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ABT poll

TRex
TRex Posts: 2,714
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I've done ABTs twice, and both times I cooked them direct on Mini at about 400 or so for 20 minutes or so - usually the time it takes for the bacon to get crispy. The results were very good. The jalepeno was still pretty crunchy, so eating them was somewhat of a challenge. Also, I stuffed with hot italian sausage which I had just cooked already separately, so I didn't have to wait for the meat inside the ABTs cook thoroughly. Other incredient was cream cheese. [p]Well, after tasting GrillMeister's ABTs at Eggtoberfest, I experienced the "next level" of ABTdom. Those things just melted in your mouth. Terrific flavor. I believe Ed cooked them INDIRECT for like 45 minutes or so. Great results.[p]So, longwinded as usual, finally here are my poll questions for everyone:[p]1) How do you cook your ABTs (time/temp/setup)?
2) What do you stuff them with?[p]Thanks everyone for your input,[p]TRex

Comments

  • TRex
    TRex Posts: 2,714
    abtgrill.jpg
    <p />In honor of Spring Chicken, here's a pic of my last results.[p](Hope you're springin' back in good fashion!)[p]TRex

  • TRex,[p]1) How do you cook your ABTs (time/temp/setup)?[p]indirect...over a plate setter..don't really know the temp..or..time..just smoke the majeebers outta them with hickory....testing every now and then till they just start to turn soft...I don't like them too soft..nothing worse than a limp turd.[p]2) What do you stuff them with?[p]I do them tuna-boat style..cut in half lengthwise..filled with..spicy taco meat..topped with mexican cheeze blend...and wrapped in proscuitto.[p]Proscuitto sucks up the smoke like nobodies business...god..you eat these and you think maybe you don't need a partner.[p]

  • TRex,
    I've done mine the same way since day one. Fresh medium to medium large jalagenos, stem cut off, sliced in half, gutted, filled with cream cheese and Little Smokie Sausage, wrapped in thin-sliced bacon and pinned with a toothpick.[p]Cooked direct on lower grill @ 350° for about 30 to 40 minutes with bottom vent closed. Some smoking wood if you want it. Rotate and flip ABT's periodically 'til done. [p]Slice into 3rds and toothpick each for easier distribution. Eat within twenty minutes of coming off the grill for best flavor.[p]Life could not get any gooder'n that.[p]Spring Chicken
    Spring Texas USA

  • TRex,
    Those look great. I think you have the hang of it.[p]Springing Back Good. Thanks for asking.[p]Spring Chicken

  • TRex,
    I stuff mine with cream cheese mixed with pulled pork (shreaded deli ham will work in a pinch) and garlic powder. Wrap in bacon and cook direct on lower grid at 350 dome until bacon is done (21 minutes or so).[p]Did some tonight because wife wanted some for dinner ... any port in the storm is fine with me![p]Kinsey

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    TRex, always direct at 300, but raised using two fire bricks on edges with another grate holding the ABTs. I always turn the grate 180° at 22 minutes (never the "boats" of course) and I find 45 minutes works best for me. I like to smoke them using hickory chips.
    As for contents - pulled pork for the meat plus Philly cheese to fill the boat. I also love to use Chuck Lane's hot dog sauce instead of the p/p- trust me on this one!!!

    [ul][li]Chuck Lane's hot dog sauce[/ul]
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • TRex,
    I'm no expert on ABT's. Like you, I have only cooked them twice. After the Florida Q-Fest, I'd say that Wardster is pretty much an expert. [p]What temp? I do an indirect set up and use apple wood. Get egg to about 350 stabilized and then throw ojn 3 chucks of apple wood and 3 hickory nuts. Once the smoke starts coming out from the burnt gasket, I know it's time to add the ABT's. This usually drops the temp to the 280 range. I usually cook for about 25-30 minutes.[p]As for ingrediants, I have stuck to the cream cheese and Lil Smokies for filling and wrapped in Boars Head thick cut bacon.[p]I had a sample of Wardsters ABT's at the QFest and I believe he used Sour Cream & Chive cream cheese for filling. MMMMmmmm were they ever tasty.[p]Banker John

  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    TRex,
    I do mine "boat" style also, stuffed with pulled pork then topped generously with cream cheese, sprinkled with Dizzy Pig Jamaican firewalk then wrapped completely with bacon. I cook indirect over an inverted platesetter and on a raised grid at approx. 375° for about an hour or until the bacon is done. I made some yesterday using a new pan that may prove to be an easier method, but the jury is still out on it...[p]Wess

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    TRex,
    i cut a variety of peppers in half, stem on, seeds out.
    they are stuffed with leftover pulled pork (which adds to the already great anticipation when doing the lo-and-slo), topped with a slice of cream cheese, MAYBE topped again with a slice/strip of canned chile pepper (to augment the 'heat' or add a different flavor), and wrapped with a strip of bacon (cut in half lengthwise).[p]As I mentioned, i use fresh peppers, because the canned fall apart and flop open, and I try to vary them. Peppers have varying 'heat' and flavor, and I like to have a mix. [p]I tried them because of all the ABT hub-bub on this forum, and I'm inclined to agree with the hub-bubbers.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    stike, you idiot,
    didn't you see Trex had a specific question.[p]...ok. sorry. I do them direct-ish at 400 or so, pulling some to the outside rim if need be to slow them down a bit.[p]the underside of the pepper gets (a little??!!) roasted, the exposed cheese de cream (as they say in mexico) browns, and the bacon gets all, well, bacon-i-fied.[p]i find that standing nexta the BGE with a beer in the left hand balances me for when I open the lid, which is less often so as to check the ABTs as it is to scare the be-jeezus outta the guests, showing them that YES, you'll be served these deathly hot looking things momentarily (tho they are THAT hot). [p]I tell them that it's easy to eat them going IN one at a time, but in the morning, they'll experience the 'ring-of-fire' during their morning constitutional, and those hot little peppers all seem to come out at once, heat-wise.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Spring Chicken,
    hey, that "bottom vent closed" deal is intriguing.[p]i assume the egg can hold the temp ok for a while, maybe tapers a bit, but does that allow you to do them direct but without being such a hellish glow from the lump?
    sort of direct yet semi-indirect?[p]interesting idea. do i understand it correctly? how does it work for you? what's the M.O.?

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Spring Chicken,[p]Don't recall for sure, but didn't you sprinkle some Jamaican Firewalk on those ABTs...or was that something else it was sprinkled on at Texfest???[p]mShark
  • TRex,
    I do mine indirect, on top of my plate setter. I also have used my Chile Grill, with good results indirect also. Dome temp 350 for about 45 minutes. I have stuffed with any/all combinations of: sausage/bacon/cream cheese/roasted garlic/string cheese--it's easier to cut to fit & stuff inside. The next concoction I will be trying is using a cake icing decorating tool to put the cream cheese mixture into to stuff the peppers with. That's been my only complaint of doing them, other than coring them out. They are always a big hit, as we all know.

  • bigmikej
    bigmikej Posts: 216
    TRex,
    I did some on Sat. Direct on raised grid extender covered w/ a 16" pizza screen that I put the ABT's on. Makes for easy set up and removal. Also, can spin pizza screen every 10-15 min for even cooking. Cook at 325-350 for 45 min. w/ some pecan wood this time, though I have used hickory in the past. Oh, boat style with cream cheese then pulled pork, wrapped in 1/2 slice of bacon.

  • Spring Chicken,[p]It was Jamaican Firewalk, compliments of Nature Boy.

    Cheers,

    GrillMeister
    Austin, Texas
  • TRex,I have done these several ways,direct on raised grid, indirect w/ platesetter and drip pan. I cook at 350 on a pizza screen, turning the screen until ABT gets a little char and bacon is done.I see little difference in the results. Stuff with cheese,and pork or little smokies. NEXT TIME, I am going to try Pimento cheese as someone (I forget who) on this forum said they put "standard" ABTs to shame...

  • chuckls
    chuckls Posts: 399
    ongrill.jpg
    <p />TRex,[p]I found a suggestion to grate pepper cheese into cream cheese, that works out wonderfully. I use garden vegetable cream cheese, or chive and onion cream cheese.[p]I've started to top the cream cheese with chorizo - I find that's easier to get on a moment's notice than pulled pork (which btw is the best meat topping for ABTs).[p]Wrap in 1/2 strip of bacon, cook indirect on a grid extender above just a drip pan. This keeps the dripping bacon grease off the coals which I think creates an off taste. About 45 to 55 minutes.[p]Mmmm - I've got ABTs in my lunch bag right now, maybe I'll have to have lunch early.[p]Chuck
  • wdan
    wdan Posts: 261
    TRex,
    Indirect.
    Sauted diced onions with some ground cumin and deglazed with coconut flavored rum. Mix that in with cream cheese and some shredded jack. Have used any cooked sausage on-hand. Happened to finely dice a couple of andouilles once and they added a good bite of their own.

  • Pakak
    Pakak Posts: 523
    tn slagamater,[p]That's the way I like to make them, with the homemade pimiento cheese bigmikej posted. I cannot stomach the Kraft type of pimiento cheese. Blech! I'd recommend a lower temp - 275 or so, but a longer time (still until the bacon is crisp). Also, I do mine with an ABT grill. Prep is "snocone" style. My preference is to use less bacon than many use, about 1/3 strip per whole jalapeño. The bacon fat taste is too overpowering, IMO, with more.[p]I have two types of corers I use for the prep. The initial cut is made with a corer that is circular in shape. Anyone familiar with the instrument used to dehorn calves? It looks like those! LOL This tool makes a nice, round hole exactly the proper diameter. After that, I use one that is about 1/3 semi-circular with a serated edge. This works best to get the seeds and veins out. I can prep and stuff a dozen WHOLE ABTs in about 15 minutes.
  • stike,
    I cook a lot of my stuff directly on the lower grill with the bottom vent closed. It's the heat that cooks, not the flame (unless you are searing something). An Egg that is holding steady at 350° for at least thirty minutes before putting anything on it will easily hold 350° for the time it takes to cook ABT's. The advantage is no flareups. Even so, you should still rotate and flip the ABT's to get an even cook. I also find that the crunch of the jalapeno can be maintained better. [p]As for seasonings, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I like the flavor of the ABT's plain but kicking some up a notch or two with seasoning is a great way to add variety to the same batch. When I do, I usually put it on the outside of the prepared ABT.[p]I think the real secret is the quality of the jalapenos. Fresh ones always turn out better.[p]I'm hoping the doctor will give me the okay today to eat some spicy food. If he does, ABT's are number one on the list.[p]Spring Chicken

  • Pakak
    Pakak Posts: 523
    Spring Chicken,[p]
    Wow, until this thread, I had no idea some made ABTs with canned jalapeños. Doesn't sound too tasty to me! LOL Course, I'm pretty sure I live where fresh are readily available year round (though in winter they may be puny, this will be the first year I'll take serious notice).

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Pakak,
    ...i had read a few ABT recipes, and some mentioned canned. when idid them the first time, I luckily tried a variety. canned, bottled (i.e. visible, but same as canned i guess), and fresh.[p]i REALLY think that 'canned' reference hadda be a typo, because I don't see how anyone can do them.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Gene
    Gene Posts: 99
    TRex,Can you freeze Cream Cheese? I got mine at Sams, had to buy way to much.

  • TRex,
    FILLING: cream cheese, chopped sun-dried tomatoes (presoaked in water), salt, pepper, oregano, basil & some Jamaican firewalk)[p]cooked indirect 300°F 1:30hrs or til crisp

  • BobinFla
    BobinFla Posts: 363
    Gene,
    Yes, you can freeze cream cheese. It will change the texture, BUT, since you are melting it later when you cook the ABTs, it won't make a difference. [p]I don't understand the "way too much" part (LOL)
    You just make that many more ABTs. '-)[p]BOBinFla

  • MollyShark,
    Yes, Grillmeister had some Jamaican Firewalk there for the ABT's. I did most of the ABT's but not all. I was actually curious as to what the difference in flavor would be but I only got to sample a couple of ABT's and really wasn't sure which had the Firewalk flavoring. My wife won some as a door prize so when I'm over this operation thing I will be trying a lot of new stuff, including cooking a brisket to only 165° internal instead of the 195 to 200° recipes I have been following. Just curious.[p]Spring Chicken

  • O.T. From the Stump,[p]What, no cheeze whiz?
  • TRex
    TRex Posts: 2,714
    Great feedback from all! That's what makes this forum such an asset to Eggers. [p]Thank you all for your input. I think I now have a very well rounded understanding of the different ways to make ABTs. [p]Now it's time to do a little experimenting . . . :-)[p]TRex