The name of this recipe is a mouthful but it is as well. An irresistible tangy, smoky, slightly spicy, creamy mouthful that warrants every ingredient being called out for it is their unison which creates pure perfection! I did not mention the cream cheese in the recipe title but we'll get to that.
Similar to the Mesquite-Smoked Jalapeno Cheese Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs shared over the weekend, these delectable peppers are cooked through smoking alone. In fact they were cooked alongside those hotdogs and easily can be made together for they smoke in the same amount of time.
Anaheim chile peppers are larger peppers (long and skinny) making them prime candidates for stuffing. They are only mildly spicy so a great choice for a mixed crowd where everyone will not love some spicy heat in their food. They have the distinct flavor of green chilies found in cans or many Mexican and Southwestern dishes. Because the sizes of the peppers may vary, the amount of blue cheese may also need to vary. I started with a tub of blue cheese crumbles with was plenty.
This recipe to me is an affirmation that a few special ingredients is often all that is needed to make a truly memorable dish.
The Anaheim chilies are slit lengthwise and the seeds gently scraped out with the end of a dinner knife (nothing sharp).
An ounce of cream cheese is swiped inside and then the peppers are filled with blue cheese.
Bacon slices (2 slices for a normal 6-8 inch pepper) are wound around and toothpicked in place then the peppers are smoked on the grill over indirect heat.
Due to the size of the pepper I recommend slicing them into 1-inch segments when they are done for serving, perhaps with toothpicks. They absolutely are my new favorite grilled appetizer without a doubt!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp recipe
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Brownies
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Poppers
Recipe
Smoked Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Chile Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 large fresh Anaheim Chile Peppers
- 3 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1 6-ounce tub Blue Cheese crumbles
- 9 slices Thick Bacon
- Wooden Toothpicks (approximately 4 per chile pepper)
- Mesquite wood chips
- Foil drip pan to fit under the grate OR a homemade drip pan made from heavy duty foil
Instructions
- Heat the gas grill to high until the grill temperature gauge registers temperature to 300 degrees.
Preparing the stuffed peppers:
- Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut the length of chile pepper on the top side only (do not cut all the way through).
- Using a dining knife (not sharp), gently scrape out all the seeds and any excess membrane.
- Still using the dining knife, smear one ounce of the softened cream cheese in each of the three peppers. Using your fingers fill the pepper with blue cheese crumbles.
Wrapping the chile peppers with bacon:
- Hold one end of a piece of bacon across the end of the chile pepper closest to the stem. Secure the bacon by inserting a toothpick through the end of the bacon through the chile pepper and through the bacon on the opposite side of the chile pepper (refer to photos above).
- Holding the bacon strip taut, wrap the bacon slice around the chile pepper, slightly overlapping the prior wrap to cover. Insert toothpicks to secure as needed (approximately 4 per chile pepper). Depending on the size of the chile pepper, 2-3 pieces of bacon will be needed.
- Grill on Indirect Heat. Once the grill is at temperature, turn off all burners except one on the outside of the grill (based on a 4 burner grill).
- Clean the side of the grill with burners off with a wire brush. On this same side, carefully lift the hot grate with grill tools and deposit the drip pan underneath the clean grate. Rub the grate with oil and a folded paper towel.
- Easy smoker method. Place a piece of heavy duty foil over the ignited burner and add a few handfuls of mesquite wood chip on top of the foil. Once the chips begin to smoke, add the prepared chile peppers to the clean, oiled grill (with burners off) and close the grill.
- Check the grill periodically, ensuring a 300 degree temperature and adding more mesquite chips as needed to keep the smoke going. The stuffed peppers will be cooked in 25-30 minutes and will have a golden hue as well as the bacon will become hard (not crisp in the traditionally way).
- Allow to cool slightly before slicing into 1-inch lengths across the pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
- 1 Anaheim chile pepper
- 1 ounce cream cheese
- a few ounces blue cheese crumbles
- 2-3 slices bacon (depending on the size of the pepper)
Mrs. GoodLife says
Looks soooo good!
Penelope says
I’ve been hunting for a recipe to make a special meal for my husband, and this is it! You’ve got all his favorite flavors wrapped up together!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
I like chile peppers and bacon, but not blue cheese, so I would have to substitute it with something else! Thanks for sharing, I skipped lunch and now I’m totally craving a snack!
Toni Dash says
I’ll confess when I was developing the recipe I bought containers of blue cheese, goat cheese and feta to experiment with. I stopped at blue cheese which I personally love. You certainly could substitute one of the others if that is more to your liking.
Pam says
These sound really yummy. I love bleu cheese in just about anything.
Jeanine says
Oh this looks neat! I’m pretty sure my husband would love this! We will have to see if we can make this!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
I am craving bacon after your two wonderful smoky posts 🙂 My husband would flip for these stuffed peppers and I love that you combined blue cheese with cream cheese – brilliant and beautiful!
Natalie says
THese look so good ! We grow about 5 varieties of peppers in the garden . We will have to try this to use them up!
Toni Dash says
That will be a delicious and fun experiment Natalie!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
This is the fanciest appetizer I’ve ever seen! I absolutely love it! I think the blue cheese makes a great pairing with the heat of the chili.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
I am so excited to see these, I spotted them in your hot dog post and was wondering… this is so up my alley, I could make a whole dinner out of them!
Toni Dash says
Candidly though I cut them into bite size pieces I easily ate a whole pepper. I love them too!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
I am loving all your bacon-wrapped goodies! These look delicious and I love the blue cheese. Everything is better with bacon 🙂
Toni Dash says
Could not agree more Jennifer!