Jalapeño popper
Encyclopedia
Jalapeño poppers are jalapeño
peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese
, spices, and sometimes ground meat
. They are either then breaded
and deep fried
or prepared unbreaded, wrapped in bacon
, and baked
or grilled
. They are sometimes served with some kind of dip (marinara sauce, ranch dressing, sour cream or a jelly made of jalapeño and habanero peppers) as hors d'œuvres at restaurants and bars.
In the classic version the peppers are blanched, then stuffed with a Cheddar
, Monterey Jack, or cream cheese
mix, then breaded with a milk-egg-breadcrumb mixture and deep fried. They are served with ranch dressing or a berry preserve.
There are extensive variations using ground meat, mushrooms, bacon, or crab, and cooking methods such as baking or grilling.
The origin is unclear, but they are most likely an Americanized version of the classic Mexican dish, chile relleno
.
Often they are mass produced and frozen, to be deep fried.
for their brand of cheese-stuffed jalapenos. The Poppers brand has since been expanded to include a line of frozen appetizers — mozzarella sticks
, breaded mushrooms, and the like.
On April 30, 1992, Anchor Food Products applied for and later received a trademark on "Jalapeno Poppers"; however, the word "Poppers" had been trademarked in 1983 by the Poppers Supply Company of Portland, Oregon
, for use with popcorn. On September 27, 1993, the Poppers Supply Company successfully applied for a trademark on "Poppers" when used for "coated and breaded vegetable pieces", which they held until the trademark was transferred to Anchor Food Products on September 12, 2001.
On September 25, 2001, H.J. Heinz announced that it had completed the acquisition of the Poppers brand; however, a third party, McCain Foods acquired Anchor's production facilities.
Jalapeño
The jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper that has a warm, burning sensation when eaten. A mature jalapeño fruit is 2–3½ inches long and is commonly picked and consumed while still green, but occasionally it is allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red...
peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, spices, and sometimes ground meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
. They are either then breaded
Breading
Breading is a dry grain-derived food coating for a piece of food such as meat, vegetable, poultry, fish, shellfish, crustacean, seitan, or textured soy, made from breadcrumbs or a breading mixture with seasonings. Breading can also refer to the process of applying a bread-like coating to a food...
and deep fried
Deep frying
Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used....
or prepared unbreaded, wrapped in bacon
Bacon
Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
, and baked
Baking
Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by convection, and not by radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, quiches, cookies and crackers. Such items...
or grilled
Grilling
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below.Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices...
. They are sometimes served with some kind of dip (marinara sauce, ranch dressing, sour cream or a jelly made of jalapeño and habanero peppers) as hors d'œuvres at restaurants and bars.
In the classic version the peppers are blanched, then stuffed with a Cheddar
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
, Monterey Jack, or cream cheese
Cream cheese
Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese with a high fat content. Traditionally, it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream....
mix, then breaded with a milk-egg-breadcrumb mixture and deep fried. They are served with ranch dressing or a berry preserve.
There are extensive variations using ground meat, mushrooms, bacon, or crab, and cooking methods such as baking or grilling.
The origin is unclear, but they are most likely an Americanized version of the classic Mexican dish, chile relleno
Chile relleno
The chile relleno, literally "stuffed chile," is a dish of Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla. It consists of a roasted fresh poblano pepper , sometimes substituted with non-traditional Hatch green chile, Anaheim, pasilla or even jalapeño chili pepper...
.
Often they are mass produced and frozen, to be deep fried.
Trademark
The term "Jalapeño Poppers" was initially used as a trademark by Anchor Food Products of Appleton, WisconsinAppleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
for their brand of cheese-stuffed jalapenos. The Poppers brand has since been expanded to include a line of frozen appetizers — mozzarella sticks
Mozzarella sticks
Mozzarella sticks are elongated pieces of battered or breaded mozzarella cheese. The deep-fried snack is often served at restaurants as an appetizer or as North American pub fare...
, breaded mushrooms, and the like.
On April 30, 1992, Anchor Food Products applied for and later received a trademark on "Jalapeno Poppers"; however, the word "Poppers" had been trademarked in 1983 by the Poppers Supply Company of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, for use with popcorn. On September 27, 1993, the Poppers Supply Company successfully applied for a trademark on "Poppers" when used for "coated and breaded vegetable pieces", which they held until the trademark was transferred to Anchor Food Products on September 12, 2001.
On September 25, 2001, H.J. Heinz announced that it had completed the acquisition of the Poppers brand; however, a third party, McCain Foods acquired Anchor's production facilities.