3760. TRUFFLED BACON POPCORN

8 cups popped popcorn

4 slices bacon

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter

1 teaspoon truffle salt

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Pour popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.

Arrange bacon side by side on a plate lined with parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper or microwave-safe cover and cook on high for 4-6 minutes. Rotate the plate half way through cooking so bacon cooks evenly. Place bacon on a paper towel lined plate to drain, then crumble or slice into small pieces and add to popcorn.

Add butter to a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Rotate and heat for another 15-30 seconds, watching to be sure it doesn’t boil over.

Pour butter over popcorn then sprinkle with truffle salt. Mix to combine. Then add parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

bacon recipe source: Heidi, foodiecrush (@foodiecrush), January 16, 2013

3655. SRIRACHA BACON CARAMEL POPCORN

makes about ten cups; serves ten people


1 1/2 pound thinly sliced bacon
3 tablespoons corn oil
1/2 cup premium popping corn

For the caramel
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the bacon flat on a sheet pan and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and drain bacon on a plate covered with paper towels. Lower oven temperature to 225 degrees F. When the bacon cools, chop it into small pieces and set aside. Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Add the popcorn and cook, shaking often until the corn begins to pop. Cover and continue cooking and shaking until the popping is done. Transfer the popped corn to the bowl.

To make the caramel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and mix well. Cook for 4 minutes until bubbly and hot. Remove from the heat and add the salt, baking soda and Sriracha if desired. Mix well. Working quickly while everything is hot, drizzle the caramel over the popped corn and top it with the bacon. Using two silicone spoons or spatulas fold the popcorn mixture gently until it is all well coated. Wrap a large baking sheet in foil and transfer the popcorn mixture to it. Spread the mixture evenly and put the pan in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and toss the popcorn and thenreturn it to the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove and transfer the popcorn to two clean baking sheets separating it and spreading it evenly to cool. Let rest for 10 minutes, then eat or store in an airtight container.

 

bacon recipe source: Ray Lampe (aka Dr BBQ), National Pork Board (@allaboutpork), 1776 NW 114th Street, Des Moines, IA 50325

3568. BACON and PECORINO POPCORN

yields six servings


12 ounces thick cut bacon, chopped
½ cup white popcorn kernels
3 ounces pecorino cheese, crumbled (could be aged asiago)

Place a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and fry until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place in a paper towel lined bowl to drain. Add the popcorn to the pot with remaining bacon grease and cover leaving the lid slightly off-set to vent. Pop the corn then pour into a large bowl. Toss in the bacon and crumbled cheese. Serve warm!


bacon recipe source: Sommer Collier, A Spicy Perspective (@SpicyPerspectiv), June 2012

3518. HOMEMADE CARAMEL POPCORN with BACON

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup unpopped popcorn
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 250ºF.

In a large sauté pan set over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until a majority of the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the bacon drippings.

Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved drippings, plus the vegetable oil, to a large stock pot over medium heat.

Add the popcorn to the pot and cover it. Once you hear the first kernel pop, remove the pot from the heat for 1 minute. Return the covered pot to the heat, shaking it over the flame until all of the kernels have popped. (It may take up to 5 minutes for all of the popcorn to pop.) Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl, sprinkle in the cooked bacon pieces, tossing to combine, and set the bowl aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Then allow the mixture to boil, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract. (The caramel will bubbly vigorously once you add the vanilla.)

Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn, stirring to coat the popcorn and bacon.
Transfer the coated popcorn into two 9x13-inch shallow baking pans.

Bake the caramel corn for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove the caramel corn from the oven and spread it onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cool completely before breaking it into pieces and serving.


bacon recipe source: Kelly Senyei, Just a Taste (@justataste), February 5, 2014

2979. FRIED CHICKEN with CHILI and BACON POPCORN

serves four


150 grams bread crumbs
100 grams polenta
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
125 grams plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 x 175 grams chicken breasts cut into 3 long strips
oil, for deep-frying 

For the popcorn
90 grams butter
1 bird's eye red chilli, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
100 grams smoked bacon lardons, fried
2 tablespoons oil
100 grams popping corn

To serve: coleslaw and pickled gherkins

To make the coating, mix the breadcrumbs, polenta, spices and sesame seeds in a bowl. Then put the flour and eggs in two more separate bowls. Coat the chicken in flour, then in egg and finally in the breadcrumb mix. Deep fry at 160°C for about 8 minutes until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper. To make the popcorn, melt the butter, chilli and spices together, then cook until the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan. Add the popping corn and put on the lid. Start to shake the pan gently when you can hear the kernels popping and continue to shake gently until they stop. Take the corn off the heat and stir in the chilli bacon butter. Serve the popcorn with the chicken, coleslaw and pickled gherkins.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Simon Rimmer, Sunday Brunch, Channel 4

2724. MAPLE BACON KETTLE CORN

4 slices bacon, cooked, fat reserved

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup cooking fat (use the reserved bacon fat and extra olive or vegetable oil to make 1/4 cup of popcorn cooking fat)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (depending on your taste)

Cook off bacon until brown and crisp. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into small bits and toss with maple syrup. Carefully measure out the hot bacon grease. If you don’t have 1/4 cup of fat, add some vegetable or canola oil to make 1/4 cup of oil for cooking the popcorn. In a large pan over medium high heat, heat the bacon fat and oil mixture. Add the corn kernels. Sprinkle over the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and wait for the popping to begin. Once the popping begins, use two good pot holders the hold together the pan and the lid and shake the pot. Feel free to take the pot off the flame to give it a good shake. Just be careful and then return the pot to the flame. Shake often throughout the popping process. This will help ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn the pan and the popcorn. Once finished popping remove the lid and salt with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt. Use a large spoon to stir the popcorn. You don’t want the hope sugar to burn you. Pour in the bacon and maple mixture. Toss together and serve. 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Joy Wilson, Joy the Baker, September 8, 2010

2365. CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE BACON POPCORN

makes 10 cups popcorn


8 ounces dark chocolate, melted (see NOTE below)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle spice
10 cups popcorn, air or oil popped
Kosher salt
2 to 4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled, optional

NOTE: Melt chocolate in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds on HIGH. Remove chocolate, stir, repeat until chocolate melts. Or place chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Heat water over medium-high heat, stir until chocolate melts.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In small bowl, stir together melted chocolate and spices. Pour chocolate over popcorn. Using a wooden spoon, toss to combine.

Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle popcorn lightly with kosher salt. And, if using, sprinkle crumbled bacon over the top of the popcorn. Allow chocolate to set. Break popcorn into pieces, and serve. (To speed up the setting time, place the pan in the refrigerator for twenty minutes.)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com, for Serious Eats' Gluten-Free Tuesday, October 18, 2011

1943. BACON and CASHEW CARAMEL CORN

makes about 15 cups


1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces bacon, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted raw cashews (one 2.5-ounce package)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 oolong tea bag
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Heat popcorn and oil in covered heavy large pot over medium-high heat until kernels begin to pop. Using oven mitts, hold lid on pot and shake pot until popping stops. Pour popcorn into very large bowl. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until almost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; cool. Add bacon and cashews to bowl with popcorn. Sprinkle with coarse salt and cayenne; toss to coat.

Bring cream and tea bag just to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; let steep 15 minutes, occasionally pressing on tea bag with back of spoon to release flavor. Discard tea bag.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with nonstick spray. Coat 2 wooden spoons or heat-resistant spatulas with nonstick spray; set aside. Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir until blended. Immediately drizzle caramel over popcorn mixture; toss with sprayed spoons until evenly coated. Transfer to sheet.

Place caramel corn in oven and bake until caramel is shiny and coats popcorn, tossing mixture occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on sheet on rack, tossing occasionally to break up large clumps.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Colt & Gray, 1553 Platte Street, Denver, Colorado 80202 | Bon Appétit, September 2010

1683. WILD BOAR BACON and LEMON THYME POPCORN

serves two


3 rashers of wild boar back bacon
80 grams popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of lemon thyme, chopped
sea salt

Preheat the grill, lay the bacon on a baking tray and grill the bacon until very crispy, turn it a couple of times during the cooking process to ensure the bacon is completely dry and crispy without it being burnt.

Let the bacon cool on a cooling rack, this will allow it to crisp up, pat dry with kitchen paper.

One the bacon is cold break it into even size pieces. Turn the thermomix on with the blades running at speed 10, drop the bacon all at once onto the running blades and place the measuring cup in place, grind for 10 seconds. Add the freshly chopped lemon thyme and a generous amount of Maldon sea salt to the powdered bacon.

Heat a large saucepan with the sunflower oil and add the bacon dripping to the pan, add the popcorn and place the lid on top, shake the pan a couple of times and once the popcorn starts to pop turn the heat off and leave the saucepan on the cooker until you cannot hear the corn popping any longer.

Remove the lid and add the powdered bacon to the warm popcorn and mix well, serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Madalene, The British Larder, October 9, 2009

132. CHEDDAR BACON POPCORN

for Aimee, Derek, and Kate


makes about 10 cups


2 tablespoons salad oil
5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
10 cups popped corn
1/4 lb sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 250°F. In a large baking pan, combine oil, bacon, popcorn and cheese. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is just melted. Serve at once.


courtesy of: Kano Korn, Concession Equipment Store