Venison Armadillo Eggs
I've been seeing armadillo eggs all over tik tok, so I decided to create my own take on these flavor bombs using venison. You basically create a jalapeño popper, wrap it in seasoned ground venison, wrap it in bacon then let it smoke. As it finishes cooking you lather it with barbecue sauce to create the most juicy explosion of flavors.
Ingredients
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon BBQ Rub, divided
1 pound ground venison (or can use venison sausage)
12 slices bacon
6 fresh jalapenos (stems, core, and seeds removed)
1 cup BBQ Sauce
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Recipe Directions
1. I highly reccomend filling your hopper with a high quality blend of pellets, like Bear Mountain BBQ pellets. I'm using Bear Mountains Red White and BBQ blend which is a blend of hickory and oak. Once your smoker is ready to go, preheat your smoker to 250°F.
2. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon of BBQ seasoning.
3. Spoon the filling into the cored jalapeños. Be sure to press the filling all the way into the jalapeño.
4. Season venison with remaining one tablespoon of BBQ sauce. Mix the seasoning into the meat.
5. Wrap the stuffed jalapeño in the ground venison. You will use about 1/6 of your meat per jalapeno. Use your hands to ensure the sausage is covering the entire jalapeno and roll back and forth into an egg shape.
6. Then wrap in bacon. It will likely take two pieces per armadillo egg. Secure with toothpicks, if needed.
7. Place the bacon wrapped armadillo eggs on the smoker over indirect heat and close the lid. Smoke until the internal temperature reads 165°F. This usually takes around 2 hours, depending on the size of your armadillo eggs. For soft, bite through bacon, brush the armadillo eggs with BBQ Sauce and serve immediately. For crispy bacon, brush the eggs with sauce and then increase the heat to 400°F and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the armadillo eggs from the smoker a rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.
