Pop Stop And Roll

February 10, 2012

Katie and I have been making a specific effort to shape up our diet a little bit, but we both definitely like sweets and things to munch on. One great filler is popcorn because it can be made in a low-calorie way, that takes up lots of space and makes you feel like you get more bang for your buck.

The other side of this equation is that we are looking for ways to tighten up our finances. As much as we love getting the little 100 calorie boxes of kettle corn, it’s expensive over time. So we figured, meh, why not make our own?!

So, dear readers, here is how it is done, sans kettle.

Start with stovetop popcorn. I use a little bit of light olive oil (because it’s good for you), let it heat up and then throw in a half a cup of popcorn seeds. You’ll know the oil is hot because it will sizzle if you flick a drop of water in.

Once the kernels start to sizzle a bit, pour in a quarter cup of sugar over the top. The oil will immediately soak in to the sugar causing it to clump. It will also cool off the temperature, so it will take a few minutes to get back up to temperature and begin popping. Be patient- just when you think you’ve messed it up horribly, it will start to go.

Put a lid on it so that it will stay in the pan while popping. Once it starts to pop, shake the pan every minute or so to keep the popcorn from burning on to the bottom. That will also help with coating the now melted sugar on the kernels.

We happen to have clear pot lids, so we could watch the process as it began (until steam clogged the view). The sugar will begin to caramelize eventually, so it’s important to keep it moving. Similarly, because of the sugar, it will burn QUICKLY once it’s done so as soon as the popping slows down, pull it off the heat and get it out of the pan.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Whenever you’re working with melted sugar, keep in mind that it gets very very hot, and it is very sticky. If you get some on you DON’T attempt to wipe it as it will stick and smear. Run the area under cold water right away. Also, always wear shoes (Mom would be proud).

Once the popcorn is out, toss it with a little salt (we use kosher or sea) and let it cool a touch and enjoy!

2 Responses to “Pop Stop And Roll”

  1. Father Burb said

    Could you do the same with brown sugar or is it too moist?

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