Candied Bacon Popcorn

Directions

1. Preheat your griddle to high heat and add a small splash of oil.

2. Lay the bacon rashers onto the hot griddle. Cook slowly, rendering out the bacon fat and keeping it pooled in the centre of the hot zone. Flip the bacon; once cooked, move it to the cooler side of the griddle to keep warm.

3. Add the butter to the reserved bacon fat. Drop in 4–6 popcorn kernels and cover with a Blackstone cloche (basting dome).
4. Once those test kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn kernels and the light brown sugar.

5. Cover again with the cloche and let the magic happen—listen for the popping to begin. Gently move the cloche around to ensure even coating of fat and sugar as the popcorn pops.

6. While the popcorn cooks, chop 6 bacon rashers into pieces, reserving the best 4 rashers whole.
7. When popping slows to about one pop every 3–4 seconds, remove the cloche. Carefully scoop the popcorn into a serving bowl.

8. Toss the popcorn with the chopped bacon. Slide the reserved bacon rashers down the sides of the bowl in pairs (2 per person)—these are now your bacon spoons.

9. Finish with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.
10. To truly level up, add a scoop (or two) of quality vanilla ice cream. Do it. I dare you.

11. Enjoy the praise that will inevitably follow—and remember: Be Good, Do Good, Eat Good.