Did your team make it to the big game? Awesome! Didn’t even make the playoffs? That's okay, too! We’re putting a hot new football-shaped player in the game: bacon-wrapped blue cheese jalapeño poppers.
Creamy blue cheese powder (yes, it’s a thing, and we’re obsessed) is mixed into cream cheese and paired with hot jalapeños, making this app the perfect finger food to serve at your Super Bowl party – especially if you want to serve something spicy but don't feel like cleaning up after wings.
Each jalapeño is wrapped in one of the greatest bacons we’ve ever had, and we’ve eaten a lot of bacon. Forget the fact that the flavor is off the charts. It’s cut just a hair thicker than traditional "thick-cut bacon," which makes all the difference. It holds together, so the fat doesn’t completely cook out but creates semi-rendered pork fat flavor pockets.
We’ve placed our bets. These poppers are taking home the trophy:
Jaq’s Blue Cheese Jalapeño Poppers
6 jalapeños, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 scallion, sliced
1 3-ounce container Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese Powder
6 tablespoons cream cheese
6 slices Tender Belly Dry Cured Maple Bacon*, cut in half
12 toothpicks
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line baking sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side up.
- Gently combine Blue Cheese Powder, cream cheese and scallion.
- Spoon mixture into jalapeños and distribute evenly.
- Wrap bacon around the center of the jalapeño, like a belt, so the ends of the bacon overlap.
- Fasten bacon with toothpick.
- Arrange on prepared baking sheet so jalapeños are not overlapping or overcrowded.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes for regular sliced bacon, 20 to 25 minutes for thick-cut bacon, or until bacon is cooked through.
- Allow jalapeños to cool on paper towels to drain excess fat.
- Finish with fresh cracked black pepper and plate.
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: Makes 12 poppers
*Sub the maple bacon for Habanero Dry-Rub Uncured Bacon to score that extra point.
