Bacon Roasted Pecans

Bacon Roasted Pecans

How many of you can sneak back in time and remember a bowl of whole nuts on your Grandmother’s coffee table over the holidays? It always had a shiny silver cracker with an array of skinny picks to remove any bits of shell that seemed to hang on. The vision, sound of the cracker and taste of the shelled nuts was the essence of Christmas in the 1960’s for me.

While that same experience is probably not in the works for your own children, it can be in a different form. Just like us, that bowl of whole unshelled nuts has grown up a bit. I’ve shelled them, added bacon, then coated them with a sugar mix as they come straight out of the oven. The warmth slightly melts the sugar and coats the nuts so you have a sweet and salty treat that is addictive. Serve them warm in your slow cooker or at room temperature. Any leftovers should be transferred to tins or zip-top bags. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

P.S. If you want to honor the past with a bowl on the coffee table, go right ahead!

Bacon Roasted Pecans

Yield: 2 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or bacon drippings
2 cups pecan halves
6 bacon slices, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the butter or drippings on a jellyroll pan and put in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. Remove from the oven and tilt the pan to evenly coat. Spread the pecans in a single layer. Sprinkle the bacon pieces evenly over the pecans. Bake 20 minutes or until the bacon is done, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar and salt. As soon as the pecans come out of the oven, sprinkle evenly with the sugar mixture. Cool on a wire rack to serve at room temperature or serve warm.