Armadillo Eggs – The Big Man’s World ®

Learn how to make the signature American appetizer, armadillo eggsin this simple recipe. This iconic dish features sausage, strips of crispy bacon, baked to perfection and glazed with BBQ sauce.

I love to eat with my fingers! From mozzarella sticks, jalapenos, corn nuggets to stuffed peppers, they are always crowd pleasers!

And while most of my appetizers are easy to make, sometimes I make fancier ones like stuffed mushrooms, harumaki, crab rangoon to go, or these delicious armadillo eggs.

Why you will love this recipe

• It looks elegant. These hors d’oeuvres are impressively constructed, and once you open them up, the layered cross section looks very elegant.
• Delicious. You will love these barbecue flavored treats. They are not only appetizing to look at, but they are incredibly delicious.
• Oven recipe. You don’t have to worry about being a pit master to make this recipe. You can make this recipe in the oven without a grill, smoker, or live heat.

What I love about this recipe is that you can make the poppers ahead of time and refrigerate them sealed until baked.

Ingredients needed

Have a quick run for your groceries and gather the following ingredients to make this delicious appetizer. This is what you will need:

• Pork sausages. Any regular pork sausage works well for this recipe.
• Bacon. Look for wide, thin slices of bacon that brown quickly.
• Chili Peppers. You will need medium bell peppers for this recipe.
• BBQ sauce. Buy your favorite at the market or make one at home using this recipe.
• Cream cheese. For the rich and soft interior.
• Grated cheddar cheese. For its characteristic yellow color and distinctive flavor.
• Chili pepper. For the hot
• Salt and ground black pepper. To season the cheese filling.
• Garlic powder. To season the cheese filling.
• Onion powder. To season the cheese filling.
• Brown sugar. For the subtly sweet taste.

How to Make Delicious Armadillo Eggs

Follow these easy steps to make authentic-style Texan armadillo eggs in your kitchen.

1. make the filling. Add seasoning to cream and cheddar cheese, and mix well.

2. Stuff the jalapenos. Remove the stem, seed the jalapenos and fill with the cheese filling.

3. Cover with pork sausage. Remove the pork sausage from its casing and form into equal-sized balls. Cover the jalapeños with the meat.

4. Cover with layer of bacon. Wrap two strips of bacon for each armadillo egg and secure with a toothpick.

5. Bake the stuffed meatballs. Place the stuffed and wrapped meatballs on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for 30 minutes. Remove meatballs, cover with BBQ sauce, and continue baking for 5 more minutes.
6. serve warm. Allow the armadillo eggs to rest briefly before serving with a side of your favorite dipping sauce.

Tips to make the best recipe.

• Wear gloves to handle the jalapeno peppers. Jalapeno peppers are potent. You don’t want the seeds or the heat on your hands. Therefore, wear gloves while handling them.
• Fill the peppers completely. Make sure that the cheese filling is distributed throughout the pockets of the pepper so that it melts evenly.
• Wrap the peppers well. Whether it’s the meat topping or the bacon layer, be sure to wrap everything tightly so nothing spills.
• Rest before serving. Resting allows the cheese to harden and the meat to set, making it easier to handle the armadillo eggs.

flavor variations

• Make bite-sized poppers. Instead of using the whole jalapeño pepper per serving, use half or quarter of the jalapeño pepper per popper.
• Use a different sausage. I have used pork sausage, but you can also use chicken, turkey, or breakfast sausage.
• Use sausage. Instead of using sausage, use chorizo ​​to top your poppers. That way you get a deep barbecue flavor without adding the BBQ sauce.
• Make with different peppers. Pepperoncini peppers work just as well as jalapeno peppers. So if you can’t find jalapenos, go for pepperoncini.

storage instructions

Store. You can store leftovers for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Freeze. Although I don’t recommend freezing the cooked armadillo eggs, you can freeze the uncooked assembled appetizers individually in the freezer for up to a month.

To reheat. Thaw frozen armadillo eggs in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the oven as directed.

What to serve with armadillo eggs?

The best way to serve armadillo eggs is with fresh dips like garlic yogurt dip, ranch dressing, or spicy mayonnaise.

For a weeknight meal for one, pair it with potato salad and some coleslaw. If you’re feeling a little indulgent, serve these spicy treats with a hearty bowl of macaroni and cheese.

I often serve it with cornbread, stir-fried broccolini, and potatoes.

• Baking sheet. To bake cookies, biscuits or jalapenos, you can’t do without a sturdy baking sheet!
• mixing bowls. To make the different fillings.
• chef’s knife. Essential in any good kitchen.

More snacks to try:

Frequent questions