The Ultimate Jalapeño Popper Dip

Jalapeo poppers are a barbeque classic in the United States, and this jalapeo popper dip is out of this world.

All of the tastes of jalapeo, cream cheese, and bacon that you’d expect from a jalapeo popper are there, but in one easy-to-scoop mouthful.

This is a simple dip for something so delicious. The toughest part of the recipe is slicing the jalapeos and onions, but once you get over that, the rest is a piece of cake!

I prefer to smoke this dip for an added layer of flavor, but it may also be cooked on the grill or in the oven.

Ingredients needed for jalapeño popper dip

• 2 cups.Jalapeos, raw It’s acceptable to use pickled jalapeos instead. I prefer to use fresh ones since they are spicier, and the texture gives a little crunch to the meal. If you want to use pickled jalapeos instead, use approximately 1-1/4 cup.
• Cheese I used Monterey Jack and cream cheese, but you may use whichever cheese you choose. For the base, I suggest a medium-melty cheese like Monterey Jack, Havarti, Muenster, or Gouda.
• The cream cheese If you don’t like cream cheese, you might substitute Velveeta or Neufchtel.

• Rotel I prefer to use the Hot Rotel since I like my food spicy, but you can certainly use the Mild version if you want to tone down the heat a little.
• Crumbled bacon I used store-bought chopped bacon, but you could alternatively cook streaky bacon till crispy and crumble it yourself.
• cilantro, freshly chopped If you can’t bear the flavor of cilantro, leave it out.
• Onion blanc If you want to add a bit more onion taste, you may use sweet onion or even red onion, but I like white onion.

Related Smoked cream cheese recipe

How to make jalapeño popper dip

1. Chop your vegetables and herbs

I prefer to begin by cutting all of my veggies and herbs.

Mise en place is a French word used in the culinary industry that roughly translates to “putting in place.” It refers to the preparation labor done before you begin cooking, such as slicing your veggies, measuring your materials, or putting out your instruments.

It’s a terrific habit to develop since it will make your cooking procedure lot simpler and more efficient.

2. The cheese

The most crucial component in this dish is most likely cheese.

The cheese will transform your traditional poppers into a delightful, creamy dip. You’ll need roughly 16oz of melty cheese (such as Monterey Jack) cut into cubes. The cheese melts considerably better when cut into cubes.

The next cheese you add should be a little creamier. You don’t need to cut the cream cheese into cubes since it will melt rapidly, so simply toss the blocks in the skillet with the cubed Monterey Jack.

To counteract the richness of the cheese, this dip needs some freshness and acidity. This is when the Rotel comes into play.

3. Assembling your dip

I use my cast iron pan for pretty much everything. I like how it maintains temperature, cooks food uniformly, and has a handle that makes it simple to transfer from place to place.

If you want, you may use a disposable aluminum pan for this recipe, which would work just as well.

To begin, add your cubed cheese and cream cheese to the pan. Then add the diced jalapeos, diced white onion, cilantro, and crumbled bacon.

You may leave out the bacon to make this recipe vegetarian, but it really provides some fantastic smokey flavor and crispy texture that you would get in a typical jalapeo popper.

A half cup of milk poured over the top completes the dish.

The milk will aid in consistency and provide the creamy texture desired in a cheese dip. I used 2% milk, but I honestly don’t believe it matters, so use whatever milk you have on hand!

4. Fire up the smoker

While this recipe calls for a smoker, it may also be prepared on the grill or in the oven. The smokey taste provides a nice depth of flavor, but the dip is just as excellent created directly in your own home.

This dip was smoked on my Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050. It is a gravity-fed charcoal smoker that works well for short cooking like this one as well as lengthier roasts. The hopper can contain up to 8 hours of lump charcoal, allowing you to smoke all day.

For this dish, I used B&B Oak Lump Charcoal. Oak is a gentler wood than hickory or mesquite, but it has a wonderful smokey taste that makes it ideal for this dish.

Simply lay the pan or tray straight on the grates after your smoker has been warmed to 300F.

Allow it to smoke for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese begins to melt. Then, using a spoon, thoroughly mix everything together.

Place it back on the smoker for another 10 to 15 minutes once all of the ingredients have been well mixed. The dip is then ready to serve!

I prefer to serve this jalapeo popper dip with tortilla chips, but it would also be delicious with crackers or fresh tortillas.

You may use it as a taco topper or just eat it on its own, but I promise you’ll like it.

Other barbecue dip ideas

• Smoked Queso Dip
• Grilled Buffalo Chicken Dip

Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe