Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos
A few years ago, in the grocery store, I saw a man purchasing a large bag of jalapeno peppers. Curious, I asked what he intended to do with them, and right there in the store, he shared this recipe with me! —Janice Montiverdi, Sugar Land, Texas
A few years ago, in the grocery store, I saw a man purchasing a large bag of jalapeno peppers. Curious, I asked what he intended to do with them, and right there in the store, he shared this recipe with me! —Janice Montiverdi, Sugar Land, Texas
- Carbohydrate 2.21870625026781 g
- Cholesterol 43.8762500219685 mg
- Fat 13.0066250069337 g
- Fiber 0.612499989569187 g
- Protein 7.49956250520968 g
- Saturated Fat 8.30881500441296 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (62g)
- Sodium 214.361250129928 mg
- Sugar 1.60620626069862 g
- Trans Fat 2.00069000035882 g
- Calories 158 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes. In a large saucepan, boil peppers in water for 5-10 minutes (the longer you boil the peppers, the milder they become). Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoonfuls into each jalapeno half; sprinkle with bacon.
- Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.
How far in advance can these peppers be stuffed without the moisture from the dairy turning the hollowed pods soggy before baking? Jalapenos hold up well when prepped carefully, but managing excess liquid requires attention to detail. Boiling the halved peppers for five to ten minutes reduces capsaicin levels while softening the flesh, yet it also introduces surface water that must be thoroughly shaken off before filling. Spreading the drained pods upside down on paper towels for ten minutes prevents the cream cheese mixture from sliding out during assembly.
Cream cheese and finely shredded cheddar form a dense filling that benefits from mechanical mixing rather than hand stirring to ensure the Worcestershire sauce disperses evenly. Standard baking sheets work fine, though lining them with parchment paper rather than heavy grease eliminates sticking when the cheddar liquefies at 400 degrees. If preparing these ahead of time, assemble the peppers up to 24 hours in advance and store them uncovered in the refrigerator for two hours to firm the dairy before transferring them to an airtight container.
Leftover baked portions retain quality for up to three days when refrigerated in a sealed container, though reheating them in a microwave makes the bacon limp. Restoring their original texture demands a dry skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes or a return to a 375-degree oven for five minutes until the cheese bubbles again. Should fresh jalapenos prove unavailable, thick-walled poblano peppers cut into wide strips serve as a workable substitute, though baking times will increase by three minutes to account for the heavier vegetable walls.
