Bourbon Bacon Pecan Salted Caramel Popcorn

                      -----FAIR WARNING-----

The following recipe is addictive and not necessarily healthy!

My husband and I had dinner at a wonderful local restaurant (Silo) earlier this year and I became obsessed with the dessert they served - Salted Caramel Pot du Crème with Caramel Bacon Popcorn.  The combination was fabulous, but what really tweaked my palate was the popcorn. Popcorn is a house staple, so fun ways to make it are always welcome. I put my testing cap on and tried to create a similar tasty delight. I couldn't resist adding bourbon and pecans -we do live in the South, after all. I think we hit the nail on the head - and a few friends agree. They key is the quality of the bacon. You need bacon that is very, very smoky. We use Benton's Bacon - a renowned favorite in Tennessee: http://bentonscountryhams2.com/. You can use ends and pieces for this recipe, which here in Nashville can be found at Lazzaroli's.

 

 

Bourbon Bacon Pecan Salted Caramel Popcorn

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/2 pound smoky country bacon
• 2 cups pecans
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons bacon fat
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 3 teaspoons bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Generously butter a heavy large baking pan. In a skillet, cook bacon over low heat until fat has been rendered and bacon is lightly crispy. Drain bacon from fat and reserve 2 Tablespoons of the fat. Dice the bacon.

 

Pop popcorn kernels in air popper. Toss the warm popcorn, bacon, and pecans together and put into the buttered baking pan. Place in oven while preparing syrup.  Combine brown sugar, butter, bacon fat, corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until thermometer registered 225 degrees (or when syrup forms a soft ball when dropped in a glass of water), occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon, salt, baking soda (mixture will bubble at this point). Gradually pour the syrup over popcorn and nuts, gently stirring to coat popcorn and nuts completely.

 

Bake until the caramel feels dry, stirring frequently, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Using metal spatula, scrape mixture from bottom of pan to loosen. Cool completely in pan.

 

Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

 

Now you have to try this for the holiday - your family and friends will be happy!