Bacon Jalapeno Cheesy Popper Pockets

Every so often you come across Bacon wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. For those who don't know, these are jalapenos stuffed with cheese mix and wrapped in bacon then grilled. While I thoroughly enjoy those and have made them many times, I wanted to make a slightly more portable version so I figured out a couple ways to pack it. See the next steps to find out how.

Your ingredients for this are as follows:

- Bacon (1lb)

- Cream Cheese (1lb)

- Cheese (1lb)

- Jalapenos - Wet (1/2lb - 1lb) OR Dried (2oz - 4oz)

Proportionally I prefer to keep all ingredients in equal portions. It may seem like overkill but the remaining filling that doesn't get used tastes great and can be melted for chip dip or spread on a bagel. I will explain Wet/Dry in subsequent steps.

Wet Version

1. Take approximately 1/2 lb to 1lb of fresh Jalapenos and rinse them.

2. Chop the tops off.

3. If you really, really like jalapenos you probably have a jalapeno corer if not you can use a paring knife to help remove the center seed pack.

4. Rinse them out unless you want the seeds for extra kick.

5. Your finished cleaned jalapenos need to be split and will go in your food processor.

Dry Version (You can buy dried jalapenos if you want but this is how I do it since it is cheaper)

1. Repeat steps 1-4 of Wet Version

2. Split the cored jalapenos.

3. Place them in your food processor and blend them down to a paste.

4. Spread the jalapeno paste onto a cookie tray. For obvious reasons don't use one with no edges unless you want jalapeno juice everywhere.

5. Set your oven to between 140 and 180 degrees. The reason I give this range is due to not all ovens go down to 140. Anything above 180 will risk cooking the jalapeno paste vs drying it out.

6. Place your jalapeno paste in the oven and place a cloth in the door to let any moisture escape.

7. Within a couple hours you will have reduced a decent amount of moisture will be gone from the jalapeno paste.

I'll explain why drier jalapenos have an impact on the end product in a little bit. Sorry I don't have any pictures for this step as I opted to work with the wet version this time.

To make your Jalapeno Bacon Mix:

Wet Mix

1. Cook the bacon using your preferred method.

2. Place the (wet) jalapeno slices and bacon in your food processor.

3. Blend until it is a paste.

4. Place into your blender/kitchen aid/mixing bowl.

Semi-Dry Mix

1. Cook the bacon using your preferred method.

2. Place the (dry) jalapeno paste/powder and bacon in your food processor.

3. Blend until it is a paste. If you dried your jalapeno paste until it was a dry jalapeno powder, it will turn back into a paste due to the grease from the bacon.

4. Place into your blender/kitchen aid/mixing bowl.

Now the explanation.

Through trial and error I discovered the flaw of these delicious jalapeno popper pockets lies both in the wrap technique and the water content of the filling.

Fresh Jalapenos = Wet Filling = Trapped Steam = Popper Pockets more likely to POP

Fresh Jalapenos, Dried = Semi-Dry Filling = Less Trapped Steam = Popper Pockets are less likely to POP

The water content of your filling is directly affiliated with the quantity of jalapenos in your base mix and whether or not they are fresh (wet) jalapenos or dried to some degree.

The ideal wrap method that I have discovered is the one reviewed in this Instructable.

For consistency purposes, I like using my Kitchenaid Mixer. This can be done by hand however it may require greater effort to get a consistent mix.

Add the cream cheese and your choice of standard cheese. Fold the mix on itself for about 5 minutes. You should end up with the picture above.

As stated earlier, this is my best variation of how to wrap the jalapeno popper pockets. I have made them about 20 times.

1. Place a sheet of eggroll wrap onto a plate and brush it thoroughly with water.

2. Take a cookie scoop or a large tablespoon and put a glob of filling about 2oz - 3oz in the center of the eggroll.

3. Fold one point in toward the center and fold it tightly.

4. Fold each side into the center, overlapping with the other.

5. Finish rolling the pocket until the final point lands on the opposite side of the pocket

After prepping all the jalapeno popper pockets you're going to make, throw them in the fryer.

Be sure to flip them and watch for if they are at risk of popping. They only need about a minute or so per side. Remember the wetter your filling, the more likely they are to bubble up and risk popping.

Finally, enjoy your delicious appetizer!