Atomic Buffalo Turds, or ABTs, are jalapeño halves stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and smoked. The silly name is a BBQ contest classic. They are easy to make ahead and always disappear first.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 12 large jalapeños
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp BBQ rub, plus more for sprinkling
- 12 slices regular-cut bacon (not thick-cut), cut in half
- 24 small pieces of fully cooked smoked sausage or cocktail sausage (optional)
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce for glazing (optional)
- Toothpicks
Steps
- Put on disposable gloves. Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and white ribs with a small spoon. Leave a few ribs in if you want more heat.
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F with hickory, apple or cherry wood.
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, garlic powder and 1 tbsp rub until smooth.
- Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mix, level with the top. Press a piece of cooked sausage into the filling if using.
- Wrap each half with a half slice of bacon, stretching it a little to cover the filling. Tuck the ends underneath or hold them with a toothpick.
- Sprinkle the poppers lightly with more rub and set them on a jalapeño rack or a wire rack.
- Smoke at 275°F for 1–1 1/2 hours, until the bacon is browned and fully cooked and the peppers are tender.
- If you like, brush with a thin coat of BBQ sauce in the last 10 minutes.
- Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. The filling is very hot right out of the smoker.
Why 275°F?
Lower smoker temps, like 225°F, can leave the bacon soft and chewy. At 275°F, the bacon renders and browns in about the same time it takes the pepper to soften. If your bacon still looks pale after an hour, bump the heat to 325°F for the last 10–15 minutes to crisp it.
Use regular-cut bacon. Thick-cut bacon takes much longer to cook through and often stays flabby. Cook the bacon until it is browned and crisp. Any sausage you add should be fully cooked before it goes in.
Best wood
Hickory and bacon are a classic pair. Apple and cherry give a sweeter smoke and a nice color. Since this is a short cook, any fruit wood or pecan works. Check the wood pairing chart if you're unsure.
Handling the heat
Jalapeño oil sticks to your hands and burns if you touch your eyes. Wear disposable gloves while cutting and seeding. Most of the heat lives in the white ribs and seeds, so scrape them out well for a milder popper.
Make ahead
You can stuff and wrap the poppers up to 24 hours ahead. Cover them and keep them in the fridge, then smoke them straight from the fridge. Add about 10 minutes to the cook time.
Variations
Rub swap: use all-purpose BBQ rub for savory or sweet rib rub for a sweeter crust.
Pulled pork poppers: mix 1 cup chopped smoked pulled pork into the cheese filling.
Sweet glaze: brush with Kansas City BBQ sauce at the end.
Gear for this recipe
A jalapeño rack holds the peppers upright so the cheese doesn't spill. Grab a pair of heat-resistant BBQ gloves for pulling the hot rack.
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