Crispy Crunchy Pig Candy Sriracha Baked Beans Recipes

PIG CANDY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Place 2 cups light brown sugar in a pie dish. Gently press 12 to 14 slices of applewood-smoked bacon (not thick-cut) into the sugar until mostly coated. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the bacon on the rack. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the bacon is super crisp and golden, 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the thickness. Let cool on the rack.

WINDY CITY PIG CANDY POPCORN MIX

Steps:

• Make the Pig Candy: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Set a rack on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Place the brown sugar in a pie dish. Gently press each slice of bacon into the brown sugar until coated (it?s OK if there are patches of uncoated bacon).
• Immediately arrange the bacon on the prepared rack and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until super crispy and golden, 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bacon. Transfer the bacon to a piece of parchment paper and let cool.
• Make the popcorn mix: Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Put the plain popcorn in a large bowl. Bring the granulated sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook, without stirring, until light amber, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and gently swirl the pot until the mixture is dark amber, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Take the pan o the heat and add the butter. Let the caramel bubble, stirring until the butter is fully combined. Add the salt and baking soda and stir until uniform. Pour over the plain popcorn and mix well, then spread on the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely.
• Combine the caramel corn and cheddar popcorn in a large bowl; crumble the Pig Candy on top.

SWEET AND HOT QUICK PICKLED GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Place the beans in a heatproof container.
• In a pot, heat the vinegar and 2 cups water to a simmer. Take off the heat and add the mustard seeds, salt, sugar, red pepper and garlic. Whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve.
• Pour the liquid over the green beans. Let cool, and then cover and place in the refrigerator. Allow the beans to pickle 24 hours before using. Pickled green beans will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

CHILI SANS BEANS

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beef and chorizo and smoosh down. Start breaking up the chunks with a wooden spoon and let sear until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the pot and leave the fat. Then add the onions, chili powder, cumin, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Deglaze with the beer. Cook until the alcohol smell subsides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot sauce, tomatoes, stock and the reserved meat. Simmer until thickened, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

PIG CANDY BLT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the brown sugar in a pie dish. Gently press each slice of bacon into the sugar until coated (there can be small patches of uncoated bacon). Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the bacon on the rack. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the bacon is super crisp and golden, 30 to 50 minutes (depending on the thickness of the bacon). Remove the rack from the pan and let the bacon cool on the rack.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the vegetable oil and onions in the pan and gently cook, stirring only occasionally to let the sugars develop, until the onions are a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. If necessary, deglaze the pan with red wine a couple of times. Season with the vinegar, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Combine the mayonnaise, barbecue rub and hot sauce in a small bowl to make an aioli.
• Build the sandwiches: Season the tomato slices with salt; cut the bacon slices in half. On each toasted bun, place a layer of caramelized onions, followed by about 6 half slices of bacon, a tomato slice, a romaine leaf and a nice schmear of the aioli on the bun top only. Close and serve with extra aioli on the side.