Best way to pop popcorn???

So after 20 or so years, my loved hot air popper stopped working. so it is time to get a new one. SO what do I go with? stir popper, hot air? something else?

 

Microwave

 

A pot on a stove top.

 

Microwave popcorn sucks. I think the classic movie theater style pot w a stir bar is the best.

 

Brown paper bag, 1/4 cup of popcorn, some butter, oil and sea salt. Mix all in bag, shake well and place in microwave. You'll have a greasy, hot brown paper bag when it's all done, but it'll contain some delicious popcorn.

 

Silly person. Don't you know microwave popcorn sucks. I read it on the beeb.

 

Hot air poppers. Great if you like popcorn that tastes stale.

 

no butter, little bit of salt . FTW

 

In a Kettle with a little veggie oil over the fire....

 

paper bag , handful of popcorn , little bit of salt , maybe some pepper or chili or garlic powder , no oil or butter

nuke it

 

Either use a stove top kettle ala a Whirlypop, or a proper dedicated kettle popper like you see in a movie theater.

For oil, my go to is coconut oil, aka what the theaters used to use before the went 'healthy'. Pop Secret yellow corn has given me the best flavor and results so far.

If using a Whirlypop, don't preheat, just put the oil in along with Pop Secret yellow corn and some salt to taste. Aim for med-hi to hi heat and work that handle.

If using a proper kettle setup preheat, add oil, allow to heat for a moment again, then add the salt, then kernels and let it do it's thing.

For 'theater style' popcorn you can add butter salt to the oil. Do NOT use non salt based butter flavoring as it'll just scortch and muck up your kettle. Orvil Redinbocker makes a butter flavored oil to use as a topping or cooking oil that gives decent results, but it also gums up the kettle over time.

Edit: Can't argue with Mongo, Jiffy Pop is pretty damn good too.

For those that like the taste of Microwave butter popcorn, cook it in a kettle you don't care about. Start with 2x the regular amount of oil (vegetable or corn oil), then drop in a good portion of a stick of butter, preheat a little, then add the kernels. The idea is to coat the popped corn with the excess oil/butter mix as it pops. This makes a hell of a mess of the pot, FYI.

 

Bacon Grease and a little salt and black pepper.

You're welcome.

 

The newer Redenbacher microwave stuff is actually pretty tasty

 

that and the damn smell takes a day to get rid of....add another couple if it's in my damned office.

 

Quick and easy with no mess!

 

I kept an old microwave in the garage dedicated to popcorn. It made the usual shop smells go away..

-jim

 

Microwave popcorn is for filthy savages.

 

I just want movie popcorn. That is the best popcorn period.