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Jalapeño poppers, or jalapeño bites, are jalapeño peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese, spices, and sometimes ground meat, and breaded and deep-fried. They are a common dish on appetizer menus in chain restaurants in the United States.
 | |
| Course | Hors d'oeuvre |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Jalapeño peppers, cheese, spices, breading, sometimes ground meat |
They are sometimes called armadillo eggs, especially if wrapped in bacon or sausage meat to give the appearance of an armadillo shell.[1][2] The term has been used since around 1972 in Texas, antedating the trademark on "Jalapeño Poppers".[3] As chile relleno can be made with jalapeño, the jalapeño popper is probably a Tex-Mex version of that dish.[4] The name armadillo eggs likely comes from the perceived similarity to Scotch eggs.[3]
When smoked or grilled and stuffed with sausage, they are also referred to as A.B.T or Atomic Buffalo Turds.[3][5][6]
Joey Chestnut holds the Major League Eating record for jalapeño poppers, eating 118 in 10 minutes at the University of Arizona on 8 April 2006.[7]
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On April 30, 1992, Anchor Food Products applied for and later received a trademark on "Jalapeño Poppers";[8] on "Jalapeño Poppers" used for "processed vegetables" however, the word "Poppers" had been trademarked in 1983 by the Poppers Supply Company of Portland, Oregon, for use with popcorn.[9] 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.[10]
On September 25, 2001, Heinz announced that it had completed the acquisition of the Poppers brand; however, a third party, McCain Foods, acquired Anchor's production facilities.[11]
Leon's Texas Cuisine launched a line of cheese-stuffed, breaded, fried jalapeño product in 1985 called Jalitos; the company claims it is the original such product that was nationally distributed.[12][13]
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