Take a jalapeo popper and load it with beef to make a Texas Twinkie.
These delectable canapés are stuffed with leftover smoked brisket and cheese, wrapped in bacon, then brushed with barbecue sauce.
They’re simple to make on the smoker, so let’s get started.
Contents
Smoked Texas Twinkies
Texas Twinkie combines everything that is wonderful about BBQ. BACON, smoked, spicy, silky, sweet, and cheesy. What isn’t to like?
The Texas flavor derives from the addition of chopped smoked brisket to the cream cheese mixture.
For this dish, you’ll need some leftover brisket. Check out our in-depth brisket guide if you’ve never smoked a brisket before. If you’re in a hurry, we also offer a smoked pellet grill brisket recipe and a hot and quick brisket recipe.
What you need for Texas Twinkies
- Brisket of beef Hopefully, you have some leftover brisket in the freezer, or you just smoked a brisket. I like to utilize the fattier part of the brisket.
- bacon, thinly sliced To ensure appropriate rendering and crispness.
- Fresh whole jalapeos
- Cream cheese, softened Use our smoked cream cheese for added taste.
- cheese, shredded I like Colby jack, but shredded cheddar or gouda would also work.
- Rub for the grill I used our Smoke Kitchen Beef Rub, but any barbecue rub would do.
- Sauce for barbecuing Any sweet barbeque sauce will work brushed on at the end.
How to make Texas Twinkies
1. Chop the brisket and core the jalapeños
Chop the leftover or thawed beef into tiny pieces. The smaller portions allow for more brisket to be incorporated into the jalapeo, which is the purpose here!
One cup of leftover chopped brisket is required.
You may split your jalapeos lengthwise to prepare them, but I like to leave them whole and core out the interior, discarding the seeds and membrane.
Remove the tops of the jalapeos and insert the rear handle of a spoon, twisting it in. The seeds should fall out easily. Run some water from your sink if there are any particles trapped inside, and everything should be nice and clean on the inside.
Remove some of the seeds if you like a hotter flavor. You may leave a couple of them in there or mix them in with the filling afterwards.
Wear gloves if possible, or thoroughly wash your hands afterward. You should avoid touching your eyes or going to the restroom during this time. It’s not enjoyable, believe me.
2. Make the filling
Place the chopped brisket in a mixing dish with 16oz softened cream cheese and 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese. After that, add one tablespoon of BBQ rub.
Smoke Kitchens Beef Rub was utilized. Combine everything until the brisket mixture is fully mixed.
3. Stuff the jalapeños
Fill a piping or zip lock bag halfway with the cream cheese mixture, then snip the corner and put it into each jalapeo.Take care not to overfill since the mixture will expand as it heats.
You may also use a spoon to pour the cream cheese mixture into the jalapeos and push down with your finger to ensure that the whole jalapeo is filled.
Wrap each jalapeo with bacon and fasten with a toothpick if necessary.
Place the twinkies on a wire to make it easier to slide them on and off the smoker. You could set them directly on the grill grates, but removing the Twinkies one at a time may be difficult.
4. Smoking your Texas Twinkies
Warm up your smoker to roughly 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I used hickory pellets from Bear Mountain BBQ in my Traeger Timberline. Use any smoking wood that would go well with brisket.
The bacon and brisket are already smoked, so the high heat will help get the bacon crispy and the jalapeo soft. The jalapeos will absorb some smoke flavor throughout the cooking process, but that is not our main objective here.
Smoke the twinkies for 45 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked to your liking. If you used thick sliced bacon, you may need to smoke it for a little longer.
Brush on some barbecue sauce around 10 minutes before removing them from the grill and allowing them to glaze on the bacon before bringing them inside to enjoy.
It truly is that simple!! I serve them plain, but a spicy ranch would be great for dipping. Fries or wedges are also a tasty addition to a backyard barbecue. I assure your buddies will return!
Other spicy jalapeño recipes to try
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeo Poppers
- Jalapeo Popper Dip Recipe
- Breakfast Burrito with Grilled Brisket and Jalapeo Cheese Blanket
- Smoked Armadillo Eggs
