continuing the popcorn discussion
I was having a discussion about popcorn with pmjv somewhere else that I want to continue.
To recap, this is the best way to prepare popcorn:
- Get a big stainless steel pot
- Put your popcorn kernels in such that none are stacked atop each other
- Put just enough of a high smoke point neutral oil in the pot to quarter-submerge the kernels
- Put the lid on and crank the stove to high heat
- DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE STOVE WHILE THE HEAT IS ON. IF YOU NEED TO WALK AWAY TURN IT OFF. IF YOU LEAVE IT ON AND UNATTENDED YOU WILL BURN YOUR RESIDENCE DOWN
- Wait for it to start popping
- Shake the pot every 2 seconds to keep the kernels moving
- Once popping slows to 5 seconds between pops, turn the heat off
- In another smaller pot, melt some butter
- Move the popped popcorn to a bowl
- Take some fresh cheese curds, put them in the bowl with the popcorn
- Pour the melted butter onto the popcorn-curd mix
- Salt
- Shake
- Eat
19 replies
where do i get the kernels? can i just buy the microwave kind and use that?
If it's a microwave bag then probably not, they add stuff that may have an impact on stovetop popping (though I've never tested).
You might be able to get a standalone jar of kernels like this
Hm. I've never seen that here, but i'll look around.
Good luck!
i like Alton Brown's version, very similar but he uses ghee instead of oil so you don't have to add more butter in addition to the initial oil
That's a cool option! I'm curious how much the milk solids in plain butter would add though, hell maybe even brown butter could be interesting
I don’t think you need nearly this much oil. I throw in less than a tablespoon of oil for a quarter cup of kernels. I find it easiest to do in a wok with a lid, otherwise my method is largely identical, tho I don’t add butter or curds. That sounds tasty, but I usually end up using nooch, garlic, chili powder and a splash of black vinegar
Yeah, could probably get away with less. I generally just eyeball it and that's about where I feel it comes up to, maybe between one-sixth to one-quarter submerged.
Your mix-ins sound interesting! Curious about the black vinegar, will you pour & shake the kernels simultaneously to mitigate sogging?
Bingo, while still in the wok. Its really just a splash, but I’m a bit of a nut for vinegar flavor.
i have a popcorn machine.
it looks like charlie brown’s shirt.
You shouldn't use a shirt to pop popcorn, the popcorn might get fuzzy
like charlie brown, i’ve got a lot to learn!
Do you have a gluten-free option?
yeah
Mineral oil? Avocado oil? Crude oil? Baby oil? Whale oil? Olive Oyl?
I usually do canola or sunflower
Lots of interesting ways to flavour popcorn here I’ve never tried. Very excited to try some over the weekend with a bag of kernels I bought a while back… I’ll try not to burn my residence down.
Burning your house down would be bad!