I like popcorn so I went in search of the best way to make popcorn. I read that Paragon Yellow Corn is supposed to be great so I bought myself a bag. Then I bought a nice microwave popper. The result is pretty good but I find that the popcorn burns very easily. If I add oil, coconut or peanut, then it doesn't burn nearly as much and of course it tastes delicious. I'm guessing this isn't the healthiest way to make popcorn though.

I know lots of people like that popper that works over the stove but for as often as I make popcorn it's got to be super convenient. The microwave is my friend. What are your suggestions to make better, unburnt, popcorn?

regular sauce pan, glass lid, a bit of wesson canola oil, 1 1/2 handfuls of popcorn. a couple of tablespoons of oil wont hurt you?

pour oil in pan, turn to high drop in popcorn put on lid.

when pop corn starts to completely touch lid (glass lid helps) turn off

pour into big bowl add salt and 2 tbsp melted butter

I do this a least 4 times a week -- probably get 3-5 kernels left over, never burnt.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

aluminum foil bag tied to a stick and campfire coals for heat



sometimes technique improves the taste
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As a professional (I come from a long line of popcorn vendors-this is how they survived the depression) Coconut oil is the way to go. High flash point, and no residue. If you just are going to freak out over the evils of it (and really, you use so little in a batch, you're being silly) then there is peanut oil-but it does leave a residue.

Sauce pan and lid on the stove and shake it constantly. Easy peasy. The problem with the microwave is too hard to regulate, and the kernels don't get agitated in the oil evenly.

You want to get fancy-shmancy, toss in 1/4 cup of sugar when it first starts to pop. Kettle Corn anybody?

Paragon is good, but for my money, Weaver is the best.

Stir crazy!

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that basic overall microwave popcorn popper device looks like one I had growing up in the late '70s. With our Amana RadarRange #RR7. (lasted until about 2005 BTW) Anyway, the idea is to concentrate the popcorn kernals so the heat can build. Ours looked like a gigantic Melita #4 coffee filter holder with a lid. The kernals at the bottom got hot and popped, filling the "cone" As the popped, they moved the kernals around a bit and most popped. It has been decades, but microwave poppers haven';t really changed much.

Popcorn kernals, energy, steam, pericarp explodes, eat. Salt and oil optional.

I swear by my airpopper:

[www.amazon.com]

drat, now I want popcorn. Luckily, there's none in the house.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2012 01:27AM by MysteryGuest.

Air poppers suck. They dry out the kernel too much and give the resulting popcorn a metallic taste.

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It is what it is.

Just made some stove top popcorn with Omega 9 Oil, when it was done I added garlic butter with a little chili pepper all I can say is yummm *(:>*

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Lazy,

I have the same popper and use plain ol' popcorn kernels with it. Whatever I can get locally. That model is made by Nordicware. If a friend or family member moves/buys a new home/etc and doesn't already have a popper like that, I make it my housewarming gift.

The key is small batches and monitoring. Do that and you shouldn't get burning or, at the least, reduce it to the point of it being a non-issue. You shouldn't need to use oil of any kind to reduce burning.

BTW, although I love the nordicware popper, just as often, I grab a bag of Popcorn Indiana Original Movie Theater popcorn. It is the best by far bagged popcorn on the market. Not cheap - usually $4.99 a bag - but well worth it. I seet it on sale for 2 for $5.00 and find the occasional coupon for it, too. Well worth the price of admission and then some!

Robert

[en.wikipedia.org]


I switched to the Stir Crazy popper mentioned earlier. Works quite well.

Heavy pot (for even heat) and a splatter guard rather than a lid (lets steam out).

heat oil drop 2 kernals in and when they pop add the rest.

season as you like - I use a little lite olive oil and a pinch of salt

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The Orville Redenbacher microwave popper from Presto does an amazing job (the kernals pop up very light and fluffy). It uses small paper cups in the bottom of the popper. I usually pay about $2.50 for I think theres 6 or 8 in the package, each cup lasts about 3 weeks depending on whether you use oil or not. Personally I use butter, a little bit goes a long way, so you usually end up using less.

[www.walmart.com]

Drew,

My family had something like that in the 70s, too. Switched to an air popper in the '80s. Switched to the NordicWare popper in the 90s. After the switch to the Nordicware model, we've not used any other popper. Nothing beats it when it comes to ease of use, cleaning and overall good "popcorn with nothing" results. 'course, I always add a little salt before eating the popcorn but that's just me.

Like Lazy, I make popcorn often enough that ease of use and, more importantly, easy cleanup are key. I like being able to just toss the popcorn maker and cover into the dishwasher when I'm done using it. No muss, no fuss. This is not to say there are better popcorn makers out there. That is a certainty. It's just cleanup is a pain in the butt in comparison.

Robert

Lots of good information in this thread. It sounds like the nordic popper I'm using is just fine as is the brand of popcorn. What I also hear is that a little oil isn't such a bad thing. In my search for unburnt popcorn I think I'm down to three factors. How much to put into the nordic, for how long and at what wattage? Yes, I'm taking it that far. I'm guessing Robert M could answer these questions easily as he is very precise in what he does. Care to add more info to the thread?

Ah, and here's a question regarding coconut oil. I searched my grocery store from top to bottom and even asked for help in finding it with no luck. I was finally directed to the organic department who had a "jar" of it in solid form. Is this normal or should I be looking for something else?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2012 09:39AM by lazydays.

My Mother had a great popper. It was electric and made of Bakelite and aluminum. The popper lifted off the electric
coil underneath. It never sweated and the popcorn was always great. I wish I could find one.

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lazydays
Ah, and here's a question regarding coconut oil. I searched my grocery store from top to bottom and even asked for help in finding it with no luck. I was finally directed to the organic department who had a "jar" of it in solid form. Is this normal or should I be looking for something else?

That's the stuff you want. I don't know the exact temperature but at 70degree room temp it's a soft-solid like butter. At 75degree room temp it's completely liquid. Wierd.

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3d
That's the stuff you want. I don't know the exact temperature but at 70degree room temp it's a soft-solid like butter. At 75degree room temp it's completely liquid. Wierd.

Not so weird. At 30 degrees F, dihydrogen monoxide is a solid; at 35 degrees F, it is a liquid.

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It is what it is.

You can find coconut oil at Trader Joes at $5.99 a jar. I just bought a jar to make popcorn with.

Lazy,

Thanks for the vote of confidence - lo! Unfortunately, there is no magic time frame when it comes to making popcorn with the Nordicware Popcorn Popper. I have a GE Spacesaver 1100 watt microwave. For me, I use 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels and nuke it for 2.5 minutes. Sometimes it takes a little longer, rarely less. Key, you must monitor the popcorn while you're popping it.

Robert

I use an air popper, and then pour melted butter on the popcorn. It's especially good when I use some of my homemade cultured butter.

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N-OS X-tasy!
Air poppers suck. They dry out the kernel too much and give the resulting popcorn a metallic taste.

Naw.