Smoked Jalapeno Poppers on the Camp Chef Big Gas Grill
Football tailgate recipes are available everywhere these days, I am guilty of throwing a few up from time to time and this is no exception. The big point I want to make here is the technique and not the recipe, though the recipe is pretty darn good if I do say so myself. You might remember the recipe from a previous post: Plank grilled stuffed jalapenos, a popular recipe in my grilling classes also. These jalapenos, stuffed with a cream cheese filling, spiced up with “Fire salt”, topped with bacon, smoked on a Cedar plank and very tasty, are one of those “You just can't eat one” snacks, perfect for the tailgate party. However, what do you do if you do not have a cedar plank handy? Smoke them with smoking chips, of course! I converted my Camp Chef Big Gas Grill into a smoke box, used some of my favorite smoking chips and grilled the stuffed jalapenos for the football ‘Homegate” game. “Homegating” is a new term that is floating around, that refers to tailgating at home or setting up the party before the football game, which is what most of us do. I noticed that the NFL is kicking this term off as well. Whether you Homegate or Tailgate, this recipe is perfect to share with your friends for some game time grilling!
The Camp Chef Big Gas Grill comes with two cooking grates; just remove one as I did, to add the smoking chips to the grill box. If you need the space for lots of food, move the chips to the middle of the grill box and put the grate back on. The chips are not in direct contact with the flames, there is no need to soak them, as this would just create steam instead of smoke. Smoking chip flavors to consider: Apple, Cherry, Pecan, or any light fruitwood will go nicely with this recipe.
Prepare your stuffed Jalapenos, my recipe is here: Cedar Plank Stuffed Jalapenos
I only used the left burner on my Camp Chef Big Gas Grill, set to medium/low and the chips started smoking within minutes. This is about two cups of dry Apple smoking chips placed in the bottom of the Camp Chef grill box. Close the lid to trap the smoke and start grilling! Clean up is a snap, just remove the grill grates, and dump out your ashes. Using smoking chips in your Camp Chef Big Gas Grill can open up a world of grilling opportunities. By adding smoke to your grilling recipes, you will replicate that rich smoky flavor that comes from low and slow BBQ techniques all from the convenience of a portable camp stove. A couple of words of caution when grilling with this technique – Always keep a fire extinguisher in the grilling areas and wait till your smoking chips are completely cold before disposing. I would be interested in hearing of any other Camp Chef Big Gas Grill tips or grilling tricks you might have tried.
