How to Make Popcorn on the Stove - Love to be in the Kitchen

I like popcorn every now and then and my husband hates popcorn. He won’t ever eat it. So when it comes to popping a bag of popcorn I’ll eat however much I want then never end up eating the rest so it’s a waste. Plus microwave popcorn is not always the best tasting or the best for you. Last year our good friends and neighbors at the time invited us over to watch a movie. They asked if we wanted popcorn and of course Derek said no and I said yes. Then they made popcorn on the stove! I never realized you could do that. It was so simple and so quick.

All they did was add a little canola oil, pop the kernels and added a little salt and it tasted fantastic! Ever since that day when I want popcorn I can just make a small amount for me. It’s changed my life! Ok, not that dramatic but it’s so great!

Below I have a recipe for making popcorn with measurements but please know that you do not have to be exact. I don’t measure when I make it. I just add a little canola oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan and however many kernels I want. And know that a small amount of kernels makes a lot more popcorn then you would think. It’s lots of fun and so easy, I hope you enjoy it!

Perfect Popcorn
Slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Canola, peanut or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil)

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

1 3 quart covered saucepan

2 tablespoons of butter (this is optional and the amount is up to you)

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

2. Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

3. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup popcorn in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (Count out loud; it’s fun to do with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4. Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop, and nothing burns.

5. If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan.

6. Salt to taste.

Additional tips

-If you add salt to the oil in the pan before popping, when the popcorn pops, the salt will be well distributed throughout the popcorn.

-Fun toppings for the popcorn- Spanish smoke paprika, cayenne powder, chili pepper, curry powder, cumin, grated Parmesan cheese.

Yield: Makes 2 quarts, a nice amount for two to three people.A few more fun popcorn topping ideas:
Ideas from ehow
Apple Pie Spice- Capture the essence of apple pie without all the work by flavoring your popcorn with the same spices. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of ground nutmeg, one-quarter teaspoon of allspice and one-quarter teaspoon of ground ginger onto hot popcorn and toss to combine.

Chocolate- Add 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to a small bowl and stir to combine. Toss the mixture with hot popcorn for a sweet treat. You can also add a drizzle of chocolate syrup for an even stronger chocolate taste

Sweet & Spicy Asian- Mix one-quarter teaspoon ground ginger, one-eighth teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, one-quarter teaspoon of sugar and one-half teaspoon salt in a bowl. Pour spice mixture onto popcorn and combine thoroughly. For an even more intense Asian flavor, add one-half teaspoon of soy sauce in place of the salt.

Pizza Style- Turn a standard bowl of popcorn into a cheesy treat by taking inspiration from pizza. In a small bowl, combine one-half teaspoon dried oregano, one-half teaspoon dried basil, one-half teaspoon garlic powder, one-eighth teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. Add the seasoning mixture to fresh popcorn and top with even more parmesan cheese if desired.

Tex-Mex- For a popcorn with a south of the border flavor, mix into a bowl 1 teaspoon of chili powder, one-half teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of paprika. Dust onto prepared popcorn and toss to combine. You can also substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons of store-bought taco seasoning instead of mixing your own blend. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of Mexican-style cheese onto popcorn and stir until the cheese slightly melts. If you want to spice up the flavor, add 2 to 3 dashes of hot sauce.