Smoky Bacon Popcorn. Salty, smoky popcorn studded with crisp bacon pieces makes an irresistible snack. Bacon + popcorn — what’s not to love?
We’ve reached the final day of popcorn week! I hope these recipes have inspired you to pop a batch the old-fashioned way on the stovetop or in a Dutch oven.
Popcorn week recipes include:
- Dutch Oven Popcorn, a simple tutorial for making classic popcorn in a Dutch oven
- Salted Caramel Pecan Popcorn
- Dill Pickle Popcorn
- Dutch Oven Kettle Corn
For today’s finale we’re making Smoky Bacon Popcorn. This version is a little different: instead of neutral oil, we use bacon grease to pop the kernels. Cooking popcorn in bacon fat infuses every kernel with smoky, meaty flavor — perfect for bacon lovers.
I always save bacon grease for recipes like this. It’s a flavorful bonus that elevates savory dishes.
The seasonings for this popcorn are simple: seasoned salt, smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper. They complement the bacon flavor without overwhelming it.
Use either store-bought bacon bits or freshly cooked, crumbled bacon for this recipe — whatever you have on hand. Keep in mind that large bacon chunks tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl, so if you want even distribution, crumble them finely.
Please note:
This recipe assumes you already have bacon grease on hand. If not, fry bacon first to render the fat. Because bacon varies widely in thickness and fat content, the amount of bacon needed to produce enough grease differs. About 1/2 pound of bacon should generally render enough fat for this recipe.
Smoky Bacon Popcorn
2 minutes
5 minutes
7 minutes
Ingredients
- 3-4 Tablespoons bacon grease*
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons bacon bits
- or
- 3 slices fresh crumbled bacon
- Melted butter to taste
Instructions
- Add 3–4 tablespoons of bacon grease to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot along with 3–4 popcorn kernels. Cover and heat over medium until the test kernels pop, about 2 minutes. (This indicates the fat is hot enough.)
- When the test kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels and cover the pot.
- Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pot every 30–60 seconds to prevent burning. When popping slows, remove from heat but leave the lid on for 15–20 seconds to catch any late poppers.
- Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl using a slotted spoon so you can discard any unpopped kernels.
- Season with seasoned salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper, stirring to distribute evenly. Drizzle with melted butter if desired.
- Sprinkle with bacon bits or fresh crumbled bacon and serve immediately.
Notes
2. Because this popcorn is cooked in bacon grease and includes cooked bacon, it’s best eaten the day it’s made. It will stale faster than plain popcorn.
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