Use indirect heat for stuffed peppers

Direct flame will burn the outside before the inside is done.

Stuffed peppers (and jalapeño poppers) need gentle heat, not a sear. The filling — cheese, meat, rice, whatever — has to come up to temperature without the pepper skin turning into charcoal. If you put them directly over a hot fire, you’ll get a crispy shell and a cold center. Not great.

Set up your grill for indirect grilling: lit coals on one side, peppers on the other. Or if you’re on gas, turn off the burner under them. Shoot for 350–400°F. Close the lid. Let them cook 20–30 minutes for larger peppers, maybe 15 for poppers. Flip once halfway if you want. The skin should char slightly where it touches the grate, but that’s fine.

For poppers specifically, a grill basket or metal skewers through the whole pepper keeps them from tipping over and losing the filling. Also don’t overstuff — cheese will leak no matter what, but it’s a feature, not a bug.

One more thing: pre-grilling the empty peppers for a couple minutes before stuffing can help soften them and prevent that raw crunch, especially for thicker-walled bell peppers.

Low and slow with the lid down. You’ll get smoky, melty, not burnt.