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Smoked cream cheese ball surrounded by various crackers.
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5 from 10 votes

Smoked Cream Cheese Ball

This super savory and delightfully smoky cheeseball will change the way you view smoked cream cheese forever. It's a great appetizer for holidays or weekend parties, but we totally understand if you enjoy this any day of the week as well.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Chill Time3 hours
Total Time6 hours 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Barbecue
Keyword: Smoked Cream Cheese Ball
Servings: 12 people
Author: Susie Bulloch

Ingredients

  • 2 8-ounce bricks cream cheese cold
  • 2 Tablespoons Fish & Veggie Seasoning recipe link in notes
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 2 Tablespoons Sweet Rub recipe link in notes
  • cup pecans whole
  • 1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese grated for divided use
  • ½ cup pepper jack cheese grated
  • 1 jalapeno seeds removed and minced
  • cup green onions chopped for divided use
  • 3 Tablespoons sour cream

Instructions

  • Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225 F with your favorite hardwood. I recommend pecan for this recipe.
  • Prep the bacon. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a flat cooling rack. Lay the bacon slices across the rack in a single layer. Sprinkle the Sweet Rub on top of each piece of bacon.
  • Season the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese and whole pecans on a second flat cooling rack. Use a sharp paring knife to score each brick of cream cheese in ½ inch deep diamonds. Season the cream cheese on top with the Fish and Veggie Rub.
  • Smoke. Set the bacon pan and the rack with the cream cheese and pecans on the smoker grates. Close the lid and smoke for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until the fat is rendered from the bacon and the cream cheese has yellowed in color and softened.
  • Cool. Remove the cream cheese, pecans, and bacon from the smoker. Allow to cool slightly. Chop the bacon and the pecans into small pieces.
  • Make the cheese ball. Add smoked cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Mix in sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, all of the pepper jack cheese, the diced jalapenos, 2/3 of the bacon pieces, and two-thirds of the green onions. Mix with a spatula until the small pieces are all well distributed through the cream cheese.
  • Form the cheese ball. Lay out two sheets of plastic wrap and dump the cream cheese mixture in the center of the wrap. Shape into a ball with the plastic wrap and press firmly to compact the mixture.
  • Make the pecan mixture. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, remaining bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate. Refrigerate the cheese ball and the bowl of the pecan mixture for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight.
  • Finish making the cheese ball. Pour the pecan and cheese mixture out onto a small baking sheet and spread it into a single layer. Roll the smoked cream cheese ball in the mixture until completely coated, using your hands to press the mixture into the outside of the ball. Serve immediately, or wrap lightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 794IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 1mg