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Popcorn or Chicharones - Your preferred...

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lousubcap
lousubcap Posts: 32,533
in EggHead Forum
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.

Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • ColbyLang
    ColbyLang Posts: 3,463
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    Umm, cracklins for the win. Popcorn is good. But not as good as cracklins
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  • Sheldon_Nigel
    Sheldon_Nigel Posts: 173
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    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.
    Ruining Gaskets one cook at a time.
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
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    I’ve been on a low carb lifestyle for the past 3-4 years- so I’m big on the pig. 


    Greensboro, NC
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  • ColtsFan
    ColtsFan Posts: 6,360
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    Why not both? Fresh popcorn from the whirley pop popped in coconut oil and salted with Flavacol is hard to beat. 
    ~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc 
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,678
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    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.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,535
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    I've only had "pork skins" out of a small $1.39 bag, and compared to fresh popcorn, it's a tie.  
    _____________

    "Tung Oil is derived from the Tung tree, but not from its tongue, but rather its nuts."  - Stumpy Nubs


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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,750
    edited November 2020
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    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.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
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    Are you kidding me? Fried pig skin vs. corn? Fried pig skin for the win if I had to choose. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,057
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    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.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,057
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    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.)

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
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    @QDude Lol. We eat lots of popcorn at our house. I have maybe one bag of pork rinds a year. But still...
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,057
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    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!

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,638
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    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.
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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,057
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    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.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
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    @Legume #truth You are correct. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 908
    edited November 2020
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    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.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,057
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    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.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • Stormbringer
    Stormbringer Posts: 2,104
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    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. 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Cooking and blogging with a Large and Minimax in deepest, darkest England-shire
    | My food blog ... BGE and other stuff ... http://www.thecooksdigest.co.uk
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------


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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 9,376
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    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?
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  • TEXASBGE2018
    TEXASBGE2018 Posts: 3,831
    edited November 2020
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    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


    Rockwall, Tx    LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.

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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,638
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    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.
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,735
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    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.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Wooderson
    Wooderson Posts: 355
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    Fried and seasoned oink fat.  Every. Time. 
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,674
    edited November 2020
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    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)



    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,674
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    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

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • stv8r
    stv8r Posts: 1,127
    edited November 2020
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    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!
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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 9,376
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    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. 
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    Chicharones for sure. Carbs are almost 0 so it doesn't effect my blood glucose as much. Hardly at all. 

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • HighHeat
    HighHeat Posts: 218
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    Would love to try some fresh chicharones after reading thru this. Target has some great fresh popcorn available at the front of their store.
    Memphis, TN
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,838
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    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 :o
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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