BEEF POPPERS WITH CREAM CHEESE
Yields ~ 36-40 Poppers
Zesty Italian Marinade
¼ Cup – White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup – Lemon Juice, fresh
1 Tbsp – Dijon Mustard
1 tsp – Italian Seasoning
2 cloves – Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp – Honey
1 tsp – Kosher Salt
¼ tsp – Black Pepper, ground
½ Cup – Canola Oil
Poppers
276 g – Inside Round Marinating Steak
½ Cup – Zesty Italian Marinade
375 g – Bacon, thin cut, sliced in thirds
8-10 ea – Pepperoncini, cored, deseeded, and quartered
1/3 Cup – Cream Cheese, lightly whipped
Method:
- Italian Marinade: In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except oil and blend on high until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- In a slow steady stream, add oil until it forms an emulsified dressing, about 1 minute.
- Transfer to a sealed container and chill until required.
Assembly:
- Slice steak into very thin strips about 2” in length. Add to a shallow covered container and pour ½ Cup of Zesty Italian Marinade. Toss to coat and fully submerge. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 8 hours up to 24 hours in fridge.
- Layer lengthwise one ½ piece of bacon, one strip of marinated steak and one chunk of pepperoncini, lined up from the bottom leaving about 1-2″ of bacon space along top. Roll upwards into a tight roll and pierce with a toothpick through the middle to secure, assuring you’ve pierced through the pepperoncini, so it doesn’t fall out when cooking. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Barbecue: Heat grill on high heat. Using a grill mat, place poppers on top and grill about 10-12 minutes, turning as to evenly brown all sides. Adjust heat as necessary as to not char your poppers too badly!
Stove Top: In a non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, fry skewered poppers until bacon is lightly crispy, browned and steak is cooked through. About 8 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Allow to rest for about 5 minutes and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream cheese on top.
Recipe curated by Anna Borys and featured in the May 2022 edition of Cattle Country.