Jalapeno Poppers are a popular treat enjoyed in many Mexican restaurants. Combining the crunchiness of a crispy coating, the heat of a jalapeno pepper, and the smoothness of a melted cheese filling, they are often served as an appetizer or TV snack. Read on, and learn How To Make Jalapeno Poppers, so that you can enjoy them in the comfort and leisure of your own home, or make a splash at your next party.
Easy Jalapeno Poppers
In this video you can appreciate some of the techniques used in the preparation of the peppers themselves and the filling process. As you will see, the recipe can be personalized by adding a personal touch, such as Italian seasoning mixes or even substituting deep frying for baking to lower the fat content. Remember, it is sometimes nice to be creative with any recipe. Enjoy!
Introduction
The process of making jalapeno poppers requires approximately 30 minutes for preparation and 15 minutes of cooking time. In less than an hour you can be enjoying them.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces of softened cream cheese
- 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
- 32 medium sized jalapeno peppers
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- oil for deep frying (1-2 quarts)
- 1 tbsp of bacon bits or 1/8 cup ground beef crumbs (optional)
Step 1: Preparing the Peppers
You start first by halving and seeding the jalapeno peppers. The inner flesh and seed stem contains a high concentration of pepper oils, so you may wish to wear gloves for this process. Always take care in touching your eyes and nose to avoid potential irritation.
Step 2: Preparing the Filling
Place the cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl. By hand, mix the two cheeses together until they are well combined. You may add the optional bacon bits or ground beef crumbs at this time, incorporating them into the mixture.
Once the mixture is ready, spoon it into the pepper halves, filling each pepper half evenly to the top. Do not over fill.
Step 3: The Coating
Place the flour into one bowl and the milk into another bowl.
First dip each filled jalapeno half in the milk, then into the flour, making sure they are coated with both. Allow the coated peppers to dry for 7 to 10 minutes.
On a plate or platter, spread out the bread crumbs.
Dip each pepper half in milk again, and roll them in the bread crumbs, ensuring that they are fully coated. Allow the peppers to dry another 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 4: The Final Preparation
In a skillet or dutch oven, heat the 1 to 2 quarts of oil to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
Deep fry the coated jalapeno halves for 2 to 3 minutes each until they are a rich golden brown. Remove them and let them dry on a layer of paper towels.
Let them cool at least 5 minutes before biting into one to avoid burning yourself.
Serve with ranch dressing for an added tang.
References
Fast Facts
-
Tip 4
Allow the peppers to rest at least 5 minutes after frying before serving
