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Smoked Venison Poppers with Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Pastrami Recipe

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3.9 from 90 reviews

  • Author: Patricia
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Diet: Halal

Description

Smoked venison poppers stuffed with creamy cheese and savory venison summer sausage, wrapped in pastrami for a bold, smoky, and flavorful appetizer that combines heat and richness in every bite.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 8–10 whole jalapeños
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup venison summer sausage, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 10–12 thin slices beef pastrami

Seasonings & Sauces

  • Cowboy Candy seasoning or favorite BBQ seasoning
  • Favorite BBQ sauce

Instructions

  1. Prep the venison sausage: Remove the casing from the venison summer sausage and slice it into half-moon pieces. Set aside for stuffing.
  2. Prepare the jalapeños: Slice jalapeños in half lengthwise and carefully remove seeds and membranes to reduce heat while maintaining structure for stuffing.
  3. Stuff with cream cheese: Generously fill each jalapeño half with cream cheese, ensuring even coverage to balance the heat and flavor.
  4. Add cheese and sausage: Top the cream cheese with shredded cheddar cheese and then place two slices of venison summer sausage on each for rich layering of flavors.
  5. Wrap with pastrami: Tightly wrap each stuffed jalapeño half with a slice of beef pastrami to hold the filling and add smoky, savory notes.
  6. Season the wrap: Lightly season the outside of each popper with Cowboy Candy or your preferred BBQ seasoning to enhance flavor before smoking.
  7. Preheat and prepare smoker: Preheat your smoker to 250°F using indirect heat. Add wood chips such as applewood or hickory if desired for additional smoke flavor.
  8. Smoke the poppers: Place the poppers in the smoker and smoke for approximately 90 minutes until the pastrami wrap is golden brown and lightly crisped.
  9. Apply BBQ sauce: In the last 10 minutes of smoking, brush each popper with your favorite BBQ sauce and return to the smoker until the sauce becomes glossy and slightly caramelized.
  10. Serve: Remove the poppers from the smoker, let them cool slightly, and serve warm as a bold and flavorful appetizer.

Notes

  • Applewood or hickory wood chips work well for smoking, providing a complementary smoky flavor.
  • Leaving some jalapeño membrane intact will increase the heat level for those who prefer spicier poppers.
  • Pepper jack cheese can be substituted for cheddar to add more spice.
  • Prepare the poppers ahead of time and refrigerate them until you are ready to smoke for convenience.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Smoking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://patriciarecipes.com/smoked-venison-poppers-with-cream-cheese-sausage-and-pastrami-recipe/