Bacon Jalapeño Duck Poppers

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon, with 3 slices set aside to make bacon bits
• 1 pound duck breast meat or chicken, cut into strips
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 12 jalapeno peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed (cored)
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay all but 3 bacon slices in single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 20-30 minutes, until the fat is rendered but strips are not crispy. Remove from oven, and let cool while assembling the poppers.
3. Fry the remaining bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until extra crispy. Remove the bacon from skillet, reserving the bacon drippings.
4. Set the bacon aside to cool, and then crumble it into bits.
5. Season the duck meat with salt and pepper on all sides.
6. Reheat the pan over medium-high heat, and add the duck. Fry the duck, turning frequently, until done, for approximately 5 minutes.
7. Remove the duck from pan, and drain on paper towels. When cool, cut the duck meat into small pieces or chunks.
8. Mix the softened cream cheese, duck meat, bacon curmbles, and shallots together in a bowl until well combined.
9. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed or any other spices you like.
10. Using a spoon or your fingers, stuff each jalapeno pepper with the cream cheese mixtrue.
11. Wrap a peice of the partially baked bacon around each pepper, securing with a toothpick. Lay the peppers on a lightly oiled baking sheet or stand them up in a jalapeno popper pan.
12. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling and bacon is crispy.

Kathy’s Tip

I like that the bacon is precooked slightly. I have made poppers before and you want the final product nice and crispy!

By Kix Brooks via KathyMillerTime
Adapted from Cookin' It With Kix: The Art of Celebrating and The Fun of Outdoor Cooking