Game Day Jalapeño Poppers on the Traeger

Spice up your next game-day feast with this simple, versatile, and delicious jalapeño popper recipe on the Traeger. These savory and creamy handheld appetizers are sure to impress and leave your guests craving for more.

If you’re looking to take your jalapeño poppers to the next level, then you need to try this recipe. With the help of my Traeger Ironwood 885, I was able to add an extra layer of flavor that will make your taste buds sing. Don’t settle for ordinary poppers – elevate your game day experience!

Why should you try this recipe

• Easy to make: Elevate your game day experience with this easy-to-prepare and flavorful recipe. The prep time is quick.  The cooking time is short.  This recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, it’s perfect for any football party or as a delicious snack.

• Versatile: Get creative with this recipe! The filling, spices, and extras are all up to you. Don’t be afraid to try something new, like chorizo instead of sausage or a spicier seasoning. Top it off with bacon or chives for a beautiful presentation. The possibilities are endless!

• Great starter: Hosting a party or game day gathering can be stressful, especially if you’re worried about cooking something complicated. But don’t fret! Simple starters can be just as delicious and satisfying. Give this one a try and see how easy entertaining can be.

Ingredients for Game Day Jalapeño Poppers

• 7-10 Whole Jalapenos:  Select 7 to 10 (or more for a bigger game day group) whole jalapeño peppers.  I like to select larger ones if possible.
• 1 lb Ground Sausage:  Any ground sausage will work, I prefer the Bob Evans Savory Sage
• 8 oz Cream Cheese:  For this recipe, I used Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese
• 3 tbsp Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle:  The Rock’s Honey Chipotle spice blend offers a sweetness from the honey to balance the fats brought in by the sausage and cream cheese.  The chipotle flavor then infuses some smokiness into the dish. 
• ¼ lb Shredded Colby Jack Cheese:  The Colby Jack cheese blend offers some sharpness and added color to the final presentation. 

Instructions for making Game Day Jalapeño Poppers

1. Bring smoker to temp: For this recipe I’m using my Traeger Ironwood 885 and running it at 350º

2. Cook the sausage: Here I used my Traeger Flatrock to quickly fry up one pound of sausage, seasoning it further with some Smoked Q Rock’s Boom Boom Blend.  After it is all browned, let it cool to room temperature. 

3. Cut and de-seed the jalapeños: Next I cut each jalapeño in half, then using the pointed end of a peeler I pitted out the center of each cut half

4. Mix up the cream cheese filling: Incorporate the seasoned and cooked sausage and mix together with a spatula. Lastly, incorporate 1-2 tbsp of Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle seasoning. 

5. Fill the jalapeños: Spread the cream cheese mixture inside the jalapeño pepper halves using a spatula, making sure the filling is level with the pepper walls.

6. Place on cooling rack:  To ensure ease of transition to and from the smoker, place each filled jalapeño on a wire cooling rack. Next, apply a layer of Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle spice blend, and then sprinkle shredded Colby Jack cheese on top as a finishing touch.

7. Cook the jalapeños: For this recipe, I cooked these jalapeño poppers at 350º for about 25-30 minutes.  As you see the cheese melting, check the jalapeño peppers for a slightly darkened green color.

8. Cool and serve: When they are done, remove from the Traeger and place on a plate or serving dish, allow to cool slightly and serve. 

Variations and Substitutions:

Alternate Rubs: If you don’t have one of the many Smoked Q spices available, reach for any sweet rub or spice in your arsenal.  Meat Church Honey Bacon BBQ rub is a fun option to get that sweet, smokey, salty, savory addition to the dish.

Substitution or variation: This recipe is only limited by your imagination.  Whether it is picking a spicier pepper option, a different protein filling, new flavor of cream cheese, or a different topping cheese – the possibilities are endless, so try pushing the limits. 

Tips and tricks for making this Game Day Jalapeño Poppers

Hot and fast: By selecting a non-bacon wrapped version of this recipe, we can confidently increase the heat and reduce the grilling time to achieve a delicious outcome. The goal is to cook the peppers until they are slightly soft and perfectly heat up the cream cheese filling.

Load up the flavor: If you’re looking to experiment with new flavors, consider replacing the sausage in your recipe with some chopped bacon or try using an exotic cream cheese flavor like chive & onion or buffalo style. To ensure that the flavors are well-balanced, I suggest using a generous amount of seasoning in the dish. The blending of many distinct flavors can sometimes cause the seasoning to lose its effect if used sparingly. So, don’t be afraid to be generous with the seasoning.

Soften the Cream Cheese: Quick tip that might be helpful for preparing this recipe on a cold day (below 40ºF). When prepping the filling, I faced some difficulty initially in mixing the sausage with the cream cheese. However, my solution was to place the stainless steel bowl on top of my Traeger grill that was running at 400º for another dish.  This softened everything up. It made mixing and spreading much easier.