There are many different ways to make stuffed peppers but this one is by far the best that I’ve ever tried. These peppers are so tender that they practically melt in you mouth. They are divine! I’ve received so many compliments for this dish that I won’t be afraid to say that these are probably some of the very best tasting stuffed peppers out there. They take a bit of work to make but trust me on this, they are totally worth it. Once you taste them I am sure you will agree.
What’s the secret to these incredibly good stuffed peppers?
There are several things that make these stuffed peppers so delicious. First, it’s a combination of pork and beef. Pork makes the stuffing taste richer and juicier. Secondly, it’s the abundance of onions. Onions add sweetness and a lot of flavor. They also make the stuffing incredibly juicy. Thirdly, the ingredients for the stuffing are pre-cooked in a skillet, which gives them a lot of flavor. Finally, the stuffed peppers are cooked low and slow for hours. You can’t rush the cooking process. They need time, like good chili. They kind of remind me of chili in pepper bowls.
The ingredients that you will need
This recipe uses very simple ingredients. All that you will need is bell peppers, minced beef and pork, onions, carrots, celery, fresh garlic and white rice. Add some oil for cooking for completeness’s sake. The seasonings are very basic as well: salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
How to make stuffed peppers?
While these peppers take some time to make, they process is really simple. To get the best flavor and taste, the meat and the vegetables will be browned on a skillet over a fairly high heat. We will start with the onions as they release a lot of water at first. Once the onions are translucent and start to brown, add the rest of the vegetables and garlic. Cook for another minute or so. After that, we will add the meat and the seasonings and brown it for 15 minutes, frequently stirring and breaking up clumps. This cooking process will get the most of the flavor from the vegetables and the meat. We will let the meat stuffing cool down and then mix in the cooked rice. The stuffing is done now. Next, we will stuff bell peppers with the stuffing mixture and cook low and slow in a Crock Pot for several hours, until the peppers and the stuffing simply melt in your mouth. The longer you cook them the better the peppers will be. Just be careful when cooking them longer – they will be very tender and prone to breaking apart, yet so delicious.
Alternative cooking methods
If you don’t have a slow cooker, you cook the peppers on the stove or in the oven. To cook on the stove, take a large pot, or a Dutch oven, grease with oil and cover the bottom with a layer of sliced onions or cabbage leaves. Add two cups of water. This will shield the peppers from direct heat. Add the stuffed peppers, cover the pot with a lid and cook on low for 2 – 2 1/2 hours. To cook in the oven, grease a Dutch oven with some oil. Add the peppers, cover and cook at 350F for 1 hour. Drop the temperature to 325F and cook for another 2 hours.
Recipe substitutions and variations
You can use beef only in this recipe but the peppers will be less ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ tender. Carrots and celery can be skipped or complemented/substituted for other vegetables of your choosing, e.g. leeks, parsnip, etc. You can add in chopped cooked smoked bacon, smoked chicken or smoked sausage, Polish kielbasa or andouille, for a smoky flavor. White rice can substituted for cooked brown or wild rice, or barley.
How to serve these stuffed peppers?
These pepper are absolutely delicious on their own and don’t need much else added. That said, you can serve them with mashed potatoes and yogurt or sour cream, topped with chopped fresh parsley. This will make a heavenly comfort food feast. If you like sauerkraut, it will be a great addition that brings a nice tang to the peppers. Be very gentle when moving peppers from a slow cooker or a Dutch oven to serving plates. The longer you cook the peppers the softer they will get. Use a large slotted spoon. Smaller peppers will be much easier to move. I also find that yellow and orange bell peppers get quite soft, as well as the red ones to a slightly lesser degree. Green peppers keep their shape a little better.
