From Scratch to Scrumptious

Summer is the perfect time for popcorn! It’s the ideal treat for late-night movies! It’s a quick grab-and-go snack between fun activities! We even bring it to the pool!

At some point, I switched from microwave popcorn to making popcorn on the stove. Maybe it was because it’s cheaper to make popcorn from kernels, or maybe it was sheer curiosity. Either way, this is my new favorite!

Now I’m finding that microwave popcorn isn’t great for your health. (Are you surprised?) Ignoring the fat and salt, there are chemicals in the bag that keep the butter from seeping out of it. Seriously, why have I never wondered why the paper bag is still dry on the outside?

I won’t go into the gory details. If you want to learn more, you can search it out yourself.

If you want to be healthier, you don’t have to give up popcorn, just the microwaved convenience. Popcorn is a great snack, and when you make it yourself, you can decide how much butter and salt get added.

You may be surprised at how simple making stovetop popcorn is.

Popcorn kernels: There are 2 types of popcorn kernels: white and yellow. Does it matter which you use? Not really, but you may have a preference, so let’s learn a bit about both.

• White popcorn kernels: These kernels tend to be smaller and softer when you pop them. If you have a young kiddo who’s new to popcorn, you may opt for white kernels since the hull is easier to eat.
• Yellow popcorn kernels: These kernels are larger and firmer. This is probably the popcorn you’re used to. Because they create stronger pieces of popcorn, movie theaters use this kind.

Both kernel types are equally tasty and easy to pop. My favorite is yellow kernels because they produce bigger pieces.

Oil: The popcorn needs something to cook in as it sits in the pot. Oil is your best bet because it has a high smoking point, meaning it can be heated fairly high before burning.

I do not recommend substituting butter for oil at the popping stage. The butter will burn before the popcorn has a chance to pop.

My favorite oil to use is vegetable oil. It has a neutral flavor, so your toppings can really shine! (Taste the buttery goodness.)

You can experiment with different oils, but be aware that oils like olive oil will change the flavor of the popcorn. Canola oil or corn oil are other neutral oils that can be substituted easily.

My other favorite oil to use is “popcorn oil”, sometimes called “Popping and Topping Oil”. It’s flavored like movie-theater-butter topping, so it’s delicious, but it’s definitely a less healthy choice. (I’m sure you could guess that one!)

Butter: After the popcorn is popped, drizzle on a bit of melted butter for that classic flavor. I like to use salted butter because I’m going to drown this popcorn in salt anyway.

Salt: In my opinion, salt is the best part of popcorn. I use table salt, and I use it liberally. Salt to taste.

Alternative Flavors: The classic flavor is butter and salt, but there are a whole host of popcorn toppings that you can buy. White cheddar, nacho cheddar, ranch, garlic parmesan. It only gets weirder from there. Stick with the classic or go wild and try something new and bizarre!

The secret to making great popcorn at home without burning it is the “Rule of Three”. 3 kernels, 3 seconds on, 3 seconds off, 3 seconds between pops.

Pour your oil of choice into a large pot. Place it on the stove over medium heat. Here’s the trick to popping popcorn without burning the batch: Add 3 kernels to the pot. After all 3 kernels have popped, your oil is hot enough to pop popcorn.

Safety Tip: Watch out when the first 3 kernels pop in the uncovered pot! A flying popcorn is surprising and fun as long as no one gets hit in the face.

After your oil is heated, pour in the rest of the popcorn and cover. Shake the pot to distribute the oil over the popcorn. Here’s tip #2 for not burning your popcorn: cook for 3 seconds over medium heat, then pick up the pot and swirl the popcorn for 3 seconds off the heat. If you keep up this pattern of 3 seconds on, 3 seconds off and shaking, you’ll constantly stir up the popcorn so no single kernel sits on the bottom burning!

All at once, your popcorn will go crazy popping up. This is the reason we keep that lid on! Protect your beautiful face!

When the popcorn slows to 3 seconds between pops, it’s done! Take the pot off the heat and remove the cover immediately to avoid steaming the popcorn. No one wants soggy popcorn.

Pour into a large bowl and top with melted butter and salt to taste. Stir as you top with butter and salt to distribute the flavor evenly.

After cooling completely, store tightly covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. Because this popcorn is topped with butter, you won’t want to keep it past a day or two.

Unbuttered popcorn, or popcorn topped with shelf-stable popcorn topping oil will be fine for longer, but will be freshest in the first couple of days.

Popcorn is considered a choking hazard and should not be fed to children younger than 4.