Texas Twinkies Recipe: BBQ Brisket Jalapeño Poppers

Ingredients

• 12 medium jalapeño peppers
• 12 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1.5 pounds cooked chopped brisket
• 12 slices thick-cut bacon
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.5 (12 ounce) bottle BBQ sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Cut the jalapeños into a "T" shape by slicing a vertical line from the top to the bottom, followed by a horizontal cut directly under the stem. Ensure you only cut halfway through. Use a spoon to carefully remove and discard all seeds and membranes. Arrange the jalapeños on a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the jalapeños to a bowl filled with ice water for a few minutes. This will help remove any remaining seed oil. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Fill each jalapeño with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, then add about 2 ounces of brisket. Wrap each popper with a slice of bacon. Arrange the poppers on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops generously with BBQ sauce. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize.

Nutrition

• Calories: 212 kcal
• Fat Content: 18 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sodium Content: 595 mg
• Protein Content: 6 g
• Cholesterol Content: 37 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 7 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g