thicker cuts may not cook through all the way.
How to Grill Jalapeno Poppers
These Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers are already partially cooked before they even touch the grill. Since the protein is leftover meat that’s been smoked for hours, the only thing left is to crips up the bacon, soften the jalapeno and get the cheese nice a gooey.
Start by preheating the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for indirect heat. The higher temperature will help crisp up the bacon.
There will be a some grease dripping from the bacon. I highly recommend placing a grease pan underneath the grates or the wire rack to help avoid any flareups.
The reason for placing the stuffed and wrapped jalapeno poppers on a wire rack will help then cook and crisp up evenly on all sides. No soggy bacon here!
Total cook time will be between 35-45 minutes. Remove them once the bacon is nice and cripsy.
5 minutes before removing the from the grill, brush some BBQ sauce over the top. Allow the last few minutes for the sauce to caramalize over the top.
Once you remove the Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers from the grill, let them rest for 10 minutes allow the bacon to harden before serving.
Flavor Variations
There are so many ways to customize this Pulled Pork Jalapeno Popper recipe to fit your likes.
- Extra Spicy: Add diced habaneros or hot sauce
- Sweet Bite: Use baby bell peppers instead of a jalapeno as the cooking vessel if you don’t like spice.
- Cheese Lovers: Add pepper jack or smoked gouda
- Sweet Heat: Drizzle with hot honey
- Double Bacon: Mix bacon into the filling too
Final Thoughts
These Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers are smoky, cheesy, spicy, and packed with bold BBQ flavor in every bite. Between the creamy filling, crispy bacon, and tender pulled pork, they’re guaranteed to become a crowd favorite at any cookout or gathering.
Easy to make and impossible to stop eating, this is the kind of appetizer everyone remembers.
Fire up the grill and bring serious flavor to your next BBQ.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Removing the seeds and membranes helps keep the heat manageable. Also, if you don’t like spicy foods, replace the jalapeno peppers with sweet peppers.
Yes, set the oven to 400 degrees and cook 20-30 minutes.
Delicious BBQ Recipe Ideas:
If you tried these Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Pulled Pork Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 8 Jalapeno peppers
- 2 cups Pulled Pork
- 8 strips Bacon
- 8 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 tbsp Sweet BBQ rub
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Cut out a large rectangle from the pepper and remove all the seeds.
- In a mixing bowl, add pulled pork, cream cheese, shredded cheese, 1 tbsp seasoning. Mix well until there is an even blend of cheese and meat.
- Fill each jalapeno half with a spoon full of stuffing. Close with the removed jalapeno skin piece.
- Wrap each jalapeno with a strip of bacon and season all sides with the Sweet BBQ rub. Place them on a wire rack.
- Preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grill the pork stuffed jalapeno poppers for 35-45 minutes until the bacon is crispy.
- Brush some BBQ sauce at the end and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the peppers from the grill and rest 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
My new favorite way of making jalapeno poppers. I hope you give these a try!