Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn

By Dustin

Ever been driving along mindlessly, and before you know it – you’ve sat through an entire song that you otherwise can’t stand? No, this isn’t a PSA against bad music, although I implore you to listen to the goods, this is a lesson in mindlessness.

It is entirely too easy to sit down with a bowl of this popcorn, mindlessly shovel it into your pie hole, and then realize you’ve eaten an entire batch.

I don’t want you getting sick – so take it easy with this stuff… please!

This treat has it all – complexity, sweetness, saltiness, and oh yeah… BACON!

Feel free to change the amount of bacon or bourbon – as there could always be more.

Ingredients

• 9 strips of bacon
• 2 1/4 cups of unpopped kernel corn
• 1 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Vegetable oil
• Fleur de sel

Preparation

Step 1

Fry bacon and set aside.

Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

Add 3 kernels to the pot – when they begin to pop,  add 3/4 cup of popcorn (you’ll be making three batches), cover and shake pot occasionally, so popcorn doesn’t burn.

Remove pot from heat once popping has slowed, place popcorn in a large bowl.

Repeat for remaining batches.

Heat oven to 250 degrees.

Crumble bacon over finished popcorn.

In a large pot, bring butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

Stir in bourbon, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda and mix.  Be careful, the mixture tends to take on a life of its own and might over flow.

Pour caramel mixture over bacon and popcorn mixture.

Toss to coat evenly.

Spread mixture over three baking sheets covered in parchment.

Sprinkle each tray liberally with Fleur de sel.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Cool for 1 hour.