Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Cheesy ground beef stuffed jalapeño poppers. Possibly the most delicious snack ever created! There may not be many words that go better together in a sentence. Whether this is for a game day party, dinner, snack, or lunch – you won’t be disappointed with this easy recipe packed with TONS of flavor. These don’t require much time to prep and once you get them on the smoker, you have time to go back about your day doing what you need to or setting up for the rest of the party or get-together.

Three meat stuffed bacon-wrapped jalapeños on a blue and white patterned plate. A striped napkin and two fresh jalapeños are visible in the background on a wooden surface.

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Stuffed peppers are one of my go-to recipes for entertaining, and this version has it all. The browned ground beef tastes great with the melted cheese, and the spicy jalapeños and crispy bacon take them over the top.

They're easy to make, too, and are filling enough to keep people going while your brisket or pulled pork finishes smoking.

Love jalapeno poppers? You'll love these Jalapeno Popper Pigs in a Blanket or these delicious Chicken Fried Jalapeno Poppers!

Why you’ve got to try this Meat Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Recipe

Fun appetizer for any party
Only requires 4 simple ingredients
Takes any party to the next level
Savory, smoky flavor from the bacon fat that melts into the jalapeno poppers
Has a classic bacon cheeseburger flavor everyone loves

Ingredients

Whole jalapeño peppers - These will be filled with the meaty cheesy blend. I recommend slicing just next to the stem to keep it intact for serving. Scrape out the seeds and the veins from inside of the jalapeno to reduce the heat level.
Ground beef - Make sure to season it with your favorite BBQ rub and some salt to give it plenty of flavor, and cook it completely before you get it started.
Bacon slices - These will be wrapped around the peppers to help hold them together and to add tons of extra flavor.
Cheddar cheese - Although you can use shredded cheese, you'll get more of that melty, gooey cheese if you add a hunk of cheese instead.
Favorite favorite BBQ rub - For this recipe, I used Shore Smoke's Rub My Meat blend with a sweet, smoky flavor. This is to season the ground beef and to sprinkle over the jalapeno poppers before adding them to the smoker.
BBQ sauce - I like to brush some overtop of the finished jalapeno poppers for extra flavor. They act like a glaze and taste delicious.

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How to Make Ground Meat Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

The trick to making the best possible tasting, and looking treat is to make sure your bacon is wrapped properly. For these I used 2 slices of bacon for the large jalapeños in the recipe, however you can adjust down to 1 if your peppers are smaller. If using 2 pieces, it’s important that the slices overlap at the end to keep the pieces of bacon together.

When you have them all wrapped the way you want, make sure the end of the bacon is on the bottom, where the pepper’s weight will be resting on it. This will allow the bacon to cook without curling, and your end result will look awesome!

Remove from smoker and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
Preheat your smoker to 225F.
Wash and slice your jalapenos longways with one slice.
Scrape out the core and seeds with a spoon from each jalapeno half.
Fill one half of the jalapeno with a strip of cheddar cheese, sliced to fit.
Fill the other half of the jalapeno with cooked ground beef – about 1 tsp.
Close up the jalapeno and wrap with 2 slices of bacon, make sure the bacon overlaps to stay connected.
Season with your favorite BBQ Rub or Seasoning.
Smoke at 225F for 20 minutes.
Increase temperature to 400F and cook for another 20 minutes or until bacon is cooked to your liking.
Brush on your favorite BBQ Sauce and let glaze for 5 minutes.

Two halved jalapeños on a wooden surface, one filled with a stick of cheddar cheese and the other with ground meat.

Four hamburger meat stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon and coated with seasoning are placed on a wire rack.

Storing Suggestions

These meat stuffed jalapeno poppers are best still hot from the smoker. If you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, I recommend popping them in the oven or air fryer at 350F to help crisp up the bacon.

Tips & Variations

Change the meat. Instead of ground beef, you can easily use cooked sausage or ground pork instead. Feel free to use leftover taco meat too for a Tex Mex flavor. You can easily cook the meat the night before, then store it in the fridge until you're ready.
Use your favorite cheese. Classic cheddar cheese adds lots of cheesy goodness, but you can also use provolone or smoked gouda for extra flavor.

How to Serve

After you’ve let your poppers cook for the required amount of time, and you’ve glazed them with your favorite BBQ Sauce, it’ll be tempting to dive in and take a bite. Be careful here and be sure to let them rest for about 5-10 minutes after coming off of the smoker to avoid burning your mouth.

For dipping, I recommend classic ranch dressing or blue cheese. For an added kick, stir in some hot sauce (or buffalo sauce).

FAQs

Can you make meat stuffed jalapeno poppers in the oven?

Yes! If you don't have a smoker or simply want to make these indoors, you can cook them at 400F in your oven until the bacon is crisp to your liking. Glaze at the end before serving. You won't get the same smoke flavor, but they're still great.

Do you have to slice the jalapenos in half?

For this recipe, I find it best to cut the jalapeno peppers in half and fill each side before wrapping the whole thing in a strip of bacon. Skipping this step means the melting cheese will ooze out into your oven or smoker, which can make a mess. The little wrapped jalapeno boat contains the cheese (and the flavor) while making a great presentation. It's highly recommended.

Can you fill the jalapeno with cream cheese?

Traditional jalapeno poppers are filled with cream cheese. I like to use cheddar since it melts so nicely, but you can certain add a seasoned cream cheese mixture if you prefer.

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