Raptor Claws

Category Appetizers Sides Game Day

Servings 2

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Now you may be asking yourself: "What are Raptor Claws?"

We'll tell you! Raptor Claws are a creative twist on classic Jalapeño Poppers! Instead of slicing a cheese-stuffed jalapeno in half and wrapping it in bacon, we stuff a whole jalapeño with cheesy filling, and top it with a quarter pound of sausage!

The result looks just like a claw, which is how this delicious dish got its name! Stick around as we walk you through exactly how to slice, stuff, season, smoke, and serve Raptor Claws fit for your next backyard BBQ or family get-together.

😎 This recipe won't last long at your next BBQ get-together, so remember to make more than you think you'll need! Your guests will not be able to resist this unique smoked appetizer!

🎥In this episode of Backyard Bosses, a Pit Boss original YouTube series, Paul WIckey (@wicked.bbq) shows us how to make these Raptor Claws from start to finish on his Pit Boss Austin XL Onyx Edition grill.

Author:
Paul Wickey @wicked.bbq

Ingredients

4 large jalapeños, cored and seeded

1/2 cup shredded cheese

8 oz. cream cheese

1 lb. pork sausage

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Pit Boss Sweet Heat Rub

Your favorite BBQ sauce

Special Tools

Basting Brush

Directions

Preheat your Pit Boss wood pellet grill or smoker to 350°F.

First, core and seed your jalapeños using a paring knife or a coring tool! If you like it spicy, you can leave some of the seeds intact.

Once your jalapeños are cored and seeded, make the cream cheese filling! All you have to do is mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder, and Pit Boss Sweet Heat BBQ Rub in a medium bowl until the ingredients are well combined.

Then it's time to build the Raptor Claws! Carefully stuff the jalapeños with the cream cheese mixture, and top each jalapeño with sausage before generously seasoning with Pit Boss Sweet Heat BBQ Rub.

Smoke at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until you reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Once you reach 165°F, baste each Raptor Claw with BBQ Sauce, and cook for another 5 minutes.