10-12 Good, fresh Jalapenos
2 Links Sweet Italian Sausage
1 8 oz "brick" of Philly Cream Cheese
2 tsp Chili 9000 seasoning
1 tsp Smoked (mild) Paprika
12 (or so) strips of good, THIN sliced bacon
Slice the Jalapenos down one side, and then cut part way thru the stem end, leaving enough to keep the stem attached like a "cap".
Using a spoon, scoop out the membranes and seeds from the inside. Rinse, and set aside to dry.
Let the cream cheese come to room temperature (for easier mixing). If using link sausage, remove the casing from the two links. Mix the paprika, chili 9000, creme cheese, and sausage together in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. (A food processor or hand mixer can make this step a lot easier.)
Stuff the Jalapenos with the cheese/sausage mixture until full. Wrap with a slice (or more if necessary) of bacon until completely covered. Use the stem ends as caps to keep the goodness from oozing out as they cook. (No toothpics were necessary to hold all these together when wuff made them.)
Place on smoker rack with the cut sides up (might be hard to tell thru the bacon). Smoke at 250 degrees in strong smoke (mesquite, hickory, etc) for at least 2 hours, until interior temperature reaches 160 degrees and bacon is reasonably crisp.
Remove from smoker, and allow to rest for 5 minutes or so, for the filling to "set up" a bit.
Devour!
Variation: Add some Amish Gorgonzola Crumbles to the cheese in each "turd" for a lovely "bluesy" note.
Notes:
When selecting your Jalapeno's, look for medium sized peppers that have a tight, shiny, glossy skin with no wrinkles, and are not mushy to the touch. The better the pepper, the better this appetizer will be.
Important - use THIN bacon, the thinner the better. Thick cuts won't cook up as crisp, and will stay flabby and under-done. Not nearly as appetizing that way.
Needless to say, good sausage and good bacon will make a world of difference in this dish!
