Description
Texas Twinkies are a flavorful, spicy appetizer featuring large jalapeños stuffed with a savory mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and tender leftover beef brisket, all wrapped in crispy bacon and finished with a tangy BBQ glaze. Perfect for parties or game day snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Jalapeños
- 12 large jalapeños
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese block, shredded
- 2 cups finely chopped leftover beef brisket
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
Wrap & Sauce
- 12 slices bacon
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the rack with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Prepare Jalapeños: Slice the tops off of the jalapeños and carefully remove the seeds. Use gloves while handling to avoid irritation.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped beef brisket, and chili powder. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
- Fill Jalapeños: Transfer the filling into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, cut off a corner to create a piping bag, and fill each jalapeño with the mixture evenly.
- Wrap with Bacon: Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a single strip of bacon, ensuring it is secured around the pepper.
- Bake: Place the wrapped jalapeños on the prepared wire rack and bake on the center oven rack for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Apply BBQ Sauce & Broil: Remove jalapeños from the oven and brush them with BBQ sauce. Set the oven broiler to low and place the peppers about 6 inches under it. Broil for 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Cool & Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving to allow flavors to meld and to ensure safe handling.
Notes
- Choose large-sized jalapeños to hold a good amount of filling.
- Gloves are recommended when handling jalapeños to avoid skin irritation.
- This recipe is ideal for using leftover smoked beef brisket; alternatively, ground chorizo or pork butt can be used for different flavors.
- Ensure bacon is fully cooked and crispy for the best texture contrast.
- If you prefer less heat, remove more seeds or use milder peppers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 twinkie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
