How to make popcorn in a pot?

Oct 21, 2022 Michał Pelc

Popcorn is one of my favorite movie or TV show snacks . I used to choose microwave popcorn because its preparation seemed to me much simpler and more convenient than roasting dry corn kernels in a pot or pan. Back then, I didn't pay too much attention to the ingredients in the snacks I buy. A lot has changed since then and today I choose my food more carefully. Now I know that microwave popcorn can contain up to 15% palm oil , which I currently avoid in my diet. I also learned how to make popcorn in a pot. It turned out to be much easier than I thought. And most importantly, it is made just as quickly, and maybe even faster than in the microwave.

Popcorn is a healthy snack . However, keep in mind that corn and soy are the two most commonly genetically modified grains in the world . For popcorn to be a healthy and safe snack, reach for BIO Popcorn with an ecological certificate . Such a certificate guarantees that the corn is GMO-free.

Watch the video and see how easy it is to make popcorn in a pot

Ingredients for homemade popcorn

BIO Popcorn grain
Fat for roasting: ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil or olive oil
Himalayan salt

How to make popcorn like in the cinema?

To make movie theater popcorn , prepare a large pot with a thick bottom and lid, some fat and, of course, corn kernels . Pour fat into the bottom of the pot so that the entire bottom is covered . Turn on the burner and wait until the fat is hot. It's best if it heats up to about 160 degrees C. You can check it by throwing a few corn kernels into the pot. If they shoot, it means you can start roasting . Pour the rest of the beans so that they cover the entire bottom of the dish and cover the pot with a lid. The corn should start to pop vigorously . Then reduce the fire to 3/4 burner power. This will keep your popcorn from burning. The whole process usually takes about 2 minutes. When the popcorn is no longer so crazy in the pot, turn off the burner, remove the lid and add a little salt. Then cover it again and shake the pot a few times to mix the popcorn with the salt. And here's a little suggestion that you don't overdo it with the addition of salt. In my opinion, popcorn in cinemas is heavily salted.

Which oil to choose for popcorn?

Three fats are best for popping popcorn: clarified butter - ghee , coconut oil andolive oil . I use them interchangeably, depending on what kind of popcorn I'm craving. Once I also tried to make popcorn with rapeseed oil, but its taste was not satisfactory for me.

If you use unrefined coconut oil , you will get popcorn with a slightly coconut flavor . This can be a nice idea if you like everything coconut 🙂

Clarified butter popcorn is the best way to get real butter popcorn without the artificial butter flavor. However, do not use regular 82% fat cube butter, as it burns very easily. Only clarified butter (ghee) is suitable for popcorn

Popcorn in olive oil used to seem like a strange combination to me. Now, however, it is my favorite version of corn snack. I recommend you try it!

How do you make popcorn so it doesn't burn?

To prevent the popcorn from burning, choose the right fat , i.e. clarified butter, ghee, coconut oil or olive oil . Classic butter made from cream may not pass the exam. During roasting, under the influence of high heat, the sugars and amino acids in the butter sink to the bottom of the pan and begin to caramelize, burning your popcorn. So it is better to choose other types of fat, which we wrote about above. They are more resistant to high temperatures and are more difficult to burn. Equally important when popping popcorn is constant temperature control . Making popcorn takes no more than 5 minutes, so it's worth keeping an eye on your snack throughout the preparation process.

How much popcorn oil?

Pour in enough oil to cover the entire bottom of the pot by 1-2 mm . If you are making popcorn for the first time, you can pour a little more oil. The popcorn will be fatter, but it won't burn.

Vegan cheese popcorn

If you like cheese popcorn, be sure to try the vegan version with yeast flakes . For its preparation, choose the largest pot possible. Then you will not need an additional container to mix popcorn with yeast flakes.

Prepare the snack exactly the same way that we show in the attached video or describe in the popcorn recipe as in the cinema. Use olive or coconut oil as fat. When the popcorn is ready, add the yeast flakes to the pot , put the lid on, grab the pot and lid together with a kitchen towel and shake vigorously to mix the yeast flakes with the popcorn.

Ingredients:

½ cup of organic popcorn
2 tbspolive oil , coconut oil or other vegetable fat
⅓ cup yeast flakes
1 teaspoon of salt to taste

How many calories does popcorn have?

By adding an average of 2 tablespoons of olive oil to ½ cup of popcorn, you can assume that popcorn prepared in a pot has the following nutritional values:

Now you know everything about popcorn. Remember that popcorn tastes best right after it's made. It's not as tasty the next day. So there is no point in making larger quantities in advance, especially since it only takes a few minutes to prepare.