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texas twinkies recipe

Texas Twinkies Recipe

Texas Twinkies are a delicious interpretation of jalapeño poppers, wherein the jalapenos are stuffed with a mixture of chopped brisket and cheese and then wrapped in thick-cut bacon. Smoky, spicy, and incredibly flavorful, Texas twinkies are a staple appetizer at Texas-style barbecues, are super simple to make, and are a genuine crowd pleaser! 
5 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 peppers
Calories 272 kcal
Equipment
  • paring knife
  • food processor
  • Pastry brush
  • kitchen toothpicks
Ingredients
  
  • 12 large jalapeños
  • 12 oz full-fat plain cream cheese 
  • 8 oz Monterey jack cheese shredded
  • 1.5 lbs pre-cooked brisket chopped (well-marbled brisket is best)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt 
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 12 pieces thick-cut bacon 
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
 
  • Preheat the oven to 300°F. 
  • Using a very sharp paring knife, cut a “T” shape into each jalapeno. 
    Cut a vertical line from the bottom of the jalapeno to the stem base, then cut a horizontal line at the stem end, making sure to only cut halfway through the jalapeno. Repeat with every pepper.
    Using a small spoon, gently remove the membrane and as many seeds as possible from each jalapeno and discard. 
  • Place the jalapenos on a parchment-lined baking tray, and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the jalapenos from the oven and immediately increase the heat to 375°F. 
    Transfer the jalapenos to a large bowl of ice water. 
    *If you prefer spicy stuffed peppers, feel free to skip the ice bath and remove fewer seeds.
  • Add the brisket, cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, ground pepper, and cumin to the bowl of a food processor. Blitz at high speed for 1 minute until everything is well mixed. 
  • Remove the jalapenos from the ice bath and blot dry with a paper towel, making sure to remove as much water from the inside of the jalapeno as possible. 
    Fill each jalapeno with roughly 1.5 tablespoons of the brisket and cream cheese mixture. Fill them as full as you can without the cheese mixture spilling over the edges. 
  • Wrap the jalapeños with bacon. 
    Place the bacon strips onto a flat work surface and gently pull at each end to elongate. Take care not to pull too hard so as to prevent ripping. 
    Position the jalapenos on one end of the bacon strip and roll up until the bacon ends overlap and the entire jalapeno is encased in bacon. If necessary, fasten together with a toothpick. 
    Repeat with each pepper. 
  • Place the wrapped peppers onto a foil-lined baking sheet and position the tray on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through, golden brown, and crispy. 
  • Remove the tray from the oven, and adjust the settings to broil. 
    Using a pastry brush, coat the wrapped jalapeño poppers with barbecue sauce then transfer back to the oven. Broil for 5 minutes or until the barbecue sauce has settled into the bacon. 
  • Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray for 5 minutes. 
    Serve and enjoy! 
Nutrition
Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 2.2gProtein: 13.4gFat: 17.3gCholesterol: 47.1mgSodium: 321.2mgSugar: 1.5g
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