Stove Top Popcorn
Popcorn is fun and simple and unpretentious…a food everyone can relate to. It’s something you have at the movies or make at home for movie night. Goes really well with kids and skating and hot chocolate on a cold day, or a cold afternoon with a good book or puzzle.
You can make it straight up or flavored (a million different ways). And it is so cost effective (when you make it at home).
The best flavor and best economy for popcorn is home popped on the stove top.
Hands down I’ve not tasted better!
A few things to know:
Popcorn is very affected by humidity.
The popping of the kernel relies on humidity to POP!
Dry old popcorn kernels may result in smaller tougher popcorn.
A simple fix in New England is to take off the jar cover when the weather is damp.
There are now so many different varieties of popcorn available.
Please go for non-gmo organic. It’s important,
The yield on different popcorn varieties will vary.
My recipes are tested with standard organic (non-gmo) yellow popcorn.
A quintessential experience of popcorn is making the popcorn yourself.
You start with a little oil and a tiny pinch of salt. Add the measured amount of kernels and watch as they toast and slowly change color over the heat. And then…wait for it…the first few kernels pop! Ok put the cover on and listen to the symphony of popcorn popping. The sounds change as the pot fills with fully popped kernels. Shake, shake, shake the pan then set back on the stove for about 10 seconds. Pick it up barely off the heat and shake shake shake again.
Repeat.
Careful attention to the sound of the last popping kernels will get you off the heat before you scorch the bottom layer.
Popcorn Recipe
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 7 to 10 minutes
Makes 12 to 15 cups popped corn
1 Tbs. vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil most often, but grapeseed and olive oil also work for this recipe)
1 cup organic popping corn
1/8 ( or less) tsp. sea salt
Place a large stock pot (medium weight is best) on medium high heat and add oil. Warm for 30 seconds and add popcorn and salt.
Have the lid and 2 potholders within reach.
Every 10 seconds or so, pick up the pan and swish around the hot kernels.
As soon as the first kernels pop (it might take a few minutes) put the lid on.
Pick up the pan (with pot holders) and shake a few times. Put back on burner for 10 seconds.
When you pick up the pan lift it only a couple of inches off the stove.
Do not remove the lid during the process.
Pick up the pan again and shake. Repeat until most of the kernels are popped.
You can tell when the popcorn is done by listening.
The first few popping kernels hit the inside edges of the pan with a metallic sound. As more corn pops the sound of popping intensifies and then becomes more muffled as the pan fills with popped kernels.
When you hear the last few kernels popping remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. There is a fine line between all the kernels popping and the bottom layer scorching.
Carefully pour off the top of the popcorn into a large bowl, down to the last inch. That is where any overdone popcorn or unpopped kernels will be.
Sometimes it comes out perfect. Nothing scorched and all kernels popped.
If not, take the good popcorn out of the bottom layer and discard the rest.
You can use coconut oil with this recipe also but the popcorn burns more easily in the cooking process. It takes practice and careful attention.
If you are adding seasonings add them after you take the popcorn out of the pot.
