Armadillo Eggs | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

by Frankie Scanlon

Yield: 3 Armadillo eggs - perfect shared appetizer size for for a small group.
Time Estimate: 1 Hour 15 minutes, including 1 hour unattended.
Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed immediately, can be kept refrigerated & reheated later for up to 2 days.
Difficulty: Easy.

Armadillo eggs are an integral part of Tailgate season: there's bacon, there's cheese, there's a burger, there's spice, and it's all coming red-hot out of a flaming BBQ. These are quick to whip up and the 1 hour-ish cook gives you plenty of time to enjoy some fall activities as their decadent, rich, BBQ smell starts wafting off your grill.

Ingredients

Directions 
  • Preheat BBQ to medium.
  • In a bowl, mash together cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and Fancy AF BBQ Rub, and reserve.
  • Use a pairing knife to lop off the tops off of the jalapeños, then carefully core, discarding seeds and as much of the internal membranes as you can.
  • Using your hands and a chopstick or small spoon, stuff peppers as much as you can with the filling, smoothing off at the top, and reserve.
  • In a bowl, mix together ground beef with all the Chef's Kiss Spicy BBQ Seasoning, and 1 Tbs of Everything But The BBQ Seasoning, fully incorporating and distributing the spices throughout the meat.
  • Divide meat mixture into three sections, and roll out each one into a thin, wide patty. Place a stuffed jalapeño in each, and wrap the ground beef around the entirety, sealing completely. They should look like little footballs, with no part of the jalapeño exposed.
  • Working one football at a time, lay down 3 strips of bacon, just slightly overlapping.
  • Roll the football as you would sushi, then wrap a final strip of bacon, end to end, to secure. Repeat with remaining two pieces.
  • Arrange your armadillos on a pizza stone or large cast iron pan, and sprinkle Everything But The BBQ Seasoning over them, rolling to coat. This layer of seasoning isn't just delicious: the extra spice will make the bacon super crispy and lock the burger juices inside the egg.
  • Center the stone on your BBQ, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Flip, cook for a further 20, then increase heat to high, and cook for a final 10-15 minutes, until bacon is fully rendered and crispy.
  • Remove your stone or pan from the grill, and allow a couple minutes for the internal temperature to just slightly lower.
  • Slice directly on the stone or in the pan, cutting each egg into 5-6 pieces.
  • Transfer to a serving plate so no one burns themselves grabbing from the still-hot stone, pass around some cold beverages of your choice, and devour.
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