Bacon Wrapped Armadillo Eggs combine jalapeno poppers with sausage and bacon! Filled with a creamy cheese mixture they are a must try. If you love Jalapeno Poppers and grilled sausage, you are going to love these Bacon Wrapped Armadillo Eggs! Hailing from Texas, they are a fun and inventive appetizer.
Preheat barbecue until the temperature is approximately 350° degrees.
Slice off the stem ends off each jalapeño and hollow out the middles by removing the seeds and membranes using a small spoon or knife. Note: leave some of the seeds/membranes if you want them extra spicy.
Prepare the filling. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth.
Fill each jalapeño with the cream cheese mixture.
Remove the casing from the sausage and divide the pork into 8 even portions.
Wrap the pork around the jalapeños, covering both ends and shaping into an oval egg shape.
Wrap each jalapeño with 2 slices of bacon.
Use a toothpick to secure the ends of the bacon.
Sear the armadillo eggs on the barbecue with direct heat for about 2 minutes on each side, then reduce the heat and move them to a spot with indirect heat and close the cover.
Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes. Check each armadillo egg with a meat thermometer, by testing the sausage, not the center of the jalapeño. Cook until internal temperature of the pork reaches about 160°.
Brush each armadillo egg with barbecue sauce and continue to cook until sausage reaches 165° degrees.
Transfer the armadillo eggs from the barbecue to a serving platter and let rest about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Oven Baking Method:Preheat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan/cookie sheet with tin foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of about 160° and then brush with BBQ sauce and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperatures of 165°.Temperature:Pork sausage must reach an internal temperature of 165°. Be sure to check the temperature of the sausage, do not press the thermometer through into the center of the jalapeno.