Cheesy Jalapeño-Stuffed Meatballs with Creamy Filling

These smoked meatballs combine sharp cheddar and plenty of jalapeño with a creamy cream cheese center. Designed to be bite-sized, they deliver a burst of smoky, cheesy heat the moment you bite in.

Think of them as a meatball version of smoked jalapeño poppers—packed with flavor and perfect as an appetizer or party snack.

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 1.5–2 hours
• Smoker Temperature: 225–240°F
• Internal Temperature: 160°F
• Recommended Wood: Pecan

• ½ lb ground beef (85/15)
• ½ lb ground breakfast sausage (hot)
• 1 cup jalapeños, diced (about 3–4 large jalapeños)
• ½ cup cheddar, shredded (mild or sharp)
• 2 tbsp Jeff’s original rub
• 4 oz cream cheese
• Jeff’s original barbecue sauce (optional, for serving or glazing)

Wash, stem and dice the jalapeños. For more heat, leave some seeds in or substitute a hotter pepper. You can also add a tablespoon of red pepper flakes if you prefer extra spice.

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, ground sausage, diced jalapeños, shredded cheddar and the rub. Gently combine with your hands—mix just until evenly distributed; don’t overwork the meat.

I made these meatballs small—about 1 inch in diameter after stuffing—so they’re easy to pop in your mouth. You can size them however you like.

Take a portion of the meat mixture and roll it between your palms to form a small ball, then flatten it into a disc. Place a 1/4-inch cube of cream cheese in the center, wrap the meat back around it, and roll again to create a smooth, uniform ball.

Arrange the finished meatballs on a Bradley rack, a Weber grill pan, cooling rack or a cookie sheet for easy transfer to the smoker. This recipe yields roughly 30 meatballs, depending on size.

Preheat your smoker to 225–240°F and set it up for indirect cooking. If your smoker has a water pan, use it to help maintain steady temperature and moisture. Pecan makes a great smoke flavor for these, but feel free to use your preferred wood.

Place the meatballs on the smoker grate or on a pan/rack that fits inside. Leave a little space between each so smoke and heat can circulate.

Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F—this typically takes close to two hours but will vary with meatball size and smoker conditions. If you like, brush barbecue sauce on the meatballs during the final 15–20 minutes for a glossy, flavorful finish. Otherwise, serve the sauce warm on the side for dipping.

Use a reliable instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness.

These are excellent as appetizers for parties or as a starter while the main course finishes. Serve them hot straight from the smoker with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

You can prepare the meatballs a day or two ahead and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to smoke. While I haven’t frozen these myself, they should freeze fine—thaw in the refrigerator before smoking for best results.

Enjoy!

• If you’d like, wrap each meatball with a third of a slice of bacon for an extra smoky, savory layer—this works best with smaller meatballs.
• To test seasoning before forming all the meatballs, fry a small piece of the mixture in a skillet and adjust seasoning to taste.

Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Meatballs

These bite-sized smoked meatballs combine ground beef, spicy sausage, shredded cheddar and diced jalapeños, filled with a little cube of cream cheese and smoked to a juicy, flavorful finish.

Ingredients

• ½ lb ground beef (85/15)
• ½ lb ground breakfast sausage (hot)
• 1 cup diced jalapeños (3–4 large)
• ½ cup shredded cheddar (mild or sharp)
• 2 tbsp Jeff’s original rub
• 4 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• Jeff’s original barbecue sauce (optional, for serving or glazing)

Instructions

1. Combine ground beef, ground sausage, diced jalapeños, shredded cheddar and rub in a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands—do not overwork the meat.
2. Roll portions of mixture between your palms to form small balls, then flatten each into a disc.
3. Place a 1/4-inch cube of cream cheese in the center of each disc, wrap the meat around it, and roll again to form a smooth meatball.
4. Arrange the stuffed meatballs on a rack or pan for easy transfer to the smoker.
5. Preheat smoker to 225–240°F and set for indirect cooking with pecan or your preferred smoking wood. Use a water pan if available.
6. Smoke the meatballs until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 1.5–2 hours depending on size and conditions. Optionally brush with barbecue sauce during the last 15–20 minutes.
7. Serve immediately while hot, with extra sauce on the side if desired.