This week's game day recipe is a manly appetizer affectionalely known in BBQ circles as Atomic Buffalo Turds (ABTs). These BBQ treats are smokey, creamy, meaty and spicey. If you're serving guests that enjoy spicey food, you'll want to make a ton of these. They will disappear in a hurry.
Above is everything you need to make ABTs. I only made a dozen for Katie and myself, but you could probably net 30-35 ABT's if you use the entire package of sausage, bacon and cream cheese.

Start by removing the stem and cap from each pepper. Slice the peppers in half and remove the seeds and inner vein. Baby spoons work well for removing the pepper insides.

Fill half of each pepper with cream cheese. You may want to soften the cream cheese a bit before using it. It's much easier to spread after it has been heated. Fill the other half of each pepper with sausage (I used spicy breakfast sausage, but nearly any ground meat will work. I've also seen pulled pork, little smokies and even pineapple used as filling).

Press the peppers together and wrap each one with 1/2 slice of bacon. Skewer the pepper through the bacon to hold everything together. ABTs can be skewered individually with tooth picks. I used long bamboo skewers and slid four ABT's onto each skewer. Season each pepper with you favorite all purpose seasoning. I used Bone Suckin' Seasoning and Rub.
Smoke, bake or grill indirectly at about 250 degrees. Flip the peppers after one hour. I recommend elevating the peppers from the cooking surface so the bacon can crisp.

After two hours, the sausage will be cooked through and the bacon should be fairly crisp. Brush the ABTs with a smokey BBQ sauce (I used Everett & Jones Super Q) and cook for fifteen minutes. Flip the ABTs and brush the other side with more sauce. Finish cooking the ABTs for an additional fifteen minutes.

This was the first time that I've made ABTs. They were even better than I expected. The long cook time takes most of the heat out of the jalapenos. They still have plenty of smokey heat, but they aren't overwhelming. The salty meats and cream cheese balance the flavors perfectly.

If you've never tried ABTs, they're a perfect starter for tailgates and BBQs. I encourage you to experiment with fillings and flavors as well.