ABT's and the variations one may experiment with...

[toymaster]

I use sour cream instead of cream cheese mixed with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and chopped chives and bacon bits.

 

[Big-Joe]

Chopped brisket point cream cheese and shredded cheddar. Have had some really good ones with crab or shrimp and cream cheese.

 

[DerHusker]

For filling I use Cream Cheese or Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss wedges (1 wedge for every Jalapeno) and mix it with Green Onion & Bacon Crumbles to taste.



These are great all by themselves but if your Jalapenos are large enough you can add a cooked chicken tender strip and wrap with a strip of Bacon. (Toothpicks as required)


Or maybe Shrimp.

 

[cats49er]

I thought about trying mashed potatoes with cheese,chives,sour cream,and butter as filling then wrap with bacon. Like double stuffed potatoes.

 

[Big Andy]

I brown a lb. of breakfast sausage, mix with a block of cream cheese, and add plenty of Cavender's Greek Seasoning or sometimes Cajun seasoning. Then wrap with bacon. I also stuff mushrooms with the same mixture.

 

[mrbill]

stuff jalapeno with smoked cheddar and a sliver of tenderest beef/venison you have. then cook em like moinks(dust with rub and glaze with sauce near the end)

 

[Moose]

I like a good "pull" to the cheese in my ABT's so colby jack has always been my cheese of choice:

 

[Smoking Piney]

I'm loving this thread - ABTs in limitless ways. :-D

 

[Hoss]

Food processor chopped Smokey Links
Rendered and well drained chorizo
Leftover pulled pork
Shredded cheddar
Crab meat
Chopped grilled shrimp

I like to use pablano halves for ABTs. It's a larger serving and less heat for my wife. I'm always thinking of new things to stuff into them. :-D

I agree.I love Anaheims made into ABTs also.Way easier to stuff and wrap.

 

[Texmex01]

I'm a huge fan of ABT's. My family and neighbors are also.

That said, it is one of those deals where if it ain't broke don't fix it, but alas, I want to experiment.

What variations of the typical jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and ranch dressing seasoning wrapped in bacon have you all tried and felt that it resulted in something even more amazing than the original?

Just to get things started: I've tried sprinkling some rubs on mine, threw some bacon bits in the stuffing mixture, wrapped in sausage instead of bacon, but so far I think the original stands apart.

Thoughts?

Change up the stuffing, I like Boudin mixed with cheese stuffed in the pepper then wrapped in Bacon...

 

[Militant83]

Now this sounds interesting! please expound on jelly selection! A little sweet to complement the savory could be next level.

I bet a nice red pepper jelly would be good with this.

 

[markdtn]

My wife is particularly fond of cherry jelly. She claims it removes more of the "heat" from the peppers, and everyone does seem to really like it.

I use half cream cheese and half sour cream. I think they are particularly good with some SM Cherry rub mixed in so now I have some confirmation that cherry goes well with them. I will try with cherry jelly, might be even better.

 

[Cook]

I never use cream cheese either. I use an herby pub cheese, and mix with a good amount of cheddar and some rub/seasoning mixed in.

Jalapeños for the original...poblanos for a larger portion and mild to no heat (can use more than one little smokey in the larger pepper)...or...for those with a sense of adventure...use habaneros to spice things up a little.

Bacon wrap...half slice for Jalapeños or a full slice for fat poblanos. A dash of rub right on top & smoke till done.

Bacon too short? No problem! Place the bacon on a cutting board, and run the back of a knife down the slice lengthwise. It will stretch further than you think it would.

 

[jasonjax]

I bet a nice red pepper jelly would be good with this.

This is exactly what I am testing!

I have about a 2/3 of the turds stuffed with my usual: cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and ranch packet dry mix. And then, I have the remaining 1/3 with the same, but added a nice amount of red pepper jelly to it.

I think the flavor is going to be awesome adding a little sweet heat.

 

[Longhorn01]

Haven't read every single response but may have been said already...my two go to are:

Cream Cheese and Raspberry Jelly mix wrapped in "regular" applewood smoked bacon

Semi cooked Chorizo (the real chorizo...not that flavored beef chorizo) and little bit of cream cheese wrapped in maple bacon. The sweet and heat balance well!

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Why limit to yourself to jalapeño or even horizontal for that matter? Pepperoni under cheese cubes on the verticals is Mighty Fine. Pick your own fillings for the flat ones on the Big peppers.

 

[jmellor]

Try some crushed pineapple on top of the cream cheese before you wrap the bacon....really good and has a better texture than jelly imho....my buddy tops his halved w buttered panko which is really good as well.

 

[LawHawg]

These all sound like some good ideas. I have always just stuck with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and creole seasoning wrapped in bacon. Last time, though, I snuck in some Mozzarella and Parmesan to the mix. Turned out real good. Never considered trying sweets like jelly. Interesting.

I see comments about trying to keep the heat down. Y'all probably already know this, but scraping out all of the white, especially near the stem, and then rinsing them in cold water gets rid of most of the heat.

 

[QN]

My go to is 8 oz. cream cheese, 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, about 8 oz. chopped pulled pork and 3 - 4 tablespoons of Tones southwest chipotle seasoning. I mix the seasoning with an equal amount of water and let it sit for about an hour to rehydrate the spices; it is a very coarse grind blend. I mix the seasoning with the cream cheese first and then add the cheddar and pork. I also use Hormel Black Label pre-cooked bacon to wrap and a toothpick to hold it. The bacon shrinks up around the stuffed pepper and actually gets crisp. No raw meat to worry about cooking until done. I have also made some extra hot ones by adding habanero puree to the filling mixture. Just make sure you keep them separate :shock:

 

[LMAJ]

diced shrimp and a little apricot preserves mixed in with the cream cheese - Big Al really liked them.