Nothing is better on a cold winter night than a big bowl of crispy buttered popcorn. The microwave stuff is just wrong. Make it fresh, make it real and you'll never go back.
The best pot I have ever used to make popcorn is an old heavy aluminum pressure cooker. You close it but don't seal it and let the steam come out the top.
Cover the bottom with vegetable oil. Don't use olive oil, sesame oil, or any other kind. Don't use butter. You can using melted Crisco shortening. Let it get hot before adding the popcorn kernels.
They say the white and black is more delicate but its small and the kernels are hard. Use big fluffy yellow popcorn. Cover the bottom with popcorn kernels as deep as the oil.
When it starts popping shake it continually until it stops popping. Wait about 5 seconds, no longer, and remove it from the heat. If you time it correctly you will not have any old maids (unpopped kernels).
Use real butter and do not let it burn. Hold the pan aloft over the burner if need be until the butter is melted and foamy. Drizzle it very slowly over the popcorn, salt lightly, sift the popped corn and repeat. Heavenly. You may have it this way only once a year or pay the consequences.
My grandmother always called the unpopped ones old maids. Use lots of butter, use your heaviest pot with a tight lid if you don't have a pressure cooker.
Awesome list!
Yum! Love, love, love buttered popcorn. Now I need to pop some up. Thanks.
select one here...