Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

Step 1

Preheat. Fire up the smoker and preheat it to 275 degrees F.

Step 2

Cook the sausage. In a medium skillet, brown and thoroughly cook the pork sausage, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain away the fat and set aside.

Step 3

Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, cooked sausage, shredded cheese, and Sweet Rub.

Step 4

Stuff the jalapenos. Use a spoon to fill each jalapeno half with the filling mixture.

Step 5

Wrap and season. Wrap each popper in a slice of bacon, overlapping the ends of the bacon or using a toothpick to secure it. Set the filled and wrapped poppers on a flat baking rack. Season the top with the Sweet Rub.

Step 6

Smoke. Place the rack directly on the smoker grates, close the lid, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your jalapeno and the thickness of your bacon. You want the bacon to be well rendered and reddish in color with nice golden brown edges.

Step 7

Enjoy. Remove the poppers, let them cool for several minutes, and then serve.