Tale your your appetizer game to the next level with these Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatballs. Combining the rich flavors of creamy, spicy jalapeño popper filling with succulent meatballs, these bites are perfect for any gathering where you want to impress.
What Makes This Recipe Special
These meatballs merge the fiery zest of jalapeño poppers with the hearty satisfaction of traditional meatballs. It’s an unexpected twist that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave your guests craving more.
Ingredients for Smoked Stuffed Meatballs
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Bread crumbs
- Jalapeños, minced and sliced for garnish
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Egg
- Garlic, minced
- Cream cheese
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatballs
- Mix Meatball Base: In a large bowl, blend together ground meats, bread crumbs, minced jalapeños, salt, pepper, egg, and garlic until well incorporated.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Whip cream cheese in a stand mixer, then fold in minced jalapeños.
- Stuff Meatballs: Form a small meat “bowl” with a portion of the meat mixture. Fill with a teaspoon of the cream cheese mix, then encase with more meat, sealing edges.
- Chill: Arrange the formed meatballs on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours to firm.
- Smoke the Meatballs: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and place a cast-iron skillet inside to heat. Smoke the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F.
- Serve: Let meatballs rest for 5 minutes after smoking, then garnish with fresh jalapeño slices for an extra kick.
Girl Carnivore Expert Smoked Meatball Recipe Tips
- Chilling Is Crucial: Allow the meatballs to chill in the fridge before smoking to help them maintain their shape and ensure the filling stays intact during cooking.
- Smoker Setup: Make sure your smoker is properly set up and holds a consistent temperature to achieve perfectly cooked meatballs with a deliciously smoky flavor.
How to Serve These Stuffed Smoked Meatballs
Serve these meatballs with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping. They pair wonderfully with a crisp, garden salad or as a part of the game day lineup with fried mac and cheese and Hot Crawfish Cheese Dip at your next party.
How to Store & Reheat Smoked Stuffed Meatballs
Keep leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To reheat: place the meatballs in an oven-safe skillet and warm in a preheated oven at 325°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Avoid microwaving as it can unevenly heat the meatballs and leave a smoky odor in your microwave. If necessary, use a microwave on low power, rotating the meatballs frequently.
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Easy Smoked Meatballs
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Smoked Jalapeno Popper Meatballs
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 2 jalapeno seeded and minced, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1 jalapeno seeded and sliced for garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, 1 tbsp minced jalapeno, salt, pepper, egg, and garlic clove until well combined.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the minced jalapeno and whip until combined.
- Prep the meatballs by scooping out a tablespoon into your hand and forming a round shell, like a bowl.
- Spoon a dollop, about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center.
- Finish the meatball of with a pinch more meat.
- Roll the meatball in your hands gently, to make sure all seams are pinched together.
- Repeat until you have finished making all of the meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 8 hours.
- When ready to smoke, prep your smoker for 225 degrees.
- Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill once it is holding temp and allow it to heat for 5 to 10 minutes to preheat.
- Add wood chunks to the smoker immediately before ready to smoke.
- Place the meatballs evenly spaced in the preheated skillet.
- Cover and smoke until meatballs reach 160 – 165 degrees internally.
- Remove from skillet and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with sliced jalapeno for extra spice and a bonus warning to anyone who may not notice that these are jalapeno popper meatballs!
Notes
Nutrition
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Stuffed Meatball FAQs
Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure your meatballs reach the safe internal temperature of 160°F. Insert the thermometer halfway into a meatball, avoiding the cheese filling, to check. Once they hit the correct temperature, remove them from heat and let them rest under foil.
Meatballs may fall apart if there isn’t enough binder or if the fat from the meat warms up and softens too much during handling. Ensure a proper mix of egg and breadcrumbs—generally, one egg per pound of meat works well. Keep ingredients cool, and consider chilling the meatball mix before forming and cooking to help maintain their shape.
Yes. Get the Girl Carnivore Smoked Meatballs Recipe now: Once you have made the meatballs and started your pellet smoke through its warm-up process, set it to smoke for 15 to 20 minutes and then increase the temperature to 225 – 250 and cook until the temperature reaches 160, about another 40 minutes.
Yes, prepare your gas grill for indirect heat and use a smoke box or an aluminum pouch filled with wood chips over the lit burners. Once the chips begin to smoke, you can start cooking the meatballs.
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Hello Kita!
I made this for dinner guests over the weekend. I followed your recipe precisely, and the dish turned out juicy, delicious, and loaded with flavor. Not only was it delicious but also looked inviting. Everyone said it was amazing! I’m so happy that I’d found the recipe. For anyone who might think it’s difficult, give it a try!
Thank you so much for this inspiration and all of your precious tips and tricks. They helped me A LOT. Look forward to your new awesome ideas. I appreciate all of your hard work and effort. Keep it up!
Best wishes,
Ann