Stovetop Popcorn
Making stovetop popcorn is so easy! It takes only 2 ingredients (oil and corn kernels) plus 5 minutes to make a huge pile of hot, fluffy popcorn - perfect for movie nights at home! You can make this recipe and then add butter, caramel or seasonings to make your favourite flavour!
Who doesn’t love to grab and munch on a handful of fresh, warm popcorn?
Making homemade popcorn on the stovetop is so simple and quick. It’s a tasty snack that everyone enjoys, especially kids, but unlike most snacks it’s actually healthy….depending on what toppings you put on it! And no matter how old you are, you’ve got to admit, it’s always fun to watch the kernels suddenly start popping.
It’s certainly fantastic for when you want a quick snack. And you can pair it with this chocolate milkshake for the ultimate movie night combo :)
CONTENTS OF THIS RECIPE POST
I always recommend reading the entire post to get the best understanding of the recipe, helpful tips, information about ingredients, storage advice etc. Here’s a quick look at what topics are included in this recipe post :)
INGREDIENTS:
Corn kernels
With a loud pop these corn kernels will fluff up, hence the name pop-corn!
You may be surprised by just how much popcorn even a small amount of corn kernels produces, with a mere 1/4 cup expanding into 5 cups of popcorn!
This also makes homemade popcorn quite affordable, as one bag of corn kernels can produce dozens of servings of popcorn :)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This is placed in the pot first and heated so that it can pop all the corn kernels once they’re added.
OPTIONAL
Salt
You don’t need to, but I like to toss my popcorn in some salt before serving. This is the simplest way to enjoy popcorn, but if you want to take it up notch, check out the section “Toppings & Seasonings” for some more ideas on how you can flavour your popcorn.
WHAT KIND OF POT SHOULD I USE FOR MAKING STOVETOP POPCORN?
You should use a large, heavy-bottomed pot with lid. Heavy-bottomed pots will distribute the heat more evenly, and you need a lid to stop the popcorn from flying out all over your kitchen when it pops!
I have always used a stainless steel pot when making my stovetop popcorn and this is what I would recommend. As I mentioned earlier, even a small amount of kernels can produce large amounts of popcorn which is why I suggest a large pot.
However if you don’t have one, you can make your popcorn in 2-3 batches using a medium sized pot. If the popcorn starts to rise up and fill your pot, take the pot off the heat, spill some of the popcorn out and then return it to the heat to keep cooking and popping the rest of the kernels. :) j
5 TIPS FOR COOKING STOVETOP POPCORN PERFECTLY:
The oil must be heated before adding the corn kernels. To know when the oil is at the right temperature for adding the kernels a great tip is to place just 2 kernels in with the oil at the beginning. Once those pop, you can add the rest.
Once the 2 kernels pop, you should remove the pot from the heat to heatproof surface or pot stand; and add the rest of the corn kernels, covering with the lid and waiting 30 seconds. This 30 second wait will allow the heated oil to bring all of the kernels to a near popping temperature so that when the pot is returned to the stovetop they will pop more quickly and be less likely to burn.
Once all your kernels are in the pot and you have returned it to the heat, move the lid over slightly to provide a gap where steam can escape from. Letting the steam escape rather than trapping it in the pot will result in popcorn that is drier and crunchier, just as it should be.
As the kernels start popping, give the pot a gentle shake every now and then to prevent burning and to allow the unpopped kernels to drop down to the bottom of the saucepan.
Not every single kernel will always pop and you may be left with a few that you can just discard. You will know your popcorn is done once the popping slows down to about one pop every second. When that happens, turn off the heat and transfer the popcorn to a bowl for serving.
HEATING OIL & AVOIDING GREASE FIRES
PLEASE BE AWARE: When oil is heated beyond smoking point the temperature can become so hot that the oil will catch fire. This is known as a “grease fire”. That’s why you should never leave the kitchen when heating oil and if you see oil beginning to smoke, turn off the heat. For more information and tips on how to extinguish grease fires, I recommend you research the term "grease fire”, but one important thing to keep in mind is that you should NOT throw water on a grease fire as this can cause the fire to spread.
TOPPINGS & SEASONINGS
You can enjoy your homemade popcorn simply tossed in salt, or you can try one of the options below:
Melted butter
Caramel Sauce
Chocolate Sauce Drizzle
Tossed in smoked paprika
Tossed in cayenne pepper
If you have any other favourite toppings or seasonings you love on popcorn, you can share them in the comments below!
RECIPE
STOVETOP POPCORN
Yield: 9 - 10 cups popcorn
Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
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INGREDIENTS
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup corn kernels
OPTIONAL
1/2 tsp salt
METHOD
Place oil and 2 of the corn kernels in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat, with lid on.
Once the 2 kernels pop, remove from the heat to a heatproof surface or pot stand; and add the rest of the corn kernels, cover with lid again and wait 30 seconds. (The heated oil will bring all of the kernels to a near popping temperature so that when the pot is returned to the stovetop they will pop more quickly and be less likely to burn).
Return to heat and move the lid over slightly to provide a gap where steam can escape from. As the kernels start popping, give the pot a gentle shake every now and then to prevent burning and to allow the unpopped kernels to drop down to the bottom of the saucepan.
You will know your popcorn is done when the popping slows down to about one pop every second. When that happens, turn off the heat and transfer the popcorn to a bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels.
Toss in salt or your seasoning of choice and add any desired toppings. Then serve and enjoy!
When you try this recipe…
I’d love to know!
Leave a comment below to let me know what you thought of this stovetop popcorn recipe :)
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