Ingredients

The following ingredients have 24 Servings
  • 8 ounces bacon (cooked until crisp and chopped, bacon drippings reserved)
  • 1 cup roasted and salted cashews
  • 3 tablespoons bacon drippings (if not enough, use vegetable oil to augment)
  • ¾ cup popcorn kernels
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda

Instruction

  • Make the Popcorn: Pour 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings a large pot and drop four kernels of corn into the pan. Cover and set over high heat. After all of the kernels pop, turn off the heat. Pour in all of the kernels, cover, and wait 30 seconds. Turn the heat back on to high and pop until the kernels are no longer popping. Empty the popcorn into a large, 6-quart bowl and discard any kernels that haven't popped. Stir the bacon and cashews into the popcorn.
  • Make the Caramel: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the sugar, butter, bourbon and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar melts, and then stir occasionally once the caramel begins to simmer until it reaches a golden caramel color. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda (it will bubble up, just keep stirring until it calms down).
  • Finish the Caramel Corn: Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn. Working quickly, use a silicone spatula (or a rubber spatula coated with non-stick cooking spray) to mix it all together, ensuring that the caramel evenly coats all of the popcorn. Turn the popcorn out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Allow to cool completely (it takes 30 minutes to 1 hour), then break up into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.