Chef J. Looney

Bacon Popcorn

This one’s pretty easy, really. You’ll either love it or hate it, but I’m a fan.

Ingredients:
6 strips (about half a pound) thick-cut bacon
3 T reserved bacon grease
1 T olive oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
2-3 T butter
Salt

First, you gotta make some bacon dust. See my guide on How To Cook Bacon first. Do that, but cook the bacon until it’s super duper crispy. Reserve the bacon fat. Let the bacon cool, then put it in a food processor or blender and grind it into dust.

Next, get a nice deep roasting pan or stock pot – 6 quart size minimum. Strain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot. Add the olive oil, and turn the heat on high. When the oil is rippling, add the popcorn kernels, cover, and remove from heat after 30 seconds. When you hear the popping stop, you’re there.

Now, melt the butter and add the last tablespoon of bacon grease, and mix well.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out all the popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle with the butter, sprinkle with bacon dust and salt, and mix well.

Serves one bacon lover, or a few dozen haters.