Bacon caramel popcorn balls

Cut bacon slices into bits a quarter to a half inch wide and cook in a pan over medium heat, or medium-high watched closely, until very crisp; foaming means the fat is rendered and it is almost done.

Drain the bacon in a strainer set over a bowl, saving the fat if wanted, and cool fully to room temperature.

Add the cooled bacon to eight cups of freshly popped popcorn with no unpopped kernels and mix very briefly.

Put white sugar in a pan over medium heat and shake it level; do not stir with a whisk. As it melts clear then turns amber, shake the pan now and then to mix in the granulated sugar.

When almost all the sugar has melted, reduce to low and shake until it is a clear amber liquid; turn off the heat.

Carefully add the cubed butter, shaking and swirling constantly until nearly incorporated.

Carefully drizzle in a little water with the pinch of salt and whisk until smooth; if hardened sugar does not melt, return to low heat and keep stirring.

Drizzle the caramel over the bacon and popcorn and mix thoroughly with a spatula until evenly coated, the bowl set on a wet towel.

Rub the hands with butter or vegetable oil and form balls with the least force that makes them stick; squeezing makes them dense and chewy; if they fall apart the mixture is still too hot.

Stick leftover bits on where needed and let the balls cool fully so the caramel hardens.

Variation: mix in roasted peanuts.