Pop-pop-pop-pop-it-up!
Sorry for the cheesy title to this, but if you knew how I excited I get about popcorn, you’d understand. I must insist that you stop buying microwave popcorn and that you start popping it yourself on your stovetop. My momma taught me how, and now I’ll teach you.
First thing is to buy a bag of popcorn kernels at the store. Take a large pot (one that you would use to boil a lot of pasta), cover the bottom with a good layer of oil (I use olive oil for everything, but vegetable or other oil is just fine), and then pour in a layer of popcorn kernels that also covers the bottom. Put the lid on and turn your heat on high. When the pot starts warming up, pick it up by the handles and give it a swirl to move the kernels around. You’ll want to do this swirl (or you can just shake back and forth) every 30 seconds or so. Soon the kernels will be popping away. When the pops die down, you know it’s ready. Pour it in a big bowl, pour melted butter on the popcorn and mix in, salt to taste. This literally takes all of four or five minutes to do. I personally love to make it at 3am after the bars and before bed. BS can attest to that. It is really, really good! I’m gonna go make some now!
Photo: MSNBC, oddly enough.
on July 31st, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I probably pop my own corn 2 or 3 times a week. My grandmother owned a movie theatre for the first 15 years of my life, so I’ve consumed large amounts over the years. I use a Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker. My secret is that I don’t wash it after I use it, so it gathers all the unused butter/salt, etc. If you like the movie popcorn type of salt (the orange stuff), check out www.ht-express.com. I’d be willing to put my popcorn making abilities up against anyone.
on July 31st, 2007 at 3:32 pm
sounds like an endless simmer challenge is in order
on August 1st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Popcorn is my staple. I have been making it since the first electric popper for the home came out. I do it on the stove top now with olive oil. I don’t really like them popped full & fluffy but prefer it crunchier. The trick to that is to pop it slowly on a low flame. Also, cheap no name brand kernals are good for this. Poor Orville, spent all his time getting his to pop fully ….
on August 1st, 2007 at 2:51 pm
what do you think, Edouble? fluffy or crunchy…also, while I completly stand by your butter and salt popcorn - I love me some flavors - adding on parmesean and garlic salt, for example
on August 1st, 2007 at 3:01 pm
I gotta say that I’m a fluff fan–but to each her own! With regard to flavors, yes, parmesan and garlic salt is tasty, too. I’ve even had popcorn with soy sauce drizzled on (not too much or it’ll make it soggy) and that was pretty good. But, in the end, with popcorn I always prefer real butter and salt.
Sorry Jeb, but I would bet on my stovetop skills over a whirly-popper any day:)
on September 18th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
[…] on ES, we told you how to pop your own corn, you didn’t listen, and we laughed at you when you got weird diseases from licking those […]