Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Spray 2 mini muffin pans lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Lay one thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured surface and lightly sprinkle it with half of the Kinder's Brown Sugar Rub.
- Cut 24 squares from the pastry sheet using a sharp knife.
- Press one pastry square gently into each muffin cup, allowing the edges to rise slightly above the rim.
- Repeat steps 2-4 with the second puff pastry sheet and remaining Kinder's Brown Sugar Rub.
- Fill each pastry cup with approximately 2 teaspoons of chopped brisket or pulled pork.
- Top each filled cup with approximately 2 teaspoons of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place one thin slice of jalapeño on top of each cheese-filled cup.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden and the pastry is cooked through and lightly golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from pans.
- Drizzle with BBQ sauce just before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- Thaw the pastry fully, then work cold — Thaw overnight in the fridge or 30–40 minutes on the counter. The pastry should be pliable but still cold. If it gets sticky or tears when you handle it, it's too warm. Put it back in the fridge for 5 minutes before continuing.
- Season the pastry, not just the meat — Kinder's Brown Sugar Rub goes onto the pastry sheet before you cut it. That's how the sweet heat gets into every layer as it bakes, not just sitting on top. Don't skip this step.
- Don't overfill the cups — Two teaspoons of meat and two teaspoons of cheese per cup. More than that and the filling spills over, burns on the pan, and the pastry bottom doesn't cook through. Stay at the line.
- Add BBQ sauce after, not before — Drizzle it once the cups come out of the oven. Baking the sauce in makes it reduce and can make the pastry soggy. A fresh drizzle keeps it glossy and sharp.
- Control the heat with the jalapeño — Remove seeds and white membrane before slicing for mild heat. Leave them in for real bite. Either way, slice thin — thick rounds won't soften evenly in 10–15 minutes.
- Muffin pan size affects the bake — Mini muffin pans give you a compact, single-bite cup. Standard muffin pans work too — press the squares in and add 3–5 minutes to the bake time. Watch the pastry bottom: golden means done, pale means it needs more time.
- Serve warm, straight from the pan. Set out a ramekin of extra BBQ sauce for dipping and let the platter do the talking. These don't need garnish or staging — they speak for themselves.
- For drinks: cold beer is the natural call. A lager cuts through the richness; a pale ale matches the jalapeño. If you're pouring wine, go with something that has grip — a Zinfandel or Tempranillo holds up to the smoky-sweet without getting lost. Ginger beer or sparkling water with citrus works if you're skipping alcohol.
- If you're building a spread for game day or a backyard cookout, pair with smoked wings or grilled sausages. The zombies anchor the platter — everything else plays support.
- Store cooled cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes. The pastry re-crisps and the filling warms through without turning rubbery. Skip the microwave — it softens the pastry fast.
- Don't freeze after assembly. Puff pastry loses its layers in the freeze-thaw cycle and comes out dense. If you want to prep ahead, assemble the cups unbaked and refrigerate for up to 4 hours, then bake fresh. For longer advance prep, freeze the unbaked cups and bake straight from frozen, adding 5–7 minutes to the bake time.