Anyone Still Make Popcorn The Old School Way?

[sdifox]

Why does popcorn not pop when heated in oil while the same popcorn pops just fine when heated by hot air?

If it takes you 45 min to do popcorn, you are doing it wrong.

Hot air one can heat all the kernels. With pot you have to move the kernels manually through the whole process, that is the key.

That is why I use a whirly pop.

 

[lxskllr]

If it takes you 45 min to do popcorn, you are doing it wrong.

Hot air one can heat all the kernels. With pot you have to move the kernels manually through the whole process, that is the key.

That is why I use a whirly pop.

With a wok, they move themselves. The steep sides and popping action keep everything mixed. Literally the only difference between using a wok and a microwave bag, is you have something to clean afterward with a wok, and with that, I only clean the lid. Put it on the stove, and listen. When the popping slows, turn off the flame. Wait a minute, open and enjoy. I also use olive oil to pop.

 

[Iron Woode]

I've tried doing the stove top method, with a large lidded pot, coconut oil and Flavacol. The first several times while cooking over a medium flame the popcorn burned before it popped. I tried turning the flame down on later batches and got a better pop yield but still had 50%+ unpopped before it started to scorch. AND it took like 45 minutes to get that piddly yield.

I've gone back to my air popper that only takes a couple of minutes, has about 99.5% yield, and pops the kernels fluffier. I mix a bit of the Flavacol into the butter before I melt it and that seems to work fine.

I've been using the Costco Orville Redenbachers for a few years now. Very few old maids, nice size and fluffiness, and keeps for a long time in the container. Neither cheap nor gourmet kernels have popped better for me.

WTF

I use a stainless steel pot and lid (holds a quart or so) and add the kernels, some canola oil, salt and some margarine (I can't eat butter). I have the burner on 6 or 7 (electric) and wait until the oil starts to bubble good. Then I shake the kernels up while holding the lid on tight. The whole procedure takes about 5 - 8 minutes for delicious popcorn.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I use a stainless steel pot and lid (holds a quart or so) and add the kernels, some canola oil, salt and some margarine (I can't eat butter). I have the burner on 6 or 7 (electric) and wait until the oil starts to bubble good. Then I shake the kernels up while holding the lid on tight. The whole procedure takes about 5 - 8 minutes for delicious popcorn.

A one quart pot? That can't be right. The pot I pictured above holds 6+ quarts with the tall lid. I have to be careful not to add too many kernels or it complete fills and then chances scorching. A small saucepan that you'd use to heat up a can of soup is usually 1 1/2 qts, a medium sized pan is 2 1/2 to 3 qts. I couldn't imagine using anything smaller.

The nice thing about popcorn is that it's its own temperature gauge. Throw a kernel into your (covered) pot as you're heating the oil. When it pops, add the rest of your corn.

 

[Iron Woode]

A one quart pot? That can't be right. The pot I pictured above holds 6+ quarts with the tall lid. I have to be careful not to add too many kernels or it complete fills and then chances scorching. A small saucepan that you'd use to heat up a can of soup is usually 1 1/2 qts, a medium sized pan is 2 1/2 to 3 qts. I couldn't imagine using anything smaller.

The nice thing about popcorn is that it's its own temperature gauge. Throw a kernel into your (covered) pot as you're heating the oil. When it pops, add the rest of your corn.

it gives me about 2 - 3 cups of popped kernels. That is more than enough for me.

The pot is 7 inches across (ID) and about 6 inches tall. Made of 18-8 3 ply stainless steel.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't even preheat the oil. Add oil, add corn, add heat; wait...

 

[Carson Dyle]

That approach doesn't work well for me at all. You want to get in and get out as fast as you can. I pop that 6 qt pot in probably 60 seconds or less and get very few old maids and no scorching. You can only do that if your oil is hot.

 

[RLGL]

I don't even preheat the oil. Add oil, add corn, add heat; wait..

+1

 

[monkeydelmagico]

another vote for old school pot and coconut oil. For some inexplicable reason popcorn done this way doesn't taste like coconut nor require any butter. Mysterious but I eat it anyways.

 

[lxskllr]

Just made popcorn for the first time in months. Used some heirloom red kernels I got last year some time. Small kernels, and they make smaller pops. Read the directions cause I couldn't remember. 2tbps oil and 1/3 cup kernels. I poured extra virgin olive oil in the wok til it looked about right, added the corn, added heat, and covered it. Went to take a leak. It was popping by the time I got back, and finished about a minute later. Virtually no unpopped kernels. Added salt, and done. As easy as microwave.

 

[Iron Woode]

Made some last night and added some Old Bay seasoning. That was really good popcorn.