Suggestions sought: popcorn and popcorn oil

[GA Russell]

I plan to be eating a lot of popcorn in 2015! For now, I plan to cook it in the microwave.

Do any of you mavens have strong opinions about...

1) the world's best popcorn

2) the world's best popcorn oil

3) the best way to cook popcorn in oil in a microwave

Thanks!

[BeBop]

I know it's not responsive to your question, but buy an air popper (recommend Presto) and make it without oil. Yeah.

Edited January 19, 2015 by BeBop

[GA Russell]

BeBop, I tried that many years ago, and I thought that without the oil the popcorn tasted terrible. Maybe you know something I don't know.

[Milestones]

I strongly recommend Orville Reddenbacher--the real stuff. I've had my share of microwave popcorn, but I've heard some stories about chemicals and such. I started making popcorn in a a pot, and I'm firmly back to that. I use olive oil or canola oil.

Reddanbacher tastes great and almost all of it pops.

[JSngry]

Them Boy Scout popcorns will do right for and by you.

[GA Russell]

Milestones, in 1969 New Orleans was a test market for Orville Redenbacher popcorn. So that September when I returned to college, I brought along a supply. I believe that I introduced Redenbacher's to my college campus!

The picture of Orville on the label was exactly the same as what it was for the remainder of his life, except that he had a flat top!

[JSngry]

I'm telling you - what Girl Scouts got around cookies, Boy Scouts got with popcorn. Damn good product and you can buy it from friends and neighbors. Win-win.

[GA Russell]

Jim, I've never heard of Boy Scouts popcorn before, but I'd be happy to check it out.

May I assume that it is sold during only one brief period of the year?

[JSngry]

It is here, yeah. I make it a point to buy large when it comes around, both because it's good, and because it's a kind of a "good neighbor" thing I like to do.

But if the stuff was not good, I would not buy large, right?

[GA Russell]

I've found a website for the Boy Scouts' Trail's End popcorn.

http://www.trails-end.com/

[Jazzmoose]

I would never waste my money on "microwave popcorn" with all that crap on it. Just throw regular popcorn in a brown paper bag and toss it in the microwave. Of course, that leaves you with the same problem as the Presto popper, but I'd rather add my own butter than have the stuff flavored by that chemical swill.

[Milestones]

I agree on the popcorn sold by Boys Scouts. That is good stuff, and would be my second choice after Orville.

[Ted O'Reilly]

My vote's for Orville, too: the original. And follow Orv's proportions of kernels VS. oil.

I use peanut oil, a neutral taste, and it'll get hotter before any kind of smoking. Put the oil in the pan (an old dutch oven thing in my case), add half a dozen kernels and put the lid on.

When they pop you know the oil's hot enough, so dump the rest in and shake the whole thing. Now, leave the lid slightly askew to vent the steam and keep shaking the pot. When the popping has just about stopped, take it off the heat and remove the lid. Toss it into a bowl with some salt and butter if you wish...

Yummy!

[xybert]

I'm a fiend for popcorn when i go to the movies, love that stuff! If i could, i'd get one of these armchair popcorn devices like the Schlaaang:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en5WqnuYbwg

Edited January 19, 2015 by xybert

[Jim R]

We used to buy the bagged microwave stuff. God, I put up with that for too long, knowing that I was sacrificing taste for convenience. A few years ago, I finally came to my senses and got one of these, for popping quality popcorn in the microwave: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-04830-PowerPop-Microwave-Multi-Popper/dp/B00005IBXK

You don't need oil (although you still have that option), and the results have been great. I know that the Orville R corn is very good quality, but I haven't gone that route yet with this new popper (happened to get some Pop Secret, which is also very good).

The biggest struggle I have now is trying to add butter evenly, without ending up with sogginess at the bottom of the bowl.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Jim R

[GA Russell]

Jim, I've noticed the PowerPop before, but I see that you also have to buy a number of something called the Concentrator. How long does each Concentrator last?

[.:.impossible]

Stovetop. I usually heat olive oil, butter, and coconut oil. Toss a few kernels in. Close the lid. Pop! Pop! Toss in the rest. Close the lid. Shake across burner until popping slows to a stop. Salt. Close lid. Shake. Serve.

I grew up with microwave popcorn, and I have no idea why. Strange phenomenon.

[GA Russell]

Jim, I've noticed the PowerPop before, but I see that you also have to buy a number of something called the Concentrator. How long does each Concentrator last?

OK, I've gone to gopresto.com and found my answer.

[JSngry]

Stovetop. I usually heat olive oil, butter, and coconut oil. Toss a few kernels in. Close the lid. Pop! Pop! Toss in the rest. Close the lid. Shake across burner until popping slows to a stop. Salt. Close lid. Shake. Serve.

I grew up with microwave popcorn, and I have no idea why. Strange phenomenon.

I grew up with a mom who made it on the stovetop up until the very last time she ever made popcorn. My lovely wife who is quite often very particular about what she feeds us made it on the stovetop too until she tried some good microwave, upon which reflected on the old-school effort involved and gave her lady-like equivalent of "pshaw, fuck THAT nonsense!" She doesn't do that much (or often), but when she does, she don't be no walking it back, ever.

Me, I really don't see enough of a difference to make it matter, at least as far as making up a batch to mindless y chomp on, which, if I'm to be honest, is the only reason I'll eat regular popcorn.

I do like this kettle korn thing, though, but damn if I'm going to do whatever it is you have to do to make that, what is it, a kettle and all sorts of, what are they called, ingredients, is that it? I'll let the Boy Scouts sell me that.

[PHILLYQ]

I ate microwave for years until I saw kernels on sale at my local Aldi. Bought a bag, followed the directions(1/8 inch of oil, put in 1 kernel, once it pops put in enough to make a single layer of kernels, cover and shake, take off heat when popping slows down, salt, butter if desired) and I love it, great popcorn. I use canola oil, but I'm sure peanut oil works well, too.

[GA Russell]

I use canola oil, but I'm sure peanut oil works well, too.

Phil, I learned just recently that "canola" is merely a word coined by marketers for a variety of rapeseed!

The CAN stands for Canada, which is where the rapeseed is grown (and where, at the Univ. of Manitoba, the variety was developed). OLA stands for "oil, low acid."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola

[Jim R]

Jim, I've noticed the PowerPop before, but I see that you also have to buy a number of something called the Concentrator. How long does each Concentrator last?

OK, I've gone to gopresto.com and found my answer.

Sorry I missed your question, GA. Be aware that the concentrators can last longer than the instructions suggest. I'm still on my first one, and I've probably used it nearly double the amount of uses it was supposed to have. It's kind of like a desktop printer telling you that you need to replace the ink before you can keep printing, which often proves false (at least in my experience).