Showstopping BBQ with Your Traeger Grill: Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños

Well, I got a new toy, and that means that I need to start putting it through its paces.  I've never been a grill or smoker girl, and I think this is a bit of a lapse in my culinary experience, so I think it's time to take care of that deficiency.  But I didn't want to start out with a brisket, so I opted for these little parcels of fun.  And they are so delicious.  Not super spicy, but definitely flavorful.  No smoker?  Just make them in the oven, broiling a bit at the end to get the bacon to crisp.

Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños
Adapted from Showstopping BBQ with Your Traeger Grill by Ed Randolph

10 large jalapeños, 3 to 4 inches long
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
¾ teaspoon granulated garlic
¾ teaspoon granulated onion

½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon Accent powder (optional)
10 slices thinly-sliced bacon

Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ rub

Prepare your smoker by bringing it up to 275°F.

Slice the jalapeños in half vertically, preserving as much of the stem as possible. Using a gloved finger, small spoon, or jalapeño corer, scoop out all the ribs and seeds and discard them.

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and spices together until well combined. Slice the bacon in half longways, to make 20 long strips.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the jalapeños, then wrap each with a piece of bacon. Sprinkle evenly with the rub.  Place the jalapeños on a sheet tray and put the tray in the smoker for 30 minutes.

Increase the temperature of the smoker to 375°F and smoke for another 30 minutes to crisp the bacon.

Makes 20 jalapeños