Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson
- Carbohydrate 1.07430730445833 g
- Cholesterol 25.6027667041667 mg
- Fat 4.76906520995833 g
- Fiber 0.224283329509199 g
- Protein 3.05183100683333 g
- Saturated Fat 2.8214286391 g
- Serving Size 1 1 popper (28g)
- Sodium 112.69744813125 mg
- Sugar 0.850023974949135 g
- Trans Fat 0.453558815133334 g
- Calories 59 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Brown chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain and place into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cheese, red onion, egg, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Press into jalapeno halves and assemble on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Standard oven capacity limits how many stuffed peppers roast evenly at once, requiring a single parchment-lined baking sheet arranged at 375 degrees F. Thermal circulation inside the oven dictates that crowding the pan creates steam pockets rather than the desired golden crust. Spacing each half-pepper apart allows dry heat to circulate effectively around the exterior walls of the pepper.
Fresh jalapenos provide structural integrity and a crisp bite that pickled peppers fail to deliver. Raw peppers soften during the twenty-minute baking window while retaining enough rigidity to hold the heavy filling. Using aged smoked gouda instead of a mild melting cheese introduces robust phenols that balance the fatty richness of the chorizo. Raw Mexican chorizo must be fully browned in a skillet over medium-high heat for eight to ten minutes to render excess grease before mixing it into the dairy base, preventing the filling from liquefying during the bake.
Modifying this preparation for vegetarian diets requires replacing the pork sausage with a textured plant-based protein crumble seasoned with cumin, garlic, and vinegar to mimic cured Mexican sausage spices. Dairy components like cream cheese and sour cream accept standard lactose-free alternatives without altering the binding chemistry of the egg.
