Pulled Pork Takes Jalapeño Poppers To The Next Level

Whether it's game day or any afternoon of lounging, a thoughtful appetizer makes an already good day even better. With a variety of hors d'oeuvres for any occasion, you can find a solid snack to please and entertain. Given the popularity of cheese-based dishes, the esteemed jalapeño popper is a versatile food in and of itself. Whether prepared in an air fryer or, more traditionally, broiled in the oven, this little spicy and cheesy snack is always a hit. Try a pulled pork addition to elevate your next batch and tie all the flavors together. The presence of pork provides an extra serving of hearty protein as well as many wonderful options to further customize your jalapeño popper offerings.

Using pulled pork in your jalapeño poppers is a good idea for a number of reasons, the first of which is that it eliminates food waste. If you've got leftover pulled pork that you're trying to figure out how to repurpose, giving it new life inside of a jalapeño popper is about the easiest — and cheesiest — choice available. This also allows you to add more complexity to the overall flavor of your dish and customize the sauces and other toppings to create the ultimate appetizer. If you prefer to make your own easy pulled pork recipe just for your jalapeño poppers, you'll have even more ways to flavor and season the pork to enhance or temper the heat of your spicy peppers.

There are a few options for integrating pulled pork into your jalapeño poppers. The easiest is to start with pork that has already been fully cooked. If you have leftover pulled pork, you can easily use it to top your freshly made poppers. This is especially prudent to do when the cheese is still bubbly and melting. If you're starting out with pre-cooked pulled pork that has not been seasoned, it's a good idea to mix together some of the seasonings, cream cheese, and sauces with the meat before stuffing and cooking your jalapeño peppers. This allows you to control the level of spiciness to determine what will be the most pleasing to you and your guests. 

You can also lean into more BBQ-inspired flavors with sauces or seasoning blends to temper the heat with a little sweetness. Try mixing your pulled pork in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce to give your jalapeño peppers a burst of flavor. If you want to infuse more heat, use shreds of pepper Jack alongside your cream cheese. For an extra punch of pork flavor, wrap each pepper in bacon prior to baking, broiling, or air frying. You can even bread and deep fry your poppers in a jalapeño cornbread batter for an even more decadent dish. There's no limit to the fun you can have playing around with different flavors that all taste great together.