Timber 2 Table - Smoked Italian Venison and Cheese-Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Quick and easy, this is a great way to use those bell peppers when they start rolling in from the garden.

Smoked Italian Venison and Cheese-Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe


20 Min

Prep Time


45 Min

Cook Time


4-6

Servings


Easy

Difficulty

We love it when the bell peppers start rolling in from the summertime garden because it means stuffed peppers. One of our favorites is this Italian meat style stuffed with a chunk of whole-milk mozzarella and smoked on the Traeger for maximum flavor.

The cheese will melt inside the meat and ooze out when you cut into the pepper.

I like a little bite to my pepper, so I don't cook them until they are completely soft, but if you like your's a bit softer, just give them an extra 20 minutes or so on the cook time.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground venison

6-8 bell peppers, topped, seeded, and with the cores removed

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces tomato paste

1 pound whole milk fresh mozzarella, cut into as many pieces as you have peppers

1 cup water

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning blend

Cooking Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground venison and onion together. Once the meat is cooked through, add the garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning blend, and salt. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer meat mixture till the sauce thickens, about 10 more minutes or so.

While the meat simmers, remove the tops from the bell peppers. Remove the core, ribs and seeds with a spoon. Set the peppers aside.

Spoon in some ground venison, then drop in a cube of cheese so that it is in the center of the pepper.

Place the peppers on your Traeger or other smoker set at 300 degrees. For a crisp texture to the pepper, smoke for 45 minutes, for a softer pepper, continue smoking for an hour.