Jalapeno Popper Hot Dog
BBQ season just got SPICIER with my Jalapeño Popper Hot Dog
If you like ’em long and large, this is the hot dog for you bab.
I’m honestly still not over the pure length of the two jalapeño and cheese hot dogs I used for this recipe. I mean, if you like a strong sausage-to-bread ratio, this recipe is a certified winner. It was genuinely the length of my forearm, which, if the rumours are true, means it’s roughly the length of a size 8 foot. Picture below for a little visual representation…
To give the sausage a little more girth (sorry), I wrapped it in streaky bacon. Then, because this absolute unit was a bit wibbly wobbly, I skewered it through the middle to make it sturdier and easier to manoeuvre on the BBQ. The skewer also helps conduct the heat into the centre of the sausage, meaning it cooks a little quicker too. Double win. Then, to take things even further, I grabbed my homemade herb brush and coated the whole thing in a glossy jalapeño hot honey glaze.
Because apparently I don’t know when to stop.
Wait…what’s a jalapeño popper?
Allow me to introduce you to one of America’s greatest inventions.
A jalapeño popper is traditionally a fresh jalapeño that’s been stuffed with cream cheese (sometimes cheddar too if ya fancy), wrapped in bacon and baked or grilled until everything is bubbling, smoky and slightly dangerous to eat because you’ll inevitably burn the roof of your mouth through pure excitement.
What are the toppings?
Glad you asked, because that’s always the fun part, isn’t it?
We’ve got charred jalapeños that have been lightly oiled and sprinkled with salt until they’re beautifully smoky. These are paired with a cream cheese mixture that’s been mixed with chopped jalapeños, a splash of the pickling brine and a generous squeeze of hot honey.
The pickling juice is a tiny ingredient that makes a massive difference. It adds acidity, so don’t pour it down the sink; you’ve basically got liquid flavour sitting in that jar.
How spicy are we talking?
Spice is a funny thing because everyone’s tolerance is different. I love a korma but also love a curry that requires a glass of milk.
The cream cheese in the jalapeños does a lovely job of mellowing everything out, while the hot honey brings sweetness that balances the heat beautifully, so hopefully it’s perfectly tolerable!
If you’re cooking for people who aren’t massive chilli fans, simply scrape the seeds out of your fresh jalapeños before grilling them. You’ll still get all that lovely pepper flavour without quite as much fire. On the other hand… if you’re the sort of person who orders the hottest wings on the menu purely for sport, feel free to chuck in some extra chilli flakes or drizzle over even more hot honey. I won’t stop you.
Is there a step-by-step tutorial?
Oh bab, of course there is.
If you’d rather watch me build this absolute monster from start to finish, head over to my YouTube channel where I talk you through every step. You’ll see exactly how I wrap the bacon, glaze the sausage and build the ultimate jalapeño popper hot dog without it collapsing everywhere. You’ll also get some really intense clips of me basically deep-throating a hot dog. Apologies in advance.
Jalapeno Popper Hot Dog
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/jalapeno-popper-hot-dog/
Ingredients
- 2 long jalapeño and cheese hot dogs
- 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
- Jalapeno hot honey
- Bundle of hard herbs, for brushing
- 3 jalapeno chillies
- 3 tbsp cream cheese
- Splash of pickled jalapeño brine
- Pickled jalapeños, to garnish
- 2 brioche hot dog buns
- Salt, pepper and olive oil
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Wrap your long dogs in the streaky bacon and use a metal skewer to go through the middle and keep it straight on the grill.
- Place the sausage onto a hot BBQ or under a hot grill and regularly baste with the hot honey using the herby brush. Pierce the jalapeños with a knife and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and chuck onto the hottest part of the BBQ.
- Chop up the jalapeños - you can remove the seeds if you don't want it as spicy. Keep a few slices of jalapeño for garnish later. Mix the chopped ones into the cream cheese with the jalapeño brine and a squeeze of hot honey.
- Give it a mix and set aside. Slice open the hot dog buns and spread liberally with the cream cheese mix. Carefully place the hot dog in the middle and remove the skewer, then top with the reserved slices and a few pickled jalapeños.