Whether you like it air-popped or drenched in butter, I’d say most people like popcorn. I’d even say many, if not most people love popcorn. With this how-to, I’m showing you an easy, fast way of making popcorn at home without the need for an air popper or other popcorn machine. First things first, I want to lay out the do’s, do-nots, and what-to-do’s of homemade popcorn.
What do I need for making popcorn at home?
To make popcorn at home, you’ll need a pan, some kind of oil, and popcorn kernels. Of course, you’ll also need a stovetop / oven range for heating. In my experience, the type of kernels you use matter the least. Because of that, I don’t have much to say about them. Second is oil, which is less flexible and more important. Your choice of pan is somewhat flexible, but it’s easily the most important consideration to make.
What kind of popcorn kernels do I need?
The only types of popcorn kernels I’ve seen are yellow and white. I’ve never noticed a difference between them – neither in preparation nor consumption. There may be a flavor difference, but unless you’re a popcorn purist, you probably won’t notice it through the protective layer of butter or ranch-flavored seasoning.
What kind of oil do I need?
At minimum, you’ll want something with a high smoke point. I recommend canola/vegetable oil, but olive oil might work as well. Anything with a lower smoke point will probably burn or denature from the heat, which will lead to unpleasant flavors. Weirdly enough, this means regular butter is a poor choice for making popcorn. However, something like clarified butter or ghee should work.
What kind of pan do I need?
You’ll want a deep pan with a lid. The lid helps trap heat energy and makes the kernels pop more quickly. It also keeps the popcorn from flying out of the pan when it pops, which is nice. I tend to use a medium sauce pan, but something larger (that’s still lightweight) should also work. You may be able to use a skillet with a lid, but I’ve never tried that so I can’t necessarily recommend it.
The biggest thing I recommend against is using something large and heavy, like a dutch oven. I’m not sure what the issue is, but I’ve never gotten good popcorn from something similar – even with very thorough preheating. I imagine they’re too hungry for heat and never let the kernels have enough to “get going”. When using this kind of pan, kernels tend to pop slowly and eventually burn. Even when stopping at the “burning” phase, many kernels remain un-popped and everything has an unpleasant flavor and smell to it.
I have everything! Can I make popcorn now?
Yep, you’re ready! Follow the recommendations above, as well as the steps below, and you’ll have homemade popcorn in no time. If you like this how-to, or you just like crunchy snacks, check out my recipe for oven-roasted chickpeas.
Ingredients
Popcorn kernels, as needed*
Vegetable oil, as needed
Preparation
Preheat a medium sauce pan with a lid over medium heat. Once hot**, add the kernels and oil, top with a lid, and turn the heat up to medium-high.
Cook*** until the kernels are popped. Turn off the heat and empty the hot popcorn into a large bowl. Top with melted butter, seasoning, etc.
Notes
* The amount you use depends on how much you want, and how big your pan is. When using a medium sauce pan, I can make up to 3 Tbsps (57 grams) of kernels. For that many kernels, I use 2 Tbsps (30 grams) of oil. You can use less oil if you want.
However, the less oil you use, the less consistently the kernels will pop. I recommend using at least some oil. I’ve tried it with no oil, and the popping was a struggle. The flavor was also very bland, and the popcorn itself was dry.
** Hot as in actually hot, and not warm. You’ll want to preheat the pan for at least a few minutes. If you don’t preheat the pan enough, the kernels will take longer to pop and you’re more likely to have off-flavors. Just don’t forget about the pan. I recommend setting a timer, just in case.
*** This should happen fairly quickly, as in 1-2 minutes. If you want, you can shake the pan around to ensure the un-popped kernels are on the bottom. If you opt for shaking, I recommend lifting the lid very briefly to release some steam/pressure. It’s probably unnecessary, but I’m always afraid of some freak popcorn explosion happening if there’s too much going on in there.
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