Candied Bacon Popcorn

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the diced bacon to the pan. Stir occasionally, until the bacon is golden brown and crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat.
3. To the sheet tray, add the popcorn, peanuts, and the drained bacon, and set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, add butter, the tablespoon of bacon fat, brown sugar and honey. Set over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula until the mixture is very foamy, the bubbles are popping slowly, and the mixture smells caramelized - about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the baking soda. Stir the mixture right away, and it will puff up slightly and turn lighter in color. Working fairly quickly, pour the mixture over the dry ingredients. Using two rubber spatulas or mixing spoons, toss the mixture together until everything is coated.
5. Place the sheet tray in the oven and cook for about 6-7 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Once the popcorn is out of the oven, toss it again once to coat everything, and then allow it to cool to room temperature.  Once popcorn has cooled down, serve within a few hours.
6. Chef’s note: Be careful working with hot sugar, and make sure to allow the sugar mixture to cool fully before touching or eating!