Jalapeno Popcorn

[HU&W]

What ratios and cook times did you have for the bacon and peppers? I tried some today and ended up over cooking the bacon and under cooking the peppers. The result was good but had a very subtle smoky taste and very little spice. I've got an idea of what to try tomorrow, but any gouge would be appreciated.

I preheated my normal amount of corn oil (1/4 solo cup) and then added 2 slices of raw bacon that was cut into 1/2" pieces. I let it cook for about one minute and 9 seconds before adding 1/4-1/2 solo cup of jalapenos (no juice - vary the amount for desired spice level). As per usual, I waited for the water in the peppers to sizzle away and added 1 full solo cup of corn when the sound died down. Sea salt on the completed corn. Worked great and was pretty spicy.

Edited to add: next time I'm going to reduce the amount of oil to offset the fat in the bacon. No real problems, but I like my corn fluffier and find that less oil helps.

Edited February 11, 2014 by HU&W

[KState_Poke22]

A good tip for better cooked Jalaps is to squeeze the excess juice and water out of them before you throw them in.

[spaceman]

I'm gonna second the Frank's Red Hot method! I was making popcorn a few days ago and spotted a bottle sitting on the bar so I added a generous amount to the cup of jalapeños out of curiosity; it turned out awesome so how we're doing it for every batch. Bacon is definitely next on the to do list.

[Duff_Man]

A good tip for better cooked Jalaps is to squeeze the excess juice and water out of them before you throw them in.

I forgot to mention this. This is absolutely crucial; moisture makes the corn tough.

We did make a successful batch of Jack Daniels jalapeno corn today. The recipe isn't perfect, but it's definitely a starting point.

Dump in 1 solo cup of oil with 2 shots of Jack. Heat up at least 10 minutes and ensure all of the moisture has boiled off (no more popping sounds)

Fill solo cup with drained jalapenos, dump in 1 shot of Jack, dump the contents of the solo cup into the oil. If the oil doesn't melt the solo cup a little bit when you dump in the jalapenos, it's not hot enough.

Let the jalapenos cook at least 10 minutes, then add 2 solo cups of corn with spices into the kettle.

Wait about 8 minutes.

Profit.

There's a very faint Jack flavor to it;12 hours corn-to-cockpit.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Duff_Man

[TreeA10]

This may explain a recent accident at the local municipal airport. After some non-use, a doctor of the surgical persuasion decided he needed to run his Cessna 210, but not fly it, so he saddles up to taxi his airplane around the airport. Somewhere in the process, he departs the prepared surface and flips the plane on its back. Right wing is bent pretty bad, rudder stoved in, nose gear ripped off, and prop/motor trashed. Turns out that he was talking on his cell phone while eating POPCORN (all over the interior after the incident) as he was taxing the plane.

[donkey]

Was it Bacon-Jalapeno corn?

EDIT: We need a popcorn bag smiley now.

Edited February 12, 2014 by donkey

[busdriver]

Thanks to HU&W and crew for the bacon tips, here's what I ended up with today:

caveat, I'm dealing with a 4oz kettle

Oil goes into a hot ass kettle (plan a 3/1 or 4/1 corn to oil ratio)

jalapenos(.8/1 ratio with corn, drained and patted dry) go into the oil, let them cook about 4 minutes

add a strip of bacon cut into .5inch strips, let that cook for 1.5 minutes

add the corn

It was very bacony with only a hint of spice.

next try, I'll reduce the pepper only cook time to 2.5 minutes and boost the pepper count to 1/1 with the corn, then add the bacon ( with a reduced .75 strips per kettle) for 1.5 minutes prior to adding the corn.

I have to give it to HU&W, the lack of moisture after patting the peppers dry really made the popped corn much fluffier.

[HossHarris]

You can also pat the jalapeños, then microwave to heat a bit, then squeeze/ press more moisture out. You get green and crispy jalapeños and not dry black dusty ones.

Edited February 12, 2014 by HossHarris

[TreeA10]

You can also pat the jalapeños, then microwave to heat a bit, then squeeze/ press more moisture out. You get green and crispy jalapeños and not dry black dusty ones.

Where in the process do you then add the jalapenos?

[HossHarris]

That's all prep to get more moisture out. Add them to the oil per the normal flow.

[DEVIL]

When it comes to corn, I think simplicity is beautiful. Jalapenos, corn, cooked like one should learn in pilot training. Thats about it.

And booze, lots of booze.

[so.it.goes]

I'm so glad I revived this thread... these have been some fantastic ideas.

[HU&W]

Be warned. The bacon jalapeno corn is not good the next day like normal jalapeno corn is.

[Catbox]

Be warned. The bacon jalapeno corn is not good the next day like normal jalapeno corn is.

Truth...the 24 hour old accumulations of bacon grease will turn you off the stuff forever.

[ForgotPassword]

Why not just use bacon flavored seasoning...

[hispeed7721]

Why not just use bacon flavored seasoning...

There's a BIG difference between bacon and bacon seasoning IMHO

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Edited February 14, 2014 by hispeed7721

[spaceman]

That's not your opinion; it is a fact.

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[ForgotPassword]

There's a BIG difference between bacon and bacon seasoning IMHO

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Not if you make bacon and grind it up...which is what I do..

[HU&W]

Not if you make bacon and grind it up...which is what I do..

So when you said "bacon flavored seasoning" what you meant was.......bacon?

[ForgotPassword]

So when you said "bacon flavored seasoning" what you meant was.......bacon?

I mix the bacon grinds with a variety of other seasonings depending on what overall flavor I am making, but I have used just bacon grinds before. I have actually ground up cooked jalapenos before and put it in the same shaker as bacon grinds. Pretty good.

Edited February 15, 2014 by ForgotPassword

[Dupe]

Why not just use bacon flavored seasoning...

Well, why not use jalapeño flavored seasoning?

[spaceman]

Because we're free Americans that's why

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[Dupe]

Because we're free Americans that's why

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Yeah... That was sarcasm there.

[F16Deuce]

My standard recipe.

1. Using red party cup, fill half way with oil.

2. Add oil to kettle and heat up until you can see vapor (it's hot)

3. Drain jalepeno juice from standard size jar (Mount Olive is best)

4. Add peppers to the oil (about 1/2 - 3/4 of the jar or so)

5. FIll a red party cup with kernels, add creole seasoning to the top, such that it makes a small pile

6. After the peppers' seeds start to brown or the outter edges start to blister, add the corn

7. After the corn is done popping, dump from the kettle

8. Add additional creole seasoning, and Molly McButter seasoning

[busdriver]

Coco's fans read:

I tried adding a chunk of S&B Golden Curry(Medium Spice, 1/10 of the package of curry roux in a 4oz kettle) to the oil after letting the Jalapenos(If I had Hot curry I wouldn't have bothered with the peppers) cook for half their time. Result: spicy curry popcorn and a bar that smells like a Japanese curry house.

And I'm pretty sure for me, everything will smell like curry for the next couple days.