Popcorn at home

[Shel_B]

What about popping with a mixture of butter and oil? Has anyone tried it?

[JTravel]

Of supermarket popcorn, I buy Jolly Time WHITE. The white variety is more delicate and I prefer its taste.

For fancier corn -- which is worth it, flavorwise, if you eat it without seasoning other than salt and pepper, try baby white, blue (my favorite), lady finger, or red. Here's a good source!

My thoughts exactly on the Jolly Time, sometimes the white is hard to find though. We were in the Lancaster,PA area and got some of the Ladyfinger, TINY, tender little kernals. Works well in the air popper. I must try the stovepop method again.

A source from the Amish country:

http://www.amishcountrypopcorn.com/popcorn.html

My family tradition was big Sunday "dinner" after church.....followed by "Popcorn and Milk" ....in a bowl like cereal, for evening snack. My parents said it came from having only bread and milk for supper on the farm. I still think Sunday nights are for popcorn.

[onehsancare]

Mmmmm. . . . . duck fat and popcorn salt--no need for butter. Yum!!!

I follow Maggie's pop-one-kernel method (because that's the way my dad did it--I don't think I've ever tried another method!).

Sunday night is popcorn night because that's the night we watched the Wonderful World of Disney and ate popcorn from our popcorn bowls (little wooden salad bowls that were used for nothing but popcorn). Sweet memory.

[Octaveman]

... a quick shake of the pot and Bob's your Uncle.

Huh?

I have microwave popcorn as a quick snack for the kids. I may have a handful but nothing and I mean NOTHING beats homemade popcorn.

This is what I do. Don't know if it's similar to other people's method but this method continues to be done the way Grandma did it. First I buy a bag of Jolly Time popcorn (it's what Grandma used). I put a layer of bacon grease in the same exact aluminum pot Grandma used to use and once it's liquid I put in the popcorn. I wait for for the first popped kernal then I pu the lid on. Once the popping is in full swing I start to shake the pot a little. Don't know why but it's what Grandma did. When all finished popping I pour the butter over the popped corn while stirring to get even distribution. Then I add regular table salt.

As for the butter, I get that ready to go but must make sure it's the right color. It's got to be a golden brown and make sure the heat is high enough to get it frothy too. Don't know why but it's what Grandma did. I think because frothy butter coats better than runny butter.

This is the only way I've made popcorn and refuse to try it any other way...it's that good.

Bob

[Pam R]

What about popping with a mixture of butter and oil? Has anyone tried it?

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It burns. Which some of us might enjoy.

I usually use canola, but I'll have to try peanut oil.

[Tim Dolan]

The smell of fresh-popped popcorn is quite possibly the most intoxicating smell ever. I wish they had car fresheners that smelled like it. Anyway, I got one of those Williams-Sonoma hand crank pots as a Christmas gift a few years back. Technically it works like a charm, but I guess it was made with some cheap kind of glue. The result is the lid gets hot from the steam, which melts the glue and then makes the lid so difficult to clean that it's almost not worth it.

Butter spiked with Tabasco and a little garlic salt, that's the way to go...

[Priscilla]

Popcorn is one of my top five favorite foods.

The carwash I use has one of those commercial popcorn popper carts in the waiting area, with free popcorn popped all day long in supersaturated movie theater popcorn popping medium, raining out of the hopper so appetizingly.

At home I use a hot-air popper, and for years I have exclusively depended upon bulk organic yellow popcorn from the health food supermarket, might be Giusto's as much of their bulk stuff is. Really really good flavor and texture and poppingness.

Jolly Time white was an old regular-supermarket favorite... very tender and delicate, as Baroness said up there.

I would like to know more about the homemade kettle corn process from those who do that... you add sugar right in there with the oil? I watch the kettle corn people at my local farmer's markets make their huge batches, but would love to make it at home.

[jsmeeker]

I used to do this all the time when many I was watching a lot of movies on my new DVD player and had a Netflix subscription.

I used "stole" the beat up popcorn popper from my mom and dad. It was terribly thin and had one of those lids with the crank handle that turned the a stirrer.  The thing actually worked really well. I eventually tossed it in the trash when I started buying more pots and stuff an ran out of space. Then, I started to use my stainless steel Revere Wear dutch oven. That worked well too, but was a pain to shake due to the short stubby handles.

I used Orville's pop corn. and copious amounts of butter. And pop corn salt.    I haven't made popcorn in several years. I just don't watch movies at home like I used to.  But with this thread, and something I saw at World Market the other weekend, maybe I should change that.

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Tea (with lots of milk) and popcorn are the perfect combination. Should fit in nicely with your new tea jones.

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Do you recommend a specific type of tea?

[plattetude]

The Easter Bunny brought a jar of premium popping corn to my 3-year-old with some sweet/salty popcorn topping this year, and it's been an occasional treat we've had this year. Funny thing, I never really obsessed about a method -- just a shallow pool of corn oil at the bottom of the All-Clad Windsor pot (sides flared out just so -- gives a little more room for the popcorn to expand from the narrower base), fill with a single layer of corn, cover, turn burner to medium high, and a few minutes later, done, with almost no unpopped kernels. Maybe I'll try uncovered next go-round and see if there's noticable fluffierness....

Christopher

[Kerry Beal]

I used to do this all the time when many I was watching a lot of movies on my new DVD player and had a Netflix subscription.

I used "stole" the beat up popcorn popper from my mom and dad. It was terribly thin and had one of those lids with the crank handle that turned the a stirrer.  The thing actually worked really well. I eventually tossed it in the trash when I started buying more pots and stuff an ran out of space. Then, I started to use my stainless steel Revere Wear dutch oven. That worked well too, but was a pain to shake due to the short stubby handles.

I used Orville's pop corn. and copious amounts of butter. And pop corn salt.    I haven't made popcorn in several years. I just don't watch movies at home like I used to.  But with this thread, and something I saw at World Market the other weekend, maybe I should change that.

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Tea (with lots of milk) and popcorn are the perfect combination. Should fit in nicely with your new tea jones.

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Do you recommend a specific type of tea?

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Nice strong orange pekoe for me.

[emilyr]

I pop in (not EV) olive oil or a combo of olive and corn oil. I just like the flavor. Salt or butter, but not both. Almost always black pepper now, too.

[Hest88]

I'm lazy, so this is my method.

Olive oil just sheeting the entire bottom of a med-sized pot. I turn the heat to medium and (without waiting for it to heat up) throw one layer of popcorn into the bottom of the pot. Then I stick on the lid. I listen for the popping and, just like with microwave popcorn, when I hear it slowing I take it off the heat. Off with the lid, throw salt into the pot (DH doesn't like butter), put the lid back on, shake the pot madly in the air to distribute the salt evenly (with one hand keeping the lid down, naturally), and then serve.

I used to shake while cooking but I've since discovered that no shaking is required as long as the heat isn't too high. Plus, if this is a factor for anyone, there's never enough oil to actually taste the olive oil; the popcorn taste remains pretty neutral.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Hest88 (log)

[Lindacakes]

My parents had this funky popcorn popper that had a little line for the oil, and a lid that you flipped upside down to make a popcorn bowl and it even had a butter melting mechanism. I took it to college with me. A mug of cream of tomato soup and a bowl of popcorn was a regular lunch for me and my mom.

Very nostalgic thing never replaced by microwave popcorn. I've never owned a microwave and had little access to them and then there were those reports of people dying in the factories that make butter flavor! Some guy caught the same disease from smelling microwaved popcorn bags!

We have a Whirley Pop, a present for my partner, who has to have popcorn to live. White Cat is a good brand popcorn. I've tried them all, all sorts of gourmet stuff, but not Rancho Gordo. I'll have to try that, but I don't like small kernels. I have some of the Whirley Pop Amish corn on order for Christmas.

I use Crisco, peanut was a failure for me. Add the oil, add the corn all at once (always used to do test kernels when I didn't have a popper), gently turn the crank.

Season with chili powder, garlic powder, grated Parmesean, salt. Lately I've been doing butter and salt because of Netflix!!!

Get out the nested bowls, everybody gets one, including the bird. The bird doesn't get seasonings, but he likes to stand on the side of the bowl and loves popcorn.

Popcorn shows up for a week in the little coconut half that hangs from his ceiling and serves as a treat cup. He gets what I think of as Kmart breath -- remember the popcorn at Kmart?

[baroness]

Jolly Time white was an old regular-supermarket favorite... very tender and delicate, as Baroness said up there.

I would like to know more about the homemade kettle corn process from those who do that... you add sugar right in there with the oil? I watch the kettle corn people at my local farmer's markets make their huge batches, but would love to make it at home.

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This is my favorite Whirley Pop recipe; you could (gasp!) omit the cinnamon mix to make kettle corn....

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn

Mix 2 tsp cinnamon with 1 T sugar and 1/4 tsp salt; set aside.

Put 1/4 cup each popcorn, oil, and sugar into popper and pop the corn. Remove from heat and pour in cinnamon mixture; close lid and stir (off heat) to mix.

[chappie]

Does anyone here make popcorn flour with leftover popcorn, and what are its uses?

[plattetude]

Does anyone here make popcorn flour with leftover popcorn, and what are its uses?

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Would that be any different from corn meal?

[Susie Q]

I would like to know more about the homemade kettle corn process from those who do that... you add sugar right in there with the oil? I watch the kettle corn people at my local farmer's markets make their huge batches, but would love to make it at home.

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I lost my recipe sometime ago so now I just "eyeball" it when I measure.

I use a big 12" wide 4"deep saute pan with a glass lid. The glass lid makes it easier to monitor. Got mine at Costco- $30.

I pour in 1/3- 1/2 cup of oil and add a good rounded 1/3 cup of popcorn. When the first two kernels pop I toss in 1/4-1/3 cup of sugar and a good pinch of salt then give it a good stir with a wooden spoon. The sugar cools down the oil and kernels to allow this. Then put the lid back on and start shaking it vigorously and constantly to keep the mixture "swimmy" in the pan. Keep shaking until popping slows and most of the kernels are popped. Don't wait until it's quiet or it will be burned. Then carefully dump out into a very large bowl.

If you like it lightly sweet use about 1/3 c oil and 1/4 c sugar. If you like it sweeter use about 1/2 c oil and 1/3 cup sugar. The heaping 1/3 cup of kernels fits my pan.

I will confess to adding crumbled crisp bacon and broken pecans to the bowl at times. It's all there for me.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Susie Q (log)

[Priscilla]

Thank you, Susie Q and Baroness... I'll be giving that a go right quick here.

[Beebs]

It's been awhile, but I've popped corn in a wok with great success.

[qrn]

Anybody try using ghee instead of oil???It does not burn like butter..

Bud

[Special K]

"Get out the nested bowls, everybody gets one, including the bird. The bird doesn't get seasonings, but he likes to stand on the side of the bowl and loves popcorn."

One of my Abys (cats), Nora, loves popcorn. I believe that's because she thinks it's styrofoam, which she would eat by the bucketload if we didn't watch her. (The other Aby, Nick, prefers gel shoe inserts.)

Oooh, duck fat, bacon fat! Nora and I are about to enter a whole new phase of good livin'!

ETA a comma.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Special K (log)

[Kouign Aman]

I like to pop in chili-infused oil. Gives a nice warmth to the finished product.

Havent tried herb-oils. I suspect herb-butter would be better way to add that flavor.

Orville, while costly, seems to give the best overall results for me.

Not enough better for the $ tho, these days.

If popped in plain oil, especially olive oil, salt & peper go well.

Spike (a seasoning salt) is my all time favorite for popcorn. Especially if popped with the chili-oil.

I have friends who mist on soy sauce. I think that would be good especially if there were sesame oil added to the popping oil. But I have no idea how they keep the popcorn from getting soggy.

[chappie]

I pour in 1/3- 1/2 cup of oil and add a good rounded 1/3 cup of popcorn. When the first two kernels pop I toss in 1/4-1/3 cup of sugar and a good pinch of salt then give it a good stir with a wooden spoon. The sugar cools down the oil and kernels to allow this. Then put the lid back on and start shaking it vigorously and constantly to keep the mixture "swimmy" in the pan. Keep shaking until popping slows and most of the kernels are popped. Don't wait until it's quiet or it will be burned. Then carefully dump out into a very large bowl.

I just tried this, and mine burned. I was doing nearly high (8 on a 1-10 knob), then turned down to medium when it started popping. It's not badly burned, but I'd like it less so.

[sparrowgrass]

Our local feed store has a big selection of Amish foods--noodles, preserves, baking mixes and popcorn.

They sell red popcorn, which makes a little crunchy kernel, blue popcorn that puffs up big and chewy, and white popcorn, which is kind of intermediate size and crunch.

I buy a bag of red and one of white, and mix them half and half. I put it immediately into quart canning jars, and pop it up within a month or two, then go back for more.

Stale popcorn smells and tastes musty.

[v. gautam]

The pattern or relative thickness of the outer skin/pericarp with respect to the inner mass of starch/ "ëndosperm" has a genetic component that gives 2 types of popcorns, termed "butterfly" and "mushroom" for the shapes they assume after popping.

The former are more tender for eating with melted butter, in the living room situation. The latter hold up to the stirring and other manipulations necessary in the big kettles for candy corn in fairs, i.e. they are tougher.

So try to shop for butterfly genotypes for a superlative gustatory experience. I have no idea how these are sold commercially, as in what supermarket brands are butterflies or if they may be mailordered.