How to Make Stove Top Popcorn
Before microwaves were invented, the best way to cook popcorn was to put them over a stove, and according to many people, it results in fluffy and full popped kernels that don’t leave any fake butter taste. If you want to have this snack during your next movie night, here’s how to make stove top popcorn.
What You’ll Need:
A bag of popcorn kernels
Light vegetable oil
Salt
Butter or grated cheese for flavor
Measuring cup
Thick-bottomed pot with cover
Oven mitt
Stove
Bowl
Procedure:
Before you begin cooking, make sure you’ve taken out all the ingredients and materials you need. Put them beside the stove, or anywhere near enough you can reach them. If you’re using butter for flavoring, take it out of the refrigerator, so it’ll melt a bit.
stovetop popcorn
Put the pot over the stove. Don’t turn the burner on yet.
Pour at least 1/4 to 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in the pan, coating the bottom completely and evenly. You can use the pot’s handle to swirl and spread the oil.
Put in unpopped popcorn kernels, five to ten at first. These will test if the oil is hot enough to pop the kernels. Cover the pan.
Put the heat on high, and cover the pot again. Make sure the cover is securely placed. Making sure the oil is hot enough before putting in the popcorn kernels, is important, otherwise the kernels will sit in the oil too long, and will come out hard and small.
Wait for a few minutes. While waiting, measure half a cup of unpopped kernels. You can also measure out the butter you’re planning to use for the popcorn.
When you hear several pops from the pot, lift the lid, placing it carefully between you and the pot, so you won’t be hit with any spitting oil.
Using your other hand, put the kernels you measured out into the pan, spreading them on the bottom evenly. Cover the pot again.
You’ll hear the pan sizzling for a few moments, then the popcorn starts popping. Hold it with your one hand on the handle, while keeping the other secure over the cover. Shake the pan in a back and forth motion, keeping it over the burner. Let the popping continue, and when it slows down, lift it about 1/2 inch high. Wait for the last kernels to pop, then turn off the burner.
Remove the lid. A few more kernels might still pop. Pour the hot popcorn over a large bowl.
Scoop the butter into the still-hot pot, to melt it. Pour half of the melted butter over the popcorn, and add some salt. Some people also opt for grated cheese instead of butter.
Toss the popcorn around in the bowl, to cover the kernels with butter or cheese. Pour the other half of your melted butter.
Forget about microwave popcorn, and cook a fresh batch using your stove. Munching through these fresh and fluffy kernels will be a real treat.