How do I make true movie theater tasting popcorn?

SaltyNuts

Platinum Member
May 1, 2001
2,398
277
126
I've bought the microwave packets that are supposed to be "movie theater style". Horseshiat. They never taste the same. How do I make true movie theater tasting popcorn at home? Complete with those delicious yellow pieces of popcorn that are so perfect?

Thanks.
 

Dirigible

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2006
5,961
32
91
1) Pop with coconut oil. In a pan. On your stove.
2) Flavacol.
3) If you use real butter, only use the clarified part of it. Adding some fake butter stuff can make it taste a little more movie-theater-ey, but that's a downgrade from real butter.
 
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BxgJ

Golden Member
Jul 27, 2015
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Have you thought of asking the theater, or someone who works there, how they make it?
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
51,140
43,228
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1) Pop with coconut oil. In a pan. On your stove.
2) Flavacol.
3) If you use real butter, only use the clarified part of it. Adding some fake butter stuff can make it taste a little more movie-theater-ey, but that's a downgrade from real butter.

This is good advice. Theaters usually use a flavored/colored bag in box supplied oil like Pop-N-Lite but I prefer to skip that at home.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
49,985
6,298
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1) Pop with coconut oil. In a pan. On your stove.
2) Flavacol.
3) If you use real butter, only use the clarified part of it. Adding some fake butter stuff can make it taste a little more movie-theater-ey, but that's a downgrade from real butter.

Yup. Although now I use this awesome microwave popcorn bowl for eight bucks:

https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Popcorn-Popper/dp/B0089XJDIK

It's the only popcorn gadget I've kept over the years because it works perfectly every time. More discussion here:

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/floyd-mayweathers-home-theater.2521009/

Anyway:

1. Coconut oil = add before popping
2. Flavacol = add after popping

The yellow theater-style coconut oil prevents the kernels from drying out (if you pop without oil, you'll end up with dry popcorn) & adds the yellow color (if you just get white coconut oil from the grocery store, you won't get the yellow color). Flavacol adds the bulk of the flavoring. It's basically just colored, flavored salt:

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-Prod-Flavacol-Seasoning/dp/B004W8LT10/

You can also buy super-fine popcorn salt & then add your own flavoring. You can usually find it at the grocery store, it's in a dark blue tube from Morton's:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...theater-style-buttered-popcorn-recipe-2103372

Like Dirigible said, use clarified butter. It's not hard...all you have to do is microwave a couple sticks of butter:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...theater-style-buttered-popcorn-recipe-2103372

If you want to get really fancy, powdered Cabot Cheddar shake is amazing:

https://www.amazon.com/Cabot-Cheddar-Powdered-Popcorn-Premium/dp/B007CLY0F6

Corn oil + popcorn kernels = popcorn. Topping = popcorn salt + Cabot shake + a pinch of sugar (basically making it like a slightly cheesy kettle corn). A+++++
 
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cbrunny

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2007
6,791
406
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I once worked at a movie theatre in high school. Short of buying a proper popcorn maker, its really just the oil that makes it special. oil in a pan, someone up there said it. do that.

and if you end up burning your house down, you can relax because that house doesn't really exist in the first place. It's just a simulated house.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,555
30,775
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1) Pop with coconut oil. In a pan. On your stove.
2) Flavacol.
3) If you use real butter, only use the clarified part of it. Adding some fake butter stuff can make it taste a little more movie-theater-ey, but that's a downgrade from real butter.

oh my! a long missing ketchup-eater has returned! :D
 

SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
18,468
2,406
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81OxvJpdV%2BL._SY355_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Northern-Popcorn-Paducah-Antique/dp/B001N7A7SO
 
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John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
617
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I'm sure Amazon sells the real corn poppers and the authentic butter. Might cost you though.

I just want to go on record and state I don't care for pop corn. I did when I was young, but not so anymore. For one your fingers get all nasty and then kernels and shit stick to your teeth. And when I'm in the theater everyfreakingbody is eatting pop corn which makes the whole damn theater smell like shit. Ah, their breath! Their awful stinking breath!
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
98,723
17,213
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pop your popcorn anyway you want, then dump clarified butter on it, cover and shake.
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,873
1,082
126
If you have a Smart And Final around you, they sell the coconut oil sticks. They don't taste like Coconut at all. They're yellow and will give your popcorn that yellow color. They sell them in the popcorn section. Also as mentioned Flavacol, Smart & Final sells it. Add the Flavacol right after you add the oil and popcorn kernels.



16625600_Alt04



Pop in a Whirley Pop, they sell them at Target for $20, I've owned like a dozen different poppers and this is the best imho. After popping I add a little melted butter to give it some extra flavor and a little of that oily feel. For me Flavacol's already plenty salty so I use unsalted butter. The secret is to add the Flavacol before you pop not after. Smart & Final also sell the sweet version of Flavacol which makes some pretty good carmel'ish corn.
 
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Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
I once worked at a movie theatre in high school. Short of buying a proper popcorn maker, its really just the oil that makes it special. oil in a pan, someone up there said it. do that.

and if you end up burning your house down, you can relax because that house doesn't really exist in the first place. It's just a simulated house.

What?