Go Back
Gloved hands holding a grilled bratwurst popper boat topped with melted cheddar cheese and jalapeño slices, on a wooden board.

Bratwurst Popper Boats

Fire up your Z GRILLS pellet grill and get ready for the ultimate game day or backyard BBQ snack—Bratwurst Popper Boats. These flavor-packed boats are stuffed with a creamy, cheesy bacon-pepperoncini filling, topped with jalapeños and extra sharp cheddar, then smoked to perfection over cherry wood pellets. This easy pellet grill recipe is perfect for beginners and seasoned grillers alike, delivering bold flavor and juicy results every time. Ready in just 45 minutes, this budget-friendly recipe (under $15!) is a must-try for anyone looking to elevate their BBQ appetizer game.
Servings 2
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Z Grills Multitasker 7052B
  • Z Grills cherry pellets

Ingredients

Bratwurst

  • 6-10 strips Bacon cooked
  • 3-5 pepperoncini
  • 1 tbsp pepperoncini juice from the jar
  • 2 Jalapeno
  • Extra sharp, freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • worstishire

The mixture

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 4-6 crumbled Bacon leaving 1/2 to top brats
  • 1-2 sliced pepperoncini
  • 3/4 cup cheddar

Instructions

Simple prep

  • Slice each sausage like a canoe, being careful not to cut all the way through
  • Saute 6-10 strips of bacon, chopped when cooled
  • Slice pepperoncini in strips
  • slice 1/8th jalapeno
  • Grate up 1-2 cups fresh extra sharp cheddar

Stuff the Bratwurst

  • add a good spoonful of the mixture to each bratwurst. Top with some extra sharp cheddar, then add some bacon crumbles then 2 slices of the jalapenos.

Recipe

  • Once your z hits 375f add that wired rack middle shelf and cook for 30 minutes or until your desired doneness is reached, around 30 minutes.
  • In my case, it's 165-180(i like my brats well done)Still juicy and good at that temp. You can also add a tin underneath to keep your pit clean;)… Remove rest(5 minutes)and serve!!

Video

Notes

Gloved hand grating extra sharp cheddar cheese with bacon, jalapeño, and pepperoncini nearby on a prep surface.
Freshly grated extra sharp cheddar sets the foundation for the bold flavor in these bratwurst popper boats.
Glass bowl with cream cheese and chopped ingredients on a prep station, surrounded by bacon, jalapeños, and pepperoncini.
Mixing the flavorful filling—cream cheese, bacon, pepperoncini, and cheddar—for perfectly stuffed bratwurst boats.
Gloved hands slicing a raw bratwurst down the middle to prepare for stuffing.
Each bratwurst is carefully sliced to form a “boat” for holding the cheesy, spicy filling.
Five raw bratwursts sliced open and stuffed with a creamy cheese and bacon mixture, arranged on a prep surface.
Bratwursts filled with a rich bacon-cheddar cream cheese blend—just one step away from grilling perfection.
Raw bratwurst popper boats on a wire rack, stuffed with cheese mixture and topped with jalapeño slices.
Loaded and ready—these bratwurst popper boats are filled with creamy cheese, bacon, and peppers before hitting the Z GRILLS smoker.
Uncooked bratwurst popper boats topped with cheese, bacon, and jalapeños on a pellet grill rack.
Bratwurst popper boats sizzling on the Z GRILLS 7052B, topped with melty cheese, bacon crumbles, and jalapeños.
Gloved hands holding a grilled bratwurst popper boat topped with melted cheddar cheese and jalapeño slices, on a wooden board.
Juicy bratwurst boats loaded with a cheesy, bacon-filled popper mix and grilled to perfection on the Z GRILLS 7052B.
Cost: 15
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon