Project Smoke

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P oppers have been a staple on the barbecue circuit for decades. Does the

a world really need another recipe? You bet. These poppers riff on a dish

YIELD: Makes 24 poppers,

enough to serve 6 to 8

from my Baltimore childhood—crab imperial—with salty, smoky bacon to

tie them together.

METHOD: Hot-smoking

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

SMOKING TIME: 30 to 40

INGREDIENTS minutes

FUEL: Hardwood of your

choice—enough for 40 minutes

of smoking (see chart on

page 6)

12 large jalapeno peppers

8 ounces cream cheese,

at room temperature

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning,

or to taste

8 ounces crabmeat, drained, picked

over, and finely shredded or

chopped

Sweet or smoked paprika, for sprinkling

12 strips artisanal bacon, cut crosswise

in half

GEAR: A wire rack; toothpicks

SHOP: There are many options

for the crab, including blue

crab from the Chesapeake Bay

or Louisiana, Dungeness crab

from the West Coast, or king or

snow crab from Alaska.

of crab mixture into each jalapeno

half, mounding it toward the center.

Sprinkle with paprika.

1. Set up your smoker following the
   manufacturer’s instructions and
   preheat to 350°F. (Yes, I know this is
   hotter than the conventional low and
   slow method—it gives you crisper
   bacon.) Add the wood as specified by
   the manufacturer.

WHAT ELSE: This recipe uses

a different stuffing technique

from the one you may be

accustomed to: cutting the

jalapehos in half lengthwise

and stuffing the halves (rather

than stuffing them whole). This

gives you better browning and

a more pervasive smoke flavor.

4. Wrap each jalapeno half with a
   strip of bacon (you want the filling
   exposed at each end). Secure the
   bacon with a toothpick and arrange
   the poppers in a single layer on the
   wire rack.


5. Cut each jalapeno in half
   lengthwise, cutting through the stem
   and leaving it in place. Scrape out the
   seeds and veins; a grapefruit spoon
   or melon bailer works well for this.
   Arrange the jalapeno halves on a wire
   rack, cut side up.


6. Place the wire rack in the smoker.
   Smoke the poppers until the bacon
   and filling are browned and the
   peppers are tender (squeeze them
   between your thumb and forefinger),


7. Place the cream cheese in a mixing 30 to^40 minutes.
   bowl. Add the lemon zest and Old Bay
   seasoning and beat with a wooden
   spoon until light. Gently fold in the
   crab. Spoon a heaping tablespoon


8. Transfer the poppers to a platter.
   Let cool slightly before serving.

STARTERS | 55