Bacon Popcorn Recipes

KEVIN BACON POPCORN

Steps:

• Place 16 slices bacon on a rack in a baking pan, top with 1/2 cup brown sugar and bake at 400 degrees until crisp, 12 minutes; chop. Make stove-popped corn using bacon drippings in place of oil. Toss the popcorn with the bacon, smoked paprika and salt.

BACON POPCORN

Steps:

• Measure the bacon grease into a 6 quart pot and place over high heat. Add one or two popcorn kernels as testers. When the test kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn and cover with a lid. As the popcorn starts to pop, shake the pan back and forth constantly to keep the unpopped kernels on the bottom where they can pop. When the popping slows down, remove the pan from the heat and let it finish popping.
• Pour the popcorn into a large bowl or paper sack. Season with half of the seasoned salt and stir. Taste before adding more salt if desired. Toss with bacon bits and shredded Cheddar cheese for an extra special treat. Store leftovers in lunch sacks or sandwich bags.

BACON POPCORN

Steps:

• Set medium sized pot on burner set to medium-high.
• Pour in bacon grease allowing to heat for 5 minutes.
• While waiting, powder artificial bacon using mortar and pestle or other food processor.
• Stir salt into powdered bacon bits.
• Turn down heat to medium, add unpopped popcorn and cover.
• Melt butter in microwave or separate pan.
• Allow popcorn to pop, shaking from time to time.
• When popcorn has finished popping, remove from heat, uncovering after one minute.
• Slowly pour butter over popcorn, shaking and fluffing every so often for even distribution.
• In pinches, sprinkle bacon and salt mixture over popcorn, shaking and fluffing every so often for even distribution.
• Cool slightly if desired, serve at your own risk.

BACON CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Place popped popcorn in a very large bowl. Prepare 2 sheet pans with nonstick spray and line with aluminum foil.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, par-cook the bacon and render the bacon fat. Once the bacon has cooked, strain the bacon fat from the bacon pieces and reserve the fat. Transfer the cooked bacon pieces to paper towels and continue to drain the excess fat. Then add to popcorn.
• In the saucepan already used, add the butter and bacon fat (add more bacon fat as needed). Heat until the butter has fully melted.
• Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and stir constantly. Continue to boil without stirring for 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.
• Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
• Divide the mixture evenly between sheet pans and bake, stirring every 15 minutes for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.
• Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

MAPLE-BACON POPCORN

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then crumble finely. Pour the fat from the skillet into a spouted measuring cup. Add vegetable oil as needed to make 1/4 cup fat; if there is more than 1/4 cup bacon fat, pour off the extra. Set the skillet aside.
• Pour the bacon fat into a stockpot (12-quart or larger) over medium heat. Add a few popcorn kernels; when they begin to sizzle, add the remaining kernels and shake to coat in the oil. Cover the pot and cook, shaking frequently, until the popping has almost stopped (a pop every second or two), about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and keep covered.
• In the skillet used for the bacon, melt the butter and maple syrup over medium-low heat, stirring to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the crumbled bacon and then pour the mixture over the popcorn; toss well to coat all of the kernels. Season with salt and toss again. Serve immediately.

BACON-JALAPEñO POPCORN

Steps:

• Set a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp and browned and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Stir in the jalapeños and cook until charred, 2 minutes. Line a plate with a paper towel and use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and jalapeños to the plate. Set aside.
• Add the olive oil to the pot and increase the heat to high. Add the popcorn kernels and toss well to coat them in the oil. Spread the kernels evenly on the bottom of the pot, then cover the pot with the lid. When the first kernels start to pop, very slightly uncover the pot and shake the pot back and forth directly over the heat. Cook until the kernels stop popping, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Add the reserved bacon and jalapeños, the cheese and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss well to mix. Serve warm.

BACON BUTTER POPCORN

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the streaky bacon. Cook for 8-10 mins until the fat has been released and the bacon is crisp, then transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Put the popcorn kernels in the pan and coat in the fatty bacon residue. Cover with a lid and cook until the corn is nearly all popped - about 4 mins). Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave for 10 secs. Once the popcorn has puffed up, coat in the butter and scatter over the bacon and a little salt.

BACON-CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a pan over medium heat until all the fat has rendered out, and all the pieces are well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer into a strainer set over a bowl to catch the excess grease. Let bacon cool to room temperature.
• Place popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled bacon and mix lightly until evenly distributed. Set aside until needed.
• Pour white sugar into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. As soon as the sugar begins to melt and turn clear around the edges, carefully shake and swirl the pan. Do not try to stir the sugar with a utensil! Just occasionally shake and swirl the pan, which will mix the still granulated sugar into the melted sugar.
• When almost all the sugar is melted, and the mixture is turning a light amber color, reduce the heat to low.
• Once all the sugar is melted, turn off the heat, and add cold butter cubes to the pan all at once. Carefully shake and swirl the pan until the butter melts into the sugar. Do not use a whisk yet.
• Add water and salt and use a whisk to mix until a smooth, thin caramel sauce forms. Some of the sugar may temporarily harden when you add the water, but just keep whisking until everything dissolves and you've achieved a smooth sauce. If it's not melting, turn the heat on low, and continue until it does.
• Remove from heat and quickly, but carefully, drizzle caramel sauce over the bacon and popcorn while tossing with a lightly buttered spatula. Continue tossing until the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
• Lightly butter your hands, and as soon as the mixture has cooled down enough to stick together, form it into balls. Don't squeeze the balls too hard as you form them, or you will compress the popcorn and it will not be as light in texture. Transfer balls to a pan to cool completely.