Who here still makes popcorn the old school way?

[dave 911]

Our family enjoys a good bowl of popcorn on the weekend, while watching a movie. And not the microwave variety, but good old popcorn cooked in oil in a big pot on the range. It's way better than microwave, and since we don't put butter on it (just sprinkle some salt) it's probably a little healthier also.

So we were talking, and got to wondering how many people still make popcorn like this? Hardly anyone we know. They still sell it in the store, so there are people out there like us -- so who here likes & makes old-school popcorn?

[madmmac]

I do.

But, just put the popcorn in a brown paper bag and microwave it. Even healthier...no oil

[M.D. Holloway]

Old school ? You mean jiffy pop ?

[TheMentat]

We started doing it old-school about a year ago, and never looked back. Theres some tricks to "preheating" the kernels so tat you don't get any burnt or un-popped ones:

Perfect Popcorn Recipe | SimplyRecipes.com

[Nostril Cheese]

Takes a long ass time to grow that corn, but yes, sometimes its worth it.

[Nordwest]

I use an air popper. I will have to try the brown paper bag method.

Dave

[flipper35]

We do it in a pot most times but we do have a popcorn maker that works well also. I taught our daughter how to do it as well. We just eyeball the oil and popcorn ratio.

[craigster59]

I do occasionally. A chef years ago told me about the trick in the recipe Mentat posted, turning off the heat for 30 sec after dumping in the kernels. Seems to make it taste better.

[Z-man]

We use an air-popper as well. It goes directly into a brown paper bag, add melted butter & a little salt and we have much tastier popcorn without the chemicals used in microwave popcorn.

-Z

[stomachmonkey]

Got off the manufactured microwave crap a while ago.

Went with an air popper.

Was OK, messier than you'd think.

We now do the paper bag microwave version.

Works fine for us.

The way my kid goes through the stuff ain't no way I'm doing the stove thing.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by dave 911

Our family enjoys a good bowl of popcorn on the weekend, while watching a movie. And not the microwave variety, but good old popcorn cooked in oil in a big pot on the range. It's way better than microwave, and since we don't put butter on it (just sprinkle some salt) it's probably a little healthier also.

So we were talking, and got to wondering how many people still make popcorn like this? Hardly anyone we know. They still sell it in the store, so there are people out there like us -- so who here likes & makes old-school popcorn?

A year or two ago, I was doing it a lot. I love pop corn. I haven't since we moved.

A note, after watching an episode of Good Eats on popcorn, I discovered a few things. If you don't want to buy "popcorn salt", you can just put some salt in a food processor. The food processor turns it into much smaller particles that do a better job of coating the popcorn.

Also, try some garlic powder on the popcorn. Also, cayenne powder makes a really yummy popcorn. (actually, tabasco makes the best spicy popcorn, but if you don't want soggy popcorn, you have to add the tabasco to the hot oil. If you go that route, I hope you have really good ventilation.)

I've also added cumin and chili powder to popcorn.

Originally Posted by madmmac

I do.

But, just put the popcorn in a brown paper bag and microwave it. Even healthier...no oil

I've tried that, didn't work for crap for me.

[craigster59]

I like this on my popcorn.....

[arcsine]

I'm olde school.

Big heavy pot, kernels and olive oil.

Season with whatever combination of salt, alder-smoked salt, butter, sugar, cinnamon, garlic, parmesan, Johnny's, Lawry's, etc that stokes my fancy. With a big glass of iced tea and a good movie makes for an excellent evening.

[boosted 89]

ol school for me to! I still use the same pot for popcorn I had when I moved out on my own about 26 years ago.To be honest I have a hard time using a different pot for popcorn, never quite the same, usually burns or never pops enough kernels! I will never part with this particular pot or deviate towards air or microwave...its just not right!
The brand of popcorn never made a difference.

[red-beard]

I thought old skool was heating rocks next to a fire, then placing the corn on the rocks...

[LeeH]

We have a Whirlypop, but it's a pain to clean.

I've found the Nordic Ware Microwave Bowl is excellent.

It says oil is not required, but we use it anyway. 4.5 stars with over 2300 reviews.

[Aggie93]

We have been using this for the past ten plus years. Sometimes with coconut oil. Put salt in before popping.

[rusnak]

We sell maybe 40 or 50 cases of "Indian Corn" every October. They are like regular corn, except for a variegated coloring. These are the smaller strawberry corn, but you get the idea. Toward the end of the month, we'll cull out the ones that birds got to, and put them in a microwave in a paper bag. Quite good!

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by red-beard

I thought old skool was heating rocks next to a fire, then placing the corn on the rocks...

No, old school way was setting the corn field on fire.

[fanaudical]

Aw, simple pleasures - Fresh kettle corn from a Dutch oven while camping in the middle of nowhere...