Ground Beef Paleo Popcorn

Makes 2 cups (480 ml)

Ingredients

2 lbs (907 g) grass-fed ground beef
1-2 teaspoons (10 ml) coarse ground sea salt
1/2-1 teaspoon (5 ml) coarse ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons (10 ml) onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons (10 ml) paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons (10 ml) turmeric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C).
Add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl and season with sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika and turmeric.
Remove any rings from your hands and dig in. Combine the mixture well with your hands so the seasonings are mixed evenly.
Break the meat into bits and pieces, as small as the tip of your index finger, and scatter them across two rimmed baking sheets.
Approximately 1 lb (454 g) of beef popcorn will fit on a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet.
Bake each tray for 20-25 minutes. Toss the meat (swap the trays if cooking two trays at once) and bake for an additional 5 more minutes.
Remove trays from the oven, transfer the ground beef popcorn to a bowl and serve warm.
Alternatively you can use the popcorn as a topping for salad or mix them in with another vegetable.
Store leftovers in a covered glass dish in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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Ground beef paleo popcorn is a bowl of crispy, seasoned beef crumbles that snack exactly like popcorn. Onion powder, paprika, and turmeric give the little bits a golden, savory coat, and the oven does all the crisping. Warning: one batch does not survive an evening once people figure out what it is.

Pro Tips

• Break the meat into pieces no bigger than your fingertip. Smaller crumbles crisp into actual popcorn-sized bites; anything bigger stays chewy.
• Use two rimmed baking sheets and give the crumbles space. Crowded meat steams in its own fat and never gets crispy.
• The toss halfway through is essential — the edges of each tray crisp first, and swapping the trays ensures everything toasts evenly.
• Save the rendered fat from the trays after baking. It is liquid gold for roasting vegetables or frying eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ground beef popcorn actually crispy?

Yes — the small pieces bake until they are crisp and chewy like popcorn, which is exactly why the recipe works as a snack food rather than just taco meat.

How do I store leftovers?

In a covered glass dish in the refrigerator once cooled. Rewarm them in a hot oven for a few minutes to bring the crispness back — microwaving turns them soft.

Can I use ground turkey?

Turkey works but is leaner and drier. Add a little extra oil to the pan and pull the crumbles a minute or two earlier to keep them from turning into gravel.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Ground Beef Paleo Popcorn

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Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
• 1-2 tsp coarse ground sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl and season with sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika and turmeric.
3. Remove any rings from your hands and dig in.
4. Combine the mixture well with your hands so the seasonings are mixed evenly. Break the meat into bits and pieces, as small as the tip of your index finger, and scatter them across two rimmed baking sheets. Approximately 1 lb of beef popcorn will fit on a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet.
5. Bake each tray for 20-25 minutes.
6. Toss the meat (swap the trays if cooking two trays at once) and bake for an additional 5 more minutes.
7. Remove trays from the oven, transfer the ground beef popcorn to a bowl and serve warm. Alternatively you can use the popcorn as a topping for salad or mix them in with another vegetable. Store leftovers in a covered glass dish in the refrigerator.
8. Enjoy!

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