Makes: 10 poppers
- 5 large jalapeño peppers
- 5 oz (142 g) goat cheese
- 3 Tbs (45 ml) citrus-forward pale ale
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) chives, minced
- 10 slices bacon
- ¾ cup (177 ml) sour cream
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) lime juice, fresh
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) green onions, minced
- Salt
Remove the stems of the jalapeños and halve the jalapeños lengthwise. Using a spoon and starting from the top, scrape out and discard all the ribs and seeds.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese, pale ale, chives, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Stuff each jalapeño half with 1½ Tbs (22 ml) of the goat cheese mixture. Then, wrap each jalapeño half in one slice of bacon and secure the end with a toothpick. Place the poppers on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lime juice, green onions, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). When the oven is preheated, slide in the baking sheet and bake the poppers until the bacon is cooked to your liking. (You can also cook the poppers in an air fryer at 400°F/204°C for 12 minutes.)
Remove the poppers from the oven and allow to cool. If desired, carefully remove the toothpicks and serve the poppers warm with the sour-cream dipping sauce.
Beer Tasting Notes: At the table, this has all the makings of one of the world’s great beer-and-snack combinations—spicy-earthy Mexican flavors and zesty American pale ale. As a pairing, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with smoky, crispy bacon, the sharp yet manageable heat of the jalapeño, and that rewarding, salty creaminess stuffed inside, all washed down with a cool, bubbly liquid that balances citrus flavors with moderate bitterness and a mellow malt sweetness. As an ingredient, pale ale simply adds a splash of interest, lightening and brightening the creamy mixture while perhaps adding a subtle grapefruit-caramel tang that will find echoes in your beverage.
Beer Suggestions: For sweeter and juicier, try Tree House Lights On (Charlton, Massachusetts) or Parish Envie (Broussard, Louisiana). For a firmer bitterness and old-school grapefruit notes—but still with juicy qualities—try 3 Floyds Zombie Dust (Munster, Indiana) or Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue (Decorah, Iowa).