Texas-Style Bacon-Wrapped Armadillo Eggs
Learn how to make Texas-style armadillo eggs with jalapeños, cream cheese, breakfast sausage, and crispy bacon for a punch of flavor at your next gathering.
Texas-Style Bacon-Wrapped Armadillo Eggs
This recipe comes from Matt Pittman, CEO of Meat Church BBQ, YouTube personality, and friend of Montana Knife Company.
6
20 minutes
90 minutes
500
Southwestern
Appetizer
Traditional Texas-style armadillo eggs pack a serious punch!It’s no wonder bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs are a southern favorite, and I’m excited to bring my twist on the classic to your kitchen.
Don’t let the name fool you — there’s no actual armadillo in this armadillo eggs recipe; just jalapeños stuffed with seasoned cream cheese, wrapped in breakfast sausage, and hugged by crispy bacon.
What makes these bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs stand out is a careful balance of heat from the jalapeños, richness from the cream cheese, and smokiness from the bacon and wood smoke.
They’re perfect for game-day gatherings, backyard cookouts, or any occasion when you want to impress your guests with a hearty, flavorful appetizer.
Ingredients
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- 6 fresh jalapeño peppers
- 12 slices regular-cut bacon
- 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
- 1 tube (16 oz.) breakfast sausage
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose BBQ rub (I prefer a sweet and smoky blend)
- Your favorite BBQ sauce for glazing
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Directions
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Prepare your smoker. Fire up your smoker to 250°F. Oak, mesquite, hickory, or pecan wood all work beautifully with this armadillo eggs recipe.
Prep the jalapeños. Using your sharp kitchen knife, slice the tops off the jalapeños and carefully core them, removing seeds and membranes. Keep the peppers intact — they’re the foundation of our armadillo eggs recipe.
Create the filling. Mix softened cream cheese with the BBQ rub until well combined. A clean, sharp knife makes this job easier. Fill each jalapeño with the cream cheese mixture.
Form the armadillo eggs. Take the breakfast sausage and wrap each stuffed jalapeño completely, forming an egg shape. Use just enough sausage to cover the pepper entirely. This step gives our bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs their distinctive shape.
Add the bacon wrap. Wrap each “egg” with two pieces of bacon. I’ve found that using a sharp knife to cut small one-inch pieces off each bacon strip to place on the ends helps achieve full coverage. Cover the entire egg with bacon, then dust with more BBQ rub.
Smoke your armadillo eggs. Place the bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs in the smoker. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 90 minutes at 250°F. The bacon should be crispy and golden brown.
Add the finishing touch. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, brush your bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Rest and serve. Remove your armadillo eggs from the smoker and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. That cream cheese filling gets smoking hot during cooking!
