How to Make Perfect Stovetop Popcorn
Don't skimp on the oil. There needs to be enough oil at the bottom of the pan to halfway submerge the kernels, otherwise the popcorn will be hard. Hard popcorn is the reason I've never really liked air-popped corn, and the reason I've been experimenting with stovetop popcorn.
A 4-quart pot is just the right size for a half cup of unpopped kernels. I prefer a taller pot to a wider one, but I don't have any rational reason to back that up. A gas stove is also incredibly helpful, but that's true of cooking in general. I don't know if I would attempt stove-top popcorn on an electric stove.
Pour enough oil into the bottom of the pot so that the kernels will be about halfway submerged when they are added. I've found that peanut oil is the tastiest of the oils we have on hand, but I want to order some cocanut oil. That's what they use at the movie theatres.
Toss three kernels into the pot, put the lid on, and turn the gas up to just past medium. Have the rest of your popcorn premeasured, because things will move fast once you get started. Likewise, have a bowl ready to put the finished popcorn into.
Once the three kernels have popped, add the rest of the kernels all at once. Put the lid back on and shake the pot to coat all of the kernels with oil. Turn the gas down lower--it's between 1 and 2 on my stove.
Once the corn starts popping, lift the lid up slightly (pointing away from you) to vent the steam. Trapped moisture will make the popcorn hard. Occasionally shake the pot so that the unpopped kernels will work their way to the bottom. When the popping slows to a second or two between pops, turn the gas off. The last few kernels will probably pop from the ambient heat. Carefully pour the popcorn into the bowl. With any luck, it won't be burned and there won't be too many unpopped kernels.
At this point, Corvus and I have become so good at popping corn on the stove that it's just as easy as using the air popper. And it tastes so much better.
A 4-quart pot is just the right size for a half cup of unpopped kernels. I prefer a taller pot to a wider one, but I don't have any rational reason to back that up. A gas stove is also incredibly helpful, but that's true of cooking in general. I don't know if I would attempt stove-top popcorn on an electric stove.
Pour enough oil into the bottom of the pot so that the kernels will be about halfway submerged when they are added. I've found that peanut oil is the tastiest of the oils we have on hand, but I want to order some cocanut oil. That's what they use at the movie theatres.
Toss three kernels into the pot, put the lid on, and turn the gas up to just past medium. Have the rest of your popcorn premeasured, because things will move fast once you get started. Likewise, have a bowl ready to put the finished popcorn into.
Once the three kernels have popped, add the rest of the kernels all at once. Put the lid back on and shake the pot to coat all of the kernels with oil. Turn the gas down lower--it's between 1 and 2 on my stove.
Once the corn starts popping, lift the lid up slightly (pointing away from you) to vent the steam. Trapped moisture will make the popcorn hard. Occasionally shake the pot so that the unpopped kernels will work their way to the bottom. When the popping slows to a second or two between pops, turn the gas off. The last few kernels will probably pop from the ambient heat. Carefully pour the popcorn into the bowl. With any luck, it won't be burned and there won't be too many unpopped kernels.
At this point, Corvus and I have become so good at popping corn on the stove that it's just as easy as using the air popper. And it tastes so much better.
posted by Mel, Foxtail Farm | 8:12 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Mistress of the Crow's Nest,
Just wanted you to know that, due to your post, I decided to try making stovetop popcorn. I followed your directions and managed to burn a few on the bottom. However, unlike burnt popcorn in a microwave, the stovetop popcorn didn't stink up the house. We just avoided those kernals and enjoyed the rest.
In fact, the only mishap occurred when I lifted the lid to add the popcorn. Steam had gathered on the underside of the lid and dripped down onto the oil making it splatter. The noise was worse than the effect (i.e. no burns and everyone's fine). :)
Now we don't have to go out and buy a popcorn popper. I'm thrilled!
So, thank you. :)
(Oh, and you're right... it tastes much, much better than air popped or microwaved popcorn.)
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