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Kitchen · BBQ

Homemade Armadillo Eggs

Spicy, smoky and generously filled: eight large jalapeños with a creamy cheese filling, wrapped in seasoned pork mince and streaky bacon. They are slowly hot-smoked, glazed with my red barbecue sauce and briefly grilled until crisp.

  • BBQ
  • Pork
  • Spicy
Smoked Armadillo Eggs with bacon and barbecue sauce, two cut open to show the cheese-filled jalapeño.
8 pieces BBQ120–135 °C indirect heatAbout 72 °C core temperature45–70 min + 5–10 min restSpice level: Spicy

Preparation

Ingredients

Pork layer

  • 1 kg prepared pork mince
  • 2 tbsp Colruyt garlic-butter seasoning
  • 1 tbsp chipotle
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cumin

To finish

  • 8 large jalapeños
  • Streaky bacon, 1 slice per piece
  • Enough BBQ seasoning to coat the outside
  • My red barbecue sauce, for glazing during the final 10 minutes

Step by step

Method

  1. Mix the prepared pork mince with the garlic-butter seasoning, chipotle, paprika and cumin. Knead firmly so the mixture binds well.
  2. Cover the pork mixture and return it to the refrigerator while preparing the filling and jalapeños. This keeps it firmer and easier to shape.
  3. Mix the herb cream cheese, grated cheddar, finely chopped Thai Hot Culinary and the Purple Pumpkin hot sauce. Chill briefly if the filling is too soft to handle easily.
  4. Hollow out the eight large jalapeños and remove the seeds and membranes. Fill them with the cheese mixture.
  5. Flatten a portion of the chilled pork mixture and fold it completely around each filled jalapeño. Carefully seal all seams and openings.
  6. Wrap each piece in one slice of streaky bacon and roll the outside in the BBQ seasoning.
  7. Preheat the barbecue for indirect cooking at 120–135 °C and add smoking wood as usual.
  8. Smoke the Armadillo Eggs over indirect heat until the pork reaches a core temperature of about 72 °C. Allow roughly 45–70 minutes depending on their size.
  9. Brush the Armadillo Eggs with red barbecue sauce during the final 10 minutes, then grill briefly over direct heat. Turn regularly until the bacon is crisp and the sauce caramelised.
  10. Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
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