Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Dec 01, 2023 • Tom Jackson

For the holiday party season bring an appetizer everyone will want to try for it’s uniqueness but then gobble up for taste. Chef Tom’s Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates are filled with feta cheese with a dash of Jerk seasoning for warming spices for the holidays. This dish combines, a little heat, intense sweetness, smokey, and salty flavors in a single bite.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Four flavors in one bite — and none of them compete: Medjool date sweetness (the most intensely sweet dried fruit available), feta saltiness and tang (salty, crumbled, slightly acidic), Plowboys Jerk warmth (allspice-forward heat and herb notes), pecan smoke from the Kamado Joe charcoal bed. The sequence in every bite is: sweet date first, savory salty feta second, warm Jerk spice third, and a lingering smoke note last. Each flavor layer clears the palate for the next rather than fighting for dominance.
Using exactly half a slice of bacon per date is the ratio that ensures the bacon renders completely in 25–30 minutes: A full slice of bacon wrapped around a small date would have too much bacon relative to the cooking time at 400°F indirect — the outer layer would still be flabby and undercooked when the date is properly caramelized. A half slice has the right thickness-to-surface-area ratio to render fully and reach the edge of crispness in 25–30 minutes.
Plowboys Jerk mixed into the feta is a deliberate flavor-distribution technique: Adding the seasoning directly to the feta rather than dusting it on the outside of the assembled date means every bite of feta carries the warm Jerk spice rather than it sitting only on the bacon exterior. The feta's moisture slightly hydrates the dry seasoning during the prep phase, distributing it evenly throughout the filling.
20 dates, 15 minutes of prep, 30 minutes unattended on the grill: This is the fastest impressive holiday appetizer in the ATBBQ catalog. The entire active prep time is stuffing and wrapping — roughly 30–45 seconds per date. Once on the grill, they require no attention until they come off. A full batch serves 20 people at one date each, or 10 people at two.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

20

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

90

For your next holiday gathering bring these Bacon Wrapped Stuff Dates. They will captivate both curiosity and taste buds. Take the sweetness of a date, stuffed with savory feta cheese, then wrapped with smokey bacon and your mouth will be celebrating a fantastic contrast of flavors.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

12 oz (20 each) Medjool dates, pitted
4 oz (2/3 cup) feta cheese, large crumbles
1 tbsp Plowboys BBQ The Jerk Seasoning
10 slices bacon

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Directions

Preheat your Kamado Joe Konnected Joe Ceramic Charcoal Grill to 400ºF, set up for indirect cooking.
Mix the feta and Plowboys BBQ The Jerk Seasoning in a small bowl.
Stuff each pitted date with about 1/2 tablespoon of the cheese.
Wrap each date in 1/2 slice of bacon, and pin in place with a toothpick and place the bacon wrapped dates on a jerky rack for easy transfer.
Place a chunk of pecan wood in the coals to add smoke to the cook.
Place the jerky rack on the grill and cook until the bacon is rendered and almost crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
Remove and serve warm.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

What makes Medjool dates different from regular dried dates?
Medjool dates are a premium variety known for their large size, soft and plump texture, and intensely sweet, caramel-like flavor. They differ from common Deglet Noor dates (the smaller, drier variety in grocery store baking aisles) in both texture and sugar concentration — Medjool dates have a naturally soft, almost fudge-like interior even when unpitted, while Deglet Noor dates are firm and chewy. For this recipe, the Medjool's soft texture is essential: it becomes almost molten when heated, and its intense sweetness is the primary flavor contrast against the salty feta and smoky bacon. Deglet Noor dates can substitute but produce a drier, less sweet, less visually impressive result.

Why use feta instead of a softer cheese like cream cheese or goat cheese?
Feta's crumbled texture, salt concentration, and slight tang are the qualities that make it the right choice here. Cream cheese or goat cheese melts into the date interior during the 25–30 minute cook and can become liquid, leaking out through the bacon wrap. Feta holds its structure at 400°F — it softens and becomes creamy but doesn't fully melt or run. The salt in feta is also significantly higher than cream cheese or goat cheese, providing the savory contrast that balances the Medjool's intense sweetness without requiring additional salt.

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes — assemble the stuffed, wrapped dates (through Direction Step 4) up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate on the jerky rack, covered with plastic wrap. Cook directly from the refrigerator — add 5 minutes to the cook time to account for the cold start. Do not cook them in advance and reheat; the bacon loses its texture on reheating and the date interior can become excessively soft.

Do I need toothpicks to hold the bacon?
Direction Step 4 specifies pinning with a toothpick. This prevents the bacon from unrolling as the fat renders and the bacon shrinks during the cook. Without a toothpick, the seam-side of the bacon wrap opens as the fat contracts, leaving exposed date on one side. Soak wooden toothpicks in water for 10 minutes before using to prevent them from scorching during the 25–30 minute cook.

Can I substitute a different grill for the Kamado Joe?
Yes — the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe is currently out of stock. Any grill set up for indirect cooking at 400°F works: a YS640s pellet grill, a standard kettle with coals banked to one side, or any charcoal or gas grill with a two-zone setup. For the pecan smoke character (Direction Step 5), add a small pecan wood chunk to whatever heat source you're using. The ceramic Kamado Joe retains moisture particularly well, but any indirect 400°F environment produces excellent bacon-wrapped dates.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A 400°F oven on a wire rack over a sheet pan produces excellent results — the bacon renders and crisps, the dates caramelize, and the feta softens. What you lose is the pecan wood smoke character from the Kamado Joe's charcoal bed, which adds a subtle background note that an oven can't replicate.

Recipe Highlights

Use the jerky rack for both assembly and grilling — don't transfer to a separate pan: Direction Step 4 specifies placing the assembled dates on the ATBBQ Pan & Jerky Rack for easy transfer, and Direction Step 6 places the entire rack on the grill. The jerky rack elevates the dates above the pan surface, allowing air circulation beneath them and ensuring the bacon on the bottom renders as well as the top. Placing dates directly on the grill grates risks the toothpicks falling through and the dates sticking to the grates as the date sugar caramelizes.
Soak the toothpicks before using: Direction Step 4 implies immediate toothpick use, but wooden toothpicks placed in a 400°F environment for 25–30 minutes will char and can ignite if dry. Soak them in water for at least 10 minutes before assembly. Soaked toothpicks turn brown at 400°F but don't char or break down, making removal clean at service.
Add the pecan wood chunk before closing the lid — not after: Direction Step 5 specifies placing a chunk of pecan wood in the coals. This should happen immediately before placing the date rack on the grill, so the wood is already producing smoke when the dates go in. Adding wood after the dates are cooking requires opening the grill and losing heat, which disrupts the consistent indirect cooking environment.
Serve immediately while the feta is still warm and creamy: Direction Step 7 says to remove and serve warm. Bacon-wrapped stuffed dates are best within 5–10 minutes of coming off the grill: the bacon is at its crispest, the date interior is warm and almost molten, and the feta is creamy rather than firm. As they cool, the date interior firms up and the feta returns to its crumbled texture. For a party, cook in two batches 20 minutes apart rather than one large batch that sits too long before serving.