Popcorn or Chicharones - Your preferred...

lousubcap

Decided that with the recent reorganization of the forum lay-out/filters I would offer a topic that would surely spark heated debate.  No doubt there will be lots of opportunities for convincing give-and-take along with those who won't acknowledge the other side regardless of merit.  Time for eyes wide open!
I'm a big hot and spicy chicharones fan.  I really appreciate the subtle blending of the heat, pleasing texture coupled  with just the right amount of finishing salt.  Also accelerates the urge for consuming rocket fuel.  My popcorn flavoring skill-set is quite pedestrian so I am now firmly on the dark side.  
Happy Thanksgiving Eve.

ColbyLang

Umm, cracklins for the win. Popcorn is good. But not as good as cracklins

Sheldon_Nigel

My problem with popcorn is the shells. They cause me all manner of issues.  Nothing more irritating than a kernel stuck between your teeth.

Chicharones have none of those problems.  Just tasty flavor with decent texture.

Wolfpack

I’ve been on a low carb lifestyle for the past 3-4 years- so I’m big on the pig. 

hoosier_egger

Why not both? Fresh popcorn from the whirley pop popped in coconut oil and salted with Flavacol is hard to beat. 

GregW

Pork skins are the new hipster snack around the local places in town, I will say freshly prepared they are excellent. Popcorn is also great, but it really can't compete with pork fat.

Botch

I've only had "pork skins" out of a small $1.39 bag, and compared to fresh popcorn, it's a tie.  

StillH2OEgger

Man, can't believe there aren't more votes for popcorn. I will say that while normal popcorn is pretty good, movie theater popcorn is one of the greatest snacks of all time.

Edit: I will add that I have probably never tasted a proper chicharone. I was thinking this was referring to a pork rind, but apparently there's more to it than that.

SciAggie

Are you kidding me? Fried pig skin vs. corn? Fried pig skin for the win if I had to choose. 

QDude

Sheldon_Nigel said:

My problem with popcorn is the shells. They cause me all manner of issues.  Nothing more irritating than a kernel stuck between your teeth.

Chicharones have none of those problems.  Just tasty flavor with decent texture.

You need to pop white popcorn - it is much more tender and the hulls are minimal.

QDude

SciAggie said:

Are you kidding me? Fried pig skin vs. corn? Fried pig skin for the win if I had to choose. 

SciAggie said:

Are you kidding me? Fried pig skin vs. corn? Fried pig skin for the win if I had to choose. 

Well you are just wrong!!!  (From a kid who grew up in Iowa.)

SciAggie

@QDude Lol. We eat lots of popcorn at our house. I have maybe one bag of pork rinds a year. But still...

QDude

SciAggie said:

@QDude Lol. We eat lots of popcorn at our house. I have maybe one bag of pork rinds a year. But still...

It has been a long time since I have had pork rinds.  I may need to expand my culinary horizon and try some this weekend!

Legume

You can’t compare homemade popcorn to the grocery store pork rinds.  Get to a Mexican market and buy some fresh ones.  Squeeze of lime, some hot sauce, game over.

QDude

Legume said:

You can’t compare homemade popcorn to the grocery store pork rinds.  Get to a Mexican market and buy some fresh ones.  Squeeze of lime, some hot sauce, game over.

I will have to do that.  Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

SciAggie

@Legume #truth You are correct. 

OhioEgger

Chicharrones for me. I go through a bag a week. But the hot ones are a bit much, so I really prefer the bbq flavor. Can't remember the last time I had popcorn.

QDude

A game changer for popcorn is to cook it in a large pot with veggie oil.  Us white popcorn for the best corn.  Store the popcorn seeds in the fridge in a covered container with a few drops of water in the container which helps keep the moisture content up.  Use real butter instead of margarine.  Once you get it right, you wll appreciate real popcorn.  Of course this way of making it is really unhealthy, so I only do it this way a couple of times a year.

An alternative method is to use the Orville Redenbacker microwave popper.  No oil is needed and it does a great job.  Once again, use white popcorn and real butter.

Stormbringer

Popcorn is fun, I like adding variation to it with different flavours. Current house favourite is adding maple syrup and ras-el-hanout spices into the butter. 

GrateEggspectations

Truth be told, I was not familiar with chicarrones. Pork rinds aren’t much of a thing in the GWN - beaver rinds being much more common. 

Seems like many identify the respective quality of each as the determinative factor for the win. 

Tell us, what product meets your quality threshold for each? Got a favoured brand for both?

TEXASBGE2018

Wow I’m on the complete opposite side as most of you. I somewhat liked pork rinds when I was a kid. Feeling nostalgic a couple years back I grabbed a bag and gag I about ralphed right there. To me nothing beats a fresh batch of copper cooked kettle corn. Guess I need to try "fresh" pork rinds

Legume

QDude said:

A game changer for popcorn is to cook it in a large pot with veggie oil.  Us white popcorn for the best corn.  Store the popcorn seeds in the fridge in a covered container with a few drops of water in the container which helps keep the moisture content up.  Use real butter instead of margarine.  Once you get it right, you wll appreciate real popcorn.  Of course this way of making it is really unhealthy, so I only do it this way a couple of times a year.

An alternative method is to use the Orville Redenbacker microwave popper.  No oil is needed and it does a great job.  Once again, use white popcorn and real butter.

We use white popcorn and use a glass microwave cooker, 1/2 butter and 1/2 coconut oil in the dripper lid, season with John Henry Mojave Garlic Pepper rub.

caliking

Legume said:

You can’t compare homemade popcorn to the grocery store pork rinds.  Get to a Mexican market and buy some fresh ones.  Squeeze of lime, some hot sauce, game over.

+1. Mi Tienda (owned by HEB) makes some pretty good chicharrones. The best bits are the ones that have a bit of meat attached to them. Can't imgagine eating the bagged kind. 

Popcorn is far more convenient to make at home though. caliprince likes "kettle corn" for movie nights - white corn 2 parts + blue corn 1 part, popped in an air popper. Melt butter and honey, then drizzle over popped corn. Dash of salt and toss to mix. 

The grown-ups get things like  za'atar or DP Pineapple Head to kick theirs up a bit.

Wooderson

Fried and seasoned oink fat.  Every. Time. 

paqman

GrateEggspectations said:

Truth be told, I was not familiar with chicarrones. Pork rinds aren’t much of a thing in the GWN - beaver rinds being much more common. 

I much prefer moose or baby seal rind (they ate harder to find now)

paqman

caliking 
caliprince likes "kettle corn" for movie 

The grown-ups get things like  za'atar or DP Pineapple Head to kick theirs up a bit.

Zaatar sounds like a great idea!!!

I got a kettle corn cooker for when my nephews/nieces come over and it is always a hit
 https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/kitchen-tools/popcorn-makers/64273-popcorn-poppers

stv8r

In a movie theater?  popcorn for sure....nothing beats that buttery salty goodness with a soda. I know some of us may not remember what a theater is like but trust me.  As a snack fried pork rinds...oh my!

GrateEggspectations

paqman said:

GrateEggspectations said:

Truth be told, I was not familiar with chicarrones. Pork rinds aren’t much of a thing in the GWN - beaver rinds being much more common. 

I much prefer moose or baby seal rind (they ate harder to find now)

That seal kinda looks like he’d rather take the club than be stuck in her arms. 

Griffin

Chicharones for sure. Carbs are almost 0 so it doesn't effect my blood glucose as much. Hardly at all. 

HighHeat

Would love to try some fresh chicharones after reading thru this. Target has some great fresh popcorn available at the front of their store.

fishlessman

had never even seen the hot/spicey Chicharrones in the supermarket until covid. do like them but the smartfood cheddar cheese popcorn is so addicting i try not and take that first handful. had a room mate in college working at smartfood, you would not believe how fast a 55 gallon bag disappears. side note, pretty much impossible to sell a car in the summer if you are a smartfood employee, that powdered cheddar really takes over in the summer heat