Texas Twinkies Recipe: Smoked Brisket-Stuffed Jalapeños

Texas Twinkies are jumbo jalapeño peppers stuffed with chopped smoked brisket and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, brushed with barbecue sauce and smoked until the bacon is browned and the filling is hot and creamy.

This Texas BBQ favorite delivers smoky beef, rich cheese, spicy peppers and sweet-savory barbecue flavor in one seriously delicious appetizer.

At Grillax, we’re taking this barbecue classic up a big notch with extra-large jalapeños, plenty of cream cheese, a thick slice of bacon and an unexpected flavor twist: Pineapple. That little hit of sweetness against the smoky brisket and jalapeño heat really send this recipe to the moon!

The name and style are widely associated with Hutchins BBQ in McKinney, Texas. The broader tradition of stuffing peppers with meat and cheese, wrapping them in bacon and cooking them over fire, however, has long been a backyard barbecue favorite.

Think brisket, jalapeño poppers and bacon-wrapped BBQ goodness all rolled into one fantabulous bite.

Fire up the smoker, grab your favorite barbecue sauce and let’s make Texas Twinkies, Grillax style.

Texas Twinkies at a Glance

• Main ingredients: Jumbo jalapeños, chopped smoked brisket, cream cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce
• Grillax twist: Pineapple for a sweet contrast to the smoky beef and spicy peppers
• Cooking method: Smoker or grill
• Best for: Game day, tailgating, backyard BBQs and party appetizers
• Flavor profile: Smoky, creamy, spicy, savory and slightly sweet

Happy Grilling!

Texas Twinkies

Texas Twinkies start as a hollowed-out jumbo jalapeño, then stuffed with chopped brisket and cream cheese and wrapped in bacon.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Southern, Texas

Servings 6 people

Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 12 Whole Jalapeños
• 7.5 oz Cream Cheese
• 1.5 lbs Smoked Brisket, chopped
• 12 Thick-cut Bacon, strips
• 2 Tbsp Sea Salt
• 2 Tbsp Black Pepper
• 6 oz Barbecue Sauce
• 1/2 oz Pineapple, crushed Optional

Instructions

 

• Slice one side of each jalapeño from stem to tip. Slice across stem end; remove seeds.
• Place jalapeños on grilling mesh; grill at high heat (indirect) for 10 minutes.
• Remove from grill; Cover each jalapeño's inside bottom with a spoonful of cream cheese; a pinch of brisket.
• For a sweet option, add crushed pineapple to the cream cheese. (Our favorite)
• Wrap with bacon; add pinch salt and pepper.
• Place peppers on grilling mesh; place on indirect side of high-heat grill 30 minutes.
• Glaze with barbecue sauce, serve immediately.

Keyword cheese, jalapeño, peppers, pineapple, spicy, texas twinkies

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