Armadillo Eggs

by jackie | Sep 14, 2024 | Beef, Books, Bulls, Buying Beef Better, Cheese, Eating Local, Food, GRASSFED, Gratitude, Heritage Breed, Local Farmers, Meat, Recipes, Summer, Things We Love

Entertaining or Potlucking? Need a late summer dish for a lazy summer afternoon?

Just got the first Auburn Meadow Farm beef back from the processor, and wowza, did I miss it.  Rich, beefy, juicy, and so delicious, when a friend gifted me some beautiful jalapenos and home grown garlic, I knew I had to make armadillo eggs. Armadillo Eggs are a Texas variant of jalapeno poppers, and are usually pretty seasoned up with chiles, seasoned sausages, and bacon. But this beef doesn’t need all that help, and the flavor of the cheese, the jalapeno, the lime, garlic and cilantro is to me perfect for a warm late summer day, especially  when served alongside the cool buttermilk dressing and splashes of fresh lime.

As with all things Texas, my go-to inspiration is Lisa Fain of Homesick Texan books, blog, and now Substack. Her recipes are solid, I love her stories, and humble appreciation for the vast history of Texas life and food. Check her out, odds are your public library has a copy of one of her books too. Brief and to-the-point, let’s get straight to it…

Assembling Armadillo eggs

Beef Armadillo Eggs

Armadillo Eggs are a fun Texas spin on a jalapeno popper. Usually wrapped with sausage, then again in bacon, they end up looking like little armadillos. My version is a little more subtle in the flavoring, because the flavor of the Auburn Meadow Farm dry-aged Devon beef I used is just so good. I want it to shine, not be covered up.

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Servings: 12 Approx 24 eggs, though milaege varies

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp cilantro chopped
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• 6 medium fresh jalapeños
• 4 pounds ground beef You can also use a combo of ground beef and pork sausage, chorizo would be nice
• 1 fresh lime You can use bottled if you don't have it, but fresh is appreciated

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, cilantro, and cumin until well blended. Taste, add salt and adjust seasonings if needed.
3. Remove the stems from teh jalapeños and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and then cut the sliced jalapeños in half, horizontally. Note to self: wear gloves and do not touch your face or you may be sorry!
4. Place about a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in each jalapeño quarter. Take about 1/3 cup of the sausage, pat it into a 3-inch circle and place the stuffed jalapeño in the center of the sausage. Wrap the sausage around the stuffed jalapeño until it’s completely covered, and form into an egg shape.
5. Place meat-wrapped jalapeños on the sheet, about an inch apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked. For additional browning on top, you can place the sheet under the broiler for 2-5 minutes. (I like mine as juicy as possible, so I skip this step). 
6. Sprinkle your eggs with lots of fresh lime juice and serve with buttermilk dressing, queso or salsa. I like juicy lime wedges on the side too.

Notes

When making this with supermarket beef, I might use a broiler pan wtih a rack to elevate the eggs from the surface of the pan. Supermarket beef won't be dry-aged, so will release more water, and shrink more, and you may get better results lifing the meat so the liquid can drain away. 

Armadillo eggs are not worth the making if you don’t also have good buttermilk dressing. Here’s my fave, also Homesick Texan inspired, though lacking the heat. I don’t miss it, tobasco or hot sauce can be added at table for those who like it, and those who don’t will appreciate the cool, flavorful dressing on pretty much everything.

Armadillo Eggs are an unexpected recipe for a party dish that’s unique, accommodates most non-vegan diets, and stays on the Real Food spectrum, if you’re trying to kick the processed foods. I pretty much guarantee if you’re doing a potluck, you will please most, and copy none.

Beverage-wise, making all-beef Armadillo Eggs as I have here, a crisp, lighter white wine, or pilsner, or lime or lemonade would be my go-to. Mojitos or margaritas are always welcome, the key is light, bright, not too sweet. And, if you’re from Pittsburgh area and would like some Auburn Meadow Farm ground beef for yourself, find the details here.