Popping corn... how do you pop yours?

[Annpan]

I have been buying the bags of microwave popcorn...

I love having hot fresh popcorn with little effort (stick bag in microwave for 3 mins... decant into bowl... eat) I also like to have salted popcorn with no fat - butter popcorn makes me barf.

But... it is one of the very few 'convienience' foods I buy and I'd rather have the option of organic and cheaper raw popping corn... so how else can you make it?

I have tried, both in a pot and in the microwave with oil... but it ends up... well... oily... and not very nice Is there a way ow doing it in a casserole dish in the oven, or on the woodburner?

[baldowrie]

I been popping corn for donkeys years...no expert though!

I have a pop corn machine, something like £12 from the big electrical stores. But you can get pop corn makers for the microwave, I have not used one. The old way is to put a knob of butter in a heavy based pan, melt it on a high heat then pop the kernels in the pan and put an lid on quick. Keep on high heat until it starts to pop then shake the pan over the heat until all popping stops...this is important otherwise the kernels and pop corn will be lovely and caramelised (burnt) Not all the kernels will pop. Take the pan of the heat and leave for 30 secs or so other wise you may get a black eye from a kernel that decides to pop when you take the lid off....they always do!

The toffee, preference really. Melt a knob of butter, add sugar and melt to your taste then slowly pour over the pop corn and toss the pop corn to try and get it distributed evenly as possible...or put salt on the pop corn as an alternative.

IT WILL NOT taste like the commercial stuff.....better!

An electric pop corn maker requires no butter, so no oily taste

[romany123]

As above

I haven't made it for months......Think I will dig out the packet tonight.

One other thing......why do I always make to much??? I cant resist adding "just a bit more".....Lol

[ina]

That's about the same way I make it - only I use (very little) oil in the bottom of the pan - really just to brush it over with.

Problem is - the lovely glass lid of my heavy pan broke some months ago - now I don't know how to cover it properly!

Oh well, I'll find a way. Where there's a will, there's popcorn!

[romany123]

Stick an ovenproof plate on top

[ina]

Pan's too big for that! I have used a baking tray before - but the glass lid was great, because I could see how the popping was coming along...

[Mainer in Exile]

I pop a lot of corn. the best way I've found is to use a relatively heavy pan - I use a cast aluminium pot - with just enough oil to cover the kernels half way. put two or three kernels in the pan. When they've popped, the oil is hot enough. Add enough kerels to cover the bootom of the pan. My secret at this point is to cover the pot with a spatter shield or similar, to allow the steam to escape. This leave the popped corn dry and crispy.

[ina]

My secret at this point is to cover the pot with a spatter shield or similar, to allow the steam to escape. This leave the popped corn dry and crispy.

Good idea - I'll try that next time!

[mrsflibble]

I was going to say spatter shield! blast!
I brush the bottom of my pan with oil too.
mmmmmm popcorn.

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

I was giving a pop corn machine as an extra gift by a friendly freecycler but I haven't got around to using it yet - I keep forgetting to buy the corn when I go shopping

[Annpan]

I did have popcorn maker once, when I was a student - I took it back to the shop because the popcorn tasted discusting and rubbery from it... not to mention that you had to wear protective clothing whilst operating it as it would randomly ping popcorn in all directions (they just came down the funnel and would ricochet off of the bowl.... ended up everywhere)

Why do you need to use oil?... is it just to stop them sticking?... is it do-able without the oil... say in a non stick type pan?

[old tree man]

when we cook ours we have a layer of butter on the bottom of the pan, when the butter is melted and just befor it is about to turn brown add the corn enough to cover the bottom of the pan, put on the lid and let it pop away.
extravagent but nice,
enjoy
Russ

[frozenthunderbolt]

Im with Russ on this one. My lil sis has a popcorn maker - air pops it ok and tastes ok but just isnt as good as poped nicely in a pot the way my ma does it!

[Thurston Garden]

Mmmmm Popcorn! We have a bag of some in the pantry and I now have the taste for it, but sadly the Rayburn is now cold and it's too late to start now

Mebbe tomorrow....with butter!

[Cheezy]

I'm a savoury person so:

We use a large pan with a lid. What ever amount your going to do put half that amount of oil in, so I find 2 table spoons corn makes a nice snack for two while watching tele. so I use 1 tbsp oil.

Get the pan hot before adding oil add oil and a large pinch of salt, this way it coats the corn as you go. Then straight in with corn put on lid and hold down tight to build up pressure/temp, as soon as the first corn starts to pop I start shaking (really hard even lifting off the flame up and down)while keeping the lid pressed down hard. As soon as it stops popping I take off the lid for 30 seconds to dry out then into a bowl.

Variation: I make my own chillie/cinnamon oil to use, depending on how hot you want it, you can only add a small bit. Take care as the chillie vapours can make you cry!.