Popcorn Question

[Catseye]

Can you help? I like to pop corn, but I'm not happy with the result. It just tastes not-great. I use general-purpose vegetable oil; I'm thinking that could be the problem.

What sort of oil do you use to pop your corn? And do you have any tips for making tasty popcorn? Do you use any special movie-popcorn products?

Many thanks.


Cats

 

[Haggis]

I don't make my own, generally being content with just buying the packaged microwaveable type but I would have thought that you cook (pop) the corn in butter perhaps with some salt, or seasoned salt, if that is your preference.

I'm just guessing here, never done it before.

 

[Russell]

I use olive oil

 

[Otter]

I know this isn't what you are asking, but far and away the best popcorn I've ever had at home is Pop Weaver. It is a pouch popcorn available at WalMart at a moderate price and is much better than any of the other more expensive microwaveable pouch popcorns, or any other popcorn I've had, for that matter. I gave my parents a box for Christmas and they rave about it every day.

 

[Claire]

Butter generally burns at too low a temp to use for popping. I'm not much help otherwise, though. Lately I've found no matter what oil I use, my kitchen smells kind of 'off' when I've popped mine. I've never had a huge attachment to microwave popcorn for the same reason. I love popcorn generally, though, so keep trying to find the ideal. I'll let you know when I do.

Except for one of those odd childhood loves. When I was a kid, we didn't have a lot of money to toss around. Cooking oil was relatively expensive, and Mom always saved the bacon fat for various uses. To this day I LOVE, just LOVE popcorn popped in bacon fat. And when I'm through making popcorn, the kitchen smells like bacon. YUMM.

 

[auntdot]

Wow, thanks Claire. Am not a big popcorn fan at all, and I am not in love with the smell of the stuff. In fact, where I work they banned people from popping corn in the microwave. (I had nothing to do with it; I guess there were a lot of people objecting to the smell.)

But the idea of popping the stuff in bacon fat sounds great.

Thanks for the idea.


(Edited for grammar, I hate when I have to do that.)

 

[Alix]

Have you considered buying a hot air popper? They work really well and then you can just flavour with butter and salt and YUM.

 

[Barbara L]

I always used regular oil too, and I got great tasting popcorn (of course I always added a ton of melted butter as soon as it was done cooking!). Just make sure the oil is nice and hot before adding your popcorn. After the oil has heated awhile, throw one kernel in. When it pops, go ahead and add the rest.

Barbara

 

[kyles]

My mum never let us buy popcorn at the movies, and we made our own in the microwave in an oven bag with two tablespoons of corn and one teaspoon of butter. It always worked really well, and now it's the only way I like popcorn!

 

[thumpershere2]

I never made good popcorn on the stove. Now I use extra butter Jolly time microwave brand. YUM!!!

 

[Psiguyy]

The best popcorn is still made with coconut oil. Nothing tastes better when it comes to popping corn.

 

[Erik]

"Flavacol" is the brand of oil that is used in most bars for their popcorn poppers. Usually is the best tasting popcorn.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Psiguyy is right - the best tasting popcorn is cooked in coconut oil. And, that luscious butter they pump on it at the theater, that taste more buttery than the butter you use at home ... well, it not butter - it'a a butter flavored oil that is probably either soybean oil, cottonseed oil, or a blend.

 

[leigh]

All this talk about popcorn, and nowhere do I see any mention of the CORN! Popcorns come in as many flavors as apples. Why not
air-pop as many different brands and varieties of popcorn as you can get your hands on, until you find one that tastes good--or at least decent--all by itself, no butter, no salt, no nothing? Then add your butter, oil, whatever.

 

[Catseye]

All this talk about popcorn, and nowhere do I see any mention of the CORN! Popcorns come in as many flavors as apples. Why not
air-pop as many different brands and varieties of popcorn as you can get your hands on, until you find one that tastes good--or at least decent--all by itself, no butter, no salt, no nothing? Then add your butter, oil, whatever.

Really excellent suggestion. I've always bought the store brand, on the theory that popcorn is popcorn. I'll do that, leigh!

Thanks to all who offered their help and advice. I've never seen coconut oil for sale in my town ... I like the idea of combining olive oil and butter, though.


Cats

 

[momcooks]

I like white popcorn, use a back to basics stove top popper, and clarified butter. Then all we add is salt.

 

[southerncook]

My mum never let us buy popcorn at the movies, and we made our own in the microwave in an oven bag with two tablespoons of corn and one teaspoon of butter. It always worked really well, and now it's the only way I like popcorn!

so I guess if you nuke the corn, you CAN use butter? Kyles, darlin', I'm gonna have to try that!

 

[fried fish]

I like to pop my corn in the microwave using a brown paper lunch bag. I don't add any butter/salt til it's done popping. Then I shake the bag vigorously, and it's great!

 

[leigh]

Great idea, fried fish! My granddaughter has begged the loan of my air popper, so you've just brought popcorn back into this house. Thanks!

 

[Qwerty]

I use an air popper for convenience, but I used to regularly use butter. The heat should not be so high as to burn the butter OR the popcorn. Olive oil is also my other favourite, but of any of those you would only use about a tablespoonful.