I assume we all make our own popcorn. My little popcorn maker is ready for retirement.
Anyone really keen on theirs, or got a recommendation for one. I got a family of 4 so its due time replace my single guy popcorn maker, that and the plastic top is lookin narly.
Does anyone still even bother with microwaveable stuff?
Popcorn rules
I use this, might be too small for family size servings. It works great. No oil.
https://salbree.com/collections/salbree-microwave-popcorn-popper
Now here's something Chinese
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTOQWOXSUY&t=685s
I want one
shareMan, I miss infomercials.
shareI haven't made Popcorn in decades and I mean DECADES as far back to when I was a kid and Mom & Dad were still married to one another and we were a family, THAT long ago. Now, if I want Popcorn, it's generally at the movies
shareI had a hot air popper years ago. Once I put too much corn in it and it popped a garbage bag full of popcorn. I gave it to the crows and they had a feast. It was a little too dry for me.
shareMy Salbree popcorn maker uses no oil, and in the past I had an air popper that used no oil, and I tend to agree that the results are a bit dry. It's a drawback to the "healthier" no oil makers.
shareHaha , i had a much smaller but similar incident like that last night
shareAbsolutely. Highly recommend a Whirley Pop-style stovetop popcorn maker. I went with a stainless version with metal gears, similar to https://www.amazon.com/Great-Northern-Popcorn-Stainless-Stove/dp/B00608D66G and have no regrets.
Makes perfectly crunchy theater-quality popcorn as well as kettle corn. Couple tips I leaned through trial and error: use coconut oil, the cheap stuff is fine, throw a heaping tablespoon in and put it on medium heat. When that melts, throw in 1/4 tsp. of the secret ingredient: Flavacol; it's butter-flavored super fine popcorn salt. I love salt, but believe me this stuff is potent; even a slightly mounded 1/4 tsp. makes me pucker. YMMV; you can always add more to taste after popping.
After a minute or two the oil should be hot enough [likely less if you have a thin-walled aluminum pot]; now is when I throw in ~1 tbsp. of butter (optional) and/or ~1 tsp. of sugar to make kettle corn (even xylitol and/or erythritol work great), *then* finally 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and close the lid. Turn the crank a couple times to mix all ingredients then slowly crank as it pops and coats each kernel with all the goodness. Kill the heat when the pop rate slows to 1-2 seconds between pops or when the crank becomes difficult to turn. Pour in bowl(s) ASAP and enjoy!
I just wipe the popper down with a paper towel. Only washed it before initial use. More FAQs and vids at: https://www.whirleypopshop.com/frequently-asked-questions
I just order the Whirley Popcorn maker off Amazon last week! I can't wait to try it out next Friday. Yes, apparently, it is the best way to make popcorn.
I also ordered the Flavacol. Yes, that stuff is apparently very potent. I believe some comments were saying to put it in a salt shaker because you only need a very small amount.
--Michael D. Clarke
Ha! If you're a popcorn fan like me, get ready to find excuses to have popcorn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And yeah, Flavacol is basically powdered salt. I was always disappointed with how little table or sea salt would stick to homemade popcorn, which is due to how relatively "big" each crystal is. Not so with powdered popcorn salt...
However you apply it, I would do it from high enough that you get an even as possible [coating], and then shake the popcorn to even further mix it in. That's why I recommend salting the oil/butter before popping; it's the best way I've found to ensure even distribution.
Thanks. Good to know about the Flavacol. I'm so excited to try it out next Friday! That's how I know I'm getting older when I'm getting excited over a popcorn machine, lol. Also, what type of kernels do you recommend? I know there is the Orville Kernels available at grocery stores.
--Michael D. Clarke
Heh, while I certainly geek out over all kinds of things and stuff, it's a special occasion when a new toy not only lends itself to a certain amount of tinkering but also provides you with delicious popcorn for pennies in minutes. Win/win!
Funny, the one thing I don't have much to say about is the actual popcorn itself. Frankly, I've never noticed much difference between kernels, not that I've done any comparisons, like I've done with adult beverages, mustards, hot sauces, etc. While I'll be the first to admit sometimes the big name brand version of some item is really my favorite, I usually lean more towards supporting small businesses with my shopping dollars, fwiw...
Is it only the « turn the crank » part than would differentiate this from me regular pot I use?
I’m considering buying one…
While I've never done it in a regular pot, I imagine the crank/agitator poppers like the Whirley Pop are basically just a less labor intensive method that likely keeps everything moving better thus lowers the chances of burned kernels.
shareThey are pretty expensive too.
On amazon.ca the one at $40 is out of stock. Only one available available is $98.
At Walmart they are over $100.
Yikes. I paid 30 Oildollars fourteen years ago for mine, so think it's been a good investment. Comparable to hot air poppers and makes much better 'corn, imo. It's been a while, but for items hard to find in the U.S., I found amazons .ca and .co.uk were quite competitive for some things; not sure how that works in Leafland in Leafdollars, though...
shareI buy that bagged stuff at the market and microwave it with butter.
share