how do you do popcorn?

[NMDemDist2]

the bags you microwave? air popper? microwave popper bowl? in the stove?

let us speak of popcorn, so delicious and so many ways to prepare

Hubby is on the weight loss kick, and those microwave bags are fattening and expensive. I'm thinking a microwave bowl thingie like this one, what say you foodie friends?



http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Popcorn-Popper/dp/B00004W4UP/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I30UQ3WHITN8IE&colid=3QAXMRN330LBQ

[Warpy]

1. Popcorn is lousy without oil and salt

so I prefer the stovetop method. That way I get to control the amounts of both.

Air popped corn will still need some melted butter and salt, but you can control the amount, unlike those premade microwave bags that add too much of both.

I had a microwave popper years ago and found it gave me too many old maids. The air popper did a better job and had a doohickey on top to melt the butter.

[DrDan]

9. I certainly prefer butter - so I use the spray-on stuff on air-popped

not as great as slurping up some melted butter

but it is a good substitute. I know it is fake - but I use just enough to give some flavor - and then the salt sticks to it.

And I am sure it is just a small fraction of calories.

[Warpy]

10. I use real butter

Just one tablespoon of it drizzled over a mass of popcorn works and most of it ends up clinging to the bowl.

Really.

[cmf]

2. Air

Popcorn is one of my favorite foods. I bought an air popper my freshman year of college and I still use it on a regular basis. (Supposedly ones like it are coveted as home coffee roasters- but I'm never giving mine up.) We add about a tablespoon of butter and grate some parmesan over it. Probably not that healthy, but it tastes tons better than microwave!

[NMDemDist2]

3. that's kinda what started this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7631508&mesg_id=7632008

[Horse with no Name]

22. I found an air popper at a yard sale

it is a Presto Poplite.
I have absolutely no idea how to use it and I don't have any directions.
How do you use it?

[hippywife]

4. Haven't had any at home

in a really long time. Stopped buying the microwave in the bag stuff because of the diacetyl. I've been meaning to buy a bag of the good old fashioned kind and go back to the stove top, but frankly, we haven't missed it really.

[housewolf]

5. I used to have a microwave popper similiar to the one in the photo

I loved it, it made great popcorn.

My sister, on the other hand, only a hot air popper will do for her.

I enjoyed the coffee roasting thread you linked to, thanks for posting it. I don't hang out in the lounge very often, would have missed it.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. In the wok on the stove with...

either canola or olive oil. Sometimes peanut oil if I have any around.

(Could the oilphobes kindly explain why the world will end with that small amount of oil making such a large bowl of popcorn?)

[NMDemDist2]

7. it's not that so much as getting away from the frankenfood popcorn bags nt

[TreasonousBastard]

8. I've tried the microwave bags, but...

even the unflavored ones make lousy popcorn. Dunno if it's the lousy corn they use or if nuking dried corn is just a bad idea. The flavored ones are simply inedible.

And the bags are expensive-- I'm fine with cheap store brand popcorn.

[yellowdogintexas]

23. a good heavy wok is a great popcorn popper

especially if you have Black Jewel popcorn

I use the super reduced fat mini bags because the WW points are easy to figure

[Richard Steele]

11. I do it in my big pasta pot on the stovetop.

Especially since I learned that the artificial butter
in the microwave bags can have health risks.

If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die from eating REAL butter!

[truedelphi]

20. I'm with you on the death from butter thing.

There are other pleasant ways to go as well.

My dad lived to be ninety. The last day of his life, he asked my mom for a big bowl of ice cream for his breakfast. Normally she'd have chided him,but she let it go.

He ate the bowl, took a nap and died in his sleep within the hour. With a smile on his face.

[japple]

12. Old fashioned top of the stove method, using white popcorn

and corn oil. Add salt after it's popped. The flavor is outstanding. I use one of those popcorn poppers that has a stirring attachment on the lid. Almost every bit of the corn is popped and it doesn't burn. Very tasty.

[Dora]

13. WhirlyPop

We usually use veg/canola/peanut oil, and sometimes i even pop it in bacon fat. We usually do not drizzle butter on the popcorn after popping - just a sprinkling of salt or parmesan.

[NMDemDist2]

14. LOL just what I need

another gadget :eyes:


:rofl:

[Dora]

15. I've never found find a widow in my whirlypopped popcorn!

But the popper is a PITA to store.

[wildeyed]

30. Whirly pop rocks! We are on #2.

We make popcorn 2-3 times per week, and dh tends to scorch it on a bi-weekly basis, so he is not allowed to use the good pans. I don't mind when he scorches the whirly pop since it is a dedicated gadget.

We don't buy snack food much, so if we want to nibble, popcorn is the go-to option. Although it has some oil, it is natural, and because it take some time to make, you can't eat it mindlessly.

[Sparkly]

16. Fine thanks, and you?

Oh.... :hide:

[kestrel91316]

17. Skillet with lid, lard, popcorn kernels, and of course McCormick-

Shilling Seasoning Salt.

Mmmmmmmmm!

[hippywife]

18. Drat!

Now I really want some and there isn't any in the house at all. x(

[Tab]

19. Two ways

Cheapo but quick way - pop a bag of one of those microwaveable popcorns. Not great, but my son is happy.

HOWEVER, if I'm in the mood... I do it the old fashioned way.

I believe I use about 1/3 cup of popcorn (I use Orville, but anything would do).
I get some (a lot) of butter melting
Get a big container to put it in - not that there's a lot of popcorn, but it helps the shaking

Take a couple-quart pot w/handle
Put in some oil (2 tbsp? I don't really measure)
Put in two kernels of corn
Turn it on high

When they both pop, it means it has reached proper temperature
I reduce the heat (on my stovetop, from 10 (high) to about 4).
Pour in the rest of the kernels
Top on
Give it a swish so all are covered with oil
I ignore it until it starts popping, then it has to be constantly moved so nothing burns
When the popping stops, pour some into the bowl, pour some butter on top, some salt
Pour some more in, more butter, some more salt
etc.
Remove pan from heat
Cover bowl and shake

Note: If I ever screw this up, it's because I add too much salt. Too much butter can be forgiven but too much salt is unrectifiable.

I just don't do it this way often because it's oily and a pain to clean, but it's the best tasting way.

I've been the airpopper route. I don't care for it - tasteless stuff. I'd rather eat a rice cake.

[stellanoir]

21. Back in the dark ages before we had microwaves I had a room mate who was

a popcorn freak.

She had a technique of stove top popcorn that I'd not heard of before though perhaps it's more common than I think.

She'd put the oil in the pan and only one kernel of corn, heat it until that kernel popped.

Then she'd take the pot off the stove, add the corn and wait 60 seconds, then return it to a slightly lowered temperature.

She never burned a single kernel and it was invariably perfect.

[Richard Steele]

29. I just tried that method an hour ago- worked well.

I saw only 4 unpopped kernels out of 1/2 cup, and nothing burnt.

Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup:

[yellowdogintexas]

24. we used to pop it over an open fire with an corn popping basket. That was an

interesting way to pop it. We also had a metal box with a long handle and a sliding lid. The lid had holes in it for steam. Great popcorn.

[Callalily]

25. I truly adore popcorn

and only make it one way, albeit seldom.

I use my Mom's old stainless steel pan, heat up 3T of canola oil, add 1/3 cup popcorn kernels, and let it do it's thing. I melt REAL butter in my microwave and distribute it over my popcorn. Then I shake some salt over all and mix.

YUMMY

From my recipe, you can see why I seldom make it. But my theory is . . . if I'm going to eat popcorn, it's going to be REAL POPCORN! :)

[PinkTiger]

26. I use a spaghetti cooker or a stock pot.

Really. I use Orville Redinbacher's, too, because it pops well.
I place about a quarter cup of peanut oil in the pan, pour about a cup of pocorn in over it, turn the heat (gas stove) on high on the wok burner (the high burner) and get it hot, almost to pop stage. Then, I do something else -I add about a 1/4 cup of melted butter to it really fast, some popcorn salt to taste, and replace the lid, and then shake like crazy.

The result is a huge bowl of popcorn with butter and salt, but not gross amounts of either, and it is really good.
Another thing I like to do is add chili powder to mine in my personal bowl. Hubby doesn't like that, so I just put it on mine.

[noamnety]

27. air popper, no oil or butter

with a splash of hot sauce for flavor.

[The Blue Flower]

28. A different taste

I use an air popper, then drizzle it with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a very light sprinkling of sea salt.

[midnight armadillo]

31. A Whirly Pop rules, but a brown paper bag works well too

Coconut oil + Whirly Pop is divine.

In a pinch, use popping corn about 1/4" deep in the bottom of a brown paper bag, fold up tight, pop in microwave.

[TygrBright]

32. In a pan. On the stove.

Takes about the same amount of time as waiting for the microwave. It's infinitely tastier.

I use peanut oil and a little salt. Butter only for special occasions. (OK, we have a lot of special occasions.)

I'll never go back to that styrofoam-textured, tasteless crud that comes from an air popper.

opinionatedly,
Bright