You don't have to buy gourmet popcorn. When making popcorn, I have found it is better not to heat the oil on a high heat at first. I know this may sound stupid, but the kernels get more more heat distribution if you start out slow.
Think: You don't cook prime rib steak on blazing heat from the get go; you'll end up burning parts and other parts will be undercooked. After hearing the first few kernels pop, turn up the heat. Cook as normal.
I think you will find less kernels than before. I have and I buy store brand. My friends wonder why there are so little kernels left. They think I have used gourmet popcorn like ORVILLE REDENBACHER. HA. HA. HA.
It's like my grandma letting the city cousins think they were drinking delivered milk when all she was doing was putting the family cow's milk in a bottle she found!
By the way, I don't ever use a popcorn machine.
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This is the old-fashioned way of making popcorn. It is easy to make and tastes so much better than microwave popcorn.
After you're done popping your popcorn in the microwave, and before you open the bag, put it over the garbage can and shake the bag really hard. Make sure the opening of the bag is down. All your unpopped seeds will go into the garbage, no more seeds.
Here is a tip to release the aroma of popcorn but protect it from anything entering. Simply use a splatter screen cover. Great for home, picnics, or parties!
Get away from the microwave for popcorn. Cook the popcorn from the popcorn in a jar, using a Teflon pot and a cover. This way, you have nothing fattening in your popcorn.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How do you color popcorn? I have seen colored popcorn (unpopped kernels) in catalogs for sale, and it's rather pricey. Apparently when popped the popcorn is multicolor. I'd love to figure out how to do this.
I too remember when colored popcorn came in bags. The colors looks so neat we were sure we would be eating green, red and blue kernels but not so.
Tips for popping and flavoring popcorn. Post your ideas.
also try a few drops of Worchestershire sauce in the popper for a unique flavor.
If you want popcorn to pop like mad, pour the kernels into a strainer, wash in cold water & strain well, then pour the kernels into the popper.
You can add an interesting flavor to popcorn if you add 1/2 peeled clove of garlic to the melted salted butter you serve on popcorn.
By joesgirl
Use your butter flavored no stick cooking oil spray on popcorn. It is better than that stuff they say is for spraying the butter flavor on popcorn.
By ELAYNE
I admit I need "buttered" popcorn. However, I know that the butter isn't that good for us. So, I now do a little butter and a little olive oil together to pour over the popcorn and I can't tell the difference.
I make air popped popcorn in the microwave by putting 1/3 cup of popcorn in a lunch size paper bag, taping the top closed and nuking in the microwave like normal microwave popcorn.
Christy
This one's a bit messy, but delish. Using air popped popcorn, I pour on a few tablespoons of Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch/Carmel Ice Cream Topping and put it in the microwave for about 15 secs., then toss to coat all the kernals. It's my favorite dessert. However, you gotta eat it with a spoon; I think it's probably the wrong consistency to make into balls or bars.
If you use olive oil when popping your popcorn, it tastes great, you won't miss not slathering it in hot butter. You might also want to sprinkle on such toppings as parmesan cheese, a dab of taco seasoning, or ranch dressing mix. These are just a few of our favorites. So when 'Movie Night' rolls around, try something different.... snackwise.
By Terri
I like to pop my pop corn using cold pressed coconut oil. This oil is good for you. It also gives the corn a nice flavor and you may not need any seasoning. I do like to take herbs and mix them with grated cheese then sprinkle sparingly. Can use thyme, garlic powder, italian seasoning, ect.
You can also flavour popcorn by sprinkling it with chicken flavour spices designed for chips (fries), or my favourite way is to melt butter, sugar and honey together (however you prefer it to taste) and pour it over to freshly popped corn. Keep a towel with you though, as your hands become very sticky and messy.
Love to make and eat popcorn? Tired of having a big bowl to wash? Instead of a bowl, I use a brown kraft grocery bag. Put the popped corn into a bag (will hold more than one batch), add salt, butter if you use it and shake. No big bowl to clean, keeps the corn warmer longer, and you can save leftovers and dispose of the bag when empty.
By Jack
I sprinkle the powdered cheese from a box of macaroni and cheese on our popcorn. It's so good. I just use the macaroni for something else like macaroni salad.
Does anyone know the best way to store unpopped popcorn kernels? We never seem to be able to get more than halfway through a bag without them going "flat" and not popping as well.
Thanks for any suggestions :)
I only pop popcorn on the stove. I use no name popcorn. I use a dutch oven pot (one of the big ones with a lid), pour enough oil onto the bottom of the pot to evenly coat it, pour in kernels to coat the bottom, then slide them around to coat in oil. Cover, turn onto high, and rest the covered pot on the element until it starts rapidly popping. Then I turn it down between med-high, hold it over the element (about 3 inches) and shake every ten seconds or so. A giant pot of movie popcorn in about 3 minutes and no annoying shaking sound on the element. Toss with salt. No need to add butter since the kernels are already coated in savory oil. MMMMMMMMMMM.
What's the best way to flavor popcorn?
Is there a way to refresh stale popcorn?
By Ray from Chicago, IL
I would put it in the micro at a low power setting for about 2 min. Worth a try.
I was also going to say placing in the microwave but I would experiment with the amount of time so you don't burn the popcorn. In my microwave it would definitely be burned if I did it for two minutes. I refresh crackers and chips this way so it might work for popcorn too. :-)
Don't throw away your stale popcorn....save it using your oven!
1.Preheat the oven at 200 degrees F.
2.Spread the popcorn evenly on a baking sheet.
3.Put the baking sheet in the oven.
4.Set the timer for 5 minutes.
Check the popcorn to see if it is crisper and more palatable.
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until the popcorn is to your liking.
I hope that someone can help me. I was given some Microwave popcorn. The only problem is I don't have a microwave to pop it in. Can I pop it on an electric stove and how do I go about doing this? Thank you for any help.
I have never tried to do it but according to this post it can be done. I suppose it would depend on what type of micro corn you have.
answers.yahoo.com/
I probably wouldn't try it ...but I am a wimp. I would take it to a friend or family's house and nuke it there. You could even do a bunch at a time and put it in a large tupperware container (let it cool a bit first or the "old maid" kernels will melt the plastic). If it gets stale it can be crisped up in the oven or toaster oven.
You could always email or call the companies toll free number and ask their opinion.
Sure you can, scrape the popcorn "stuff" out of the bag into a good sized pan with a lid. Heat it up on the stove top gently shaking it back and forth every once in a while. Once it starts popping continue to shake it back and forth over the heat while it pops so it does not burn. Remember "Jiffy Pop" stove top popcorn with the handle? Like that basically. Just takes a little more work than pushing a button :)
I would sure give it a try. It was free, so its no loss to you. It's probably better for you done on the stove, anyway. Good luck!
I've done it when I was camping and had only a stove in the trailer, no microwave. It turned out fine. I did it just like minnabird suggested.
I do it all the time. Sometimes microwave popcorn is so cheap I can't resist it, or it gets me a nice rebate. It's already seasoned, which is something I don't do myself, but it's nice for something different. Just pop it like regular popcorn, but don't add any oil. Makes your taste buds happy!
What kind of oil is 'healthy" for popping popcorn on the stove top?
By Mary Boerger
I pop my popcorn in the extra virgin olive oil that I use for all other cooking. I can't tell the difference!
I have been using Canola oil to pop popcorn for years. Olive oil tastes good, but tends to burn faster.
My personal taste says ditto to 'extra virgin' olive oil. Also it's 'burn' temp is 406° as opposed to canola oil which is 400°. Extra light olive oil burn temperature is even higher, 468°. It's regular unrefined olive oil that burns at only 320°.
As for which oil is healthiest, all vegetable oils we cook with contain a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats in varying degrees so there really is no such thing as a saturated-fat-free oil or one containing only polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat.
The healthiest oil you can use is olive oil. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat and, unlike butter, lard, and other fats, contains a large proportion of easily digested fats and no cholesterol. Olive oil is also a good source of vitamin E, which is thought to help protect humans against cancer and heart disease. It is now the third best selling oil in the US and getting more and more use because of its properties.
How do you make popcorn in a halogen oven? I have a halogen oven (like the Nu Wave ovens) and want to try to make popcorn in it. The instructions in the book I have said to preheat the oven. How do you preheat one of these ovens? Then it said to put on high rack for 6 minutes and let it rest for 5 minutes after the timer went off. I did everything the book said and I still had lots of kernels that didn't pop even after letting it rest. Does anyone have one of these ovens and can tell me how to make popcorn in it? Any information would be helpful. Thank you.
By Linda Delcamp from Brighton, MI
Skip the microwave and hot air poppers, cook delicious popcorn right on your stove. This is a page about making the best stovetop popcorn.
This is a page about making colored popcorn. Making popcorn in an array of fun colors can be done at home.
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I just received two large tins of loose popcorn. How do you cook popcorn in the microwave oven?
