Crunch. Fluff. The sweet tack of sticky caramel. Salty, mouth-wateringly savory bits of – oh my – real bacon. As far as caramel corn goes, this is whole-hog.
If you've ever been watching the Food Network and saw a certain sunglasses-wearing "cool dad" in a convertible* visit Zazu Kitchen + Farm in Sebastopol, California, you've seen this bacon caramel corn. The restaurant owners and awesome bacon-makers of Black Pig Meat Co. pop organic, non-GMO popcorn and coat it with a caramel-toffee glaze that's studded with irresistible bits of their signature Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon.
The pork belly comes from heritage breed pigs raised on a certified-sustainable farm. Black Pig hand cuts the pork and sets it in brown sugar for up to 21 days. Then it gets a finishing smoke over applewood (taken straight from the surrounding Sonoma County orchards!) for about 12 hours. Oiiiiinnk!
tip of the tongue
We just eat this popcorn by the handful, no frills. At least three kernels get stuck in clusters with that caramel drizzle, so the definition of "just one more bite" varies. Bonus: This is Black Pig's take on rodeo cracker jacks, and you'll find a fun temporary tattoo buried in each bag!
* Guy Fieri has featured the farm in several shows.
