Kick off your 4th of July Celebration with these quick and easy Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers that you bake in the oven.
I love ordering spicy, creamy jalapeno poppers at a restaurant, so I decided to make a batch of these at home. I mix salty, crispy deer bacon to the vegetable cream cheese filling, and then add more of it to the crumb topping. This ensures that there will be no leftovers after this dish hits the table. These are perfect for serving anytime, but I love including the bacon jalapeno poppers on my 4th of July menu and again during football watching season because they're great warm or at room temperature.
Everything Is Better With Deer Bacon
My homemade deer bacon recipe takes the succulent, gamey flavor of venison and infuses it with smoky, savory bacon goodness. Because venison is extremely lean, the pork is added to create that mouthwatering fattiness we all love in traditional bacon. A mixture of cure and smoke adds that crispy, smoky bacon flavor to the deer bacon I use for these deer bacon jalapeno poppers.
Recipe Substitutions
If you don't want to use the deer bacon, you can substitute some pork bacon and use it for this recipe.
For a little extra heat, you can also substitute pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar. Either one adds the ooey-gooey goodness we're looking for.
How to Make Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
My daughter and I love vegetable cream cheese on our morning bagel so there is always some readily available in the refrigerator at our house. When I started developing this recipe it just made sense for me to use the already flavored vegetable cream cheese I had on hand and save a few steps instead of having to add onions or other seasonings to the dish. However, if you like it a little spicier, feel free to mix in some smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
1. Place the deer bacon on a cutting board and chop with sharp knife until your bacon pieces are as small as you prefer.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the deer bacon pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer onto a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and half of the chopped bacon. Use a fork or spoon to mash the mixture until everything is well combined.
5. Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise (I recommend wearing kitchen gloves for this) and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and white membranes. Discard.
6. Stuff each jalapeno half with enough cream cheese mixture to sit level with the sides. Don't be tempted to overstuff them! Arrange the stuffed peppers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. In another medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the butter and stir until the crumbs are moistened. Stir in the remaining half of the chopped deer bacon and top each jalapeno popper with about 1 teaspoon of the crumb mixture.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown in spots. Let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Other Ways To Use Deer Bacon
Some of our favorite ways to use deer bacon are these recipes:
- Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
- Deer Bacon with Asparagus and Eggs
- Lentil and Buck Bacon Soup
- Wedge Salad with Venison Bacon and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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Quick and Easy Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces deer bacon
- 8 ounces vegetable cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
- 12 medium to large jalapeno peppers (about 1 pound)
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Place the deer bacon on a cutting board and chop with sharp knife until your bacon pieces are as small as you prefer.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the deer bacon pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer onto a paper towel-lined plate.
- Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and half of the chopped bacon. Use a fork or spoon to mash the mixture until everything is well combined.
- Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise (I recommend wearing kitchen gloves for this) and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and white membranes. Discard.
- Stuff each jalapeno half with enough cream cheese mixture to sit level with the sides. Don't be tempted to overstuff them! Arrange the stuffed peppers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- In another medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the butter and stir until the crumbs are moistened. Stir in the remaining half of the chopped deer bacon and top each jalapeno popper with about 1 teaspoon of the crumb mixture.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown in spots. Let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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