# boiling popcorn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711 "2000-10-05T02:58:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/21 "2012-11-19T02:05:05Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Pressure is apparently the preferred way to go about things in China; you can find lots of videos like [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBl68sFZ1TY) where the popcorn doesn’t so much “pop” as “BOOM”. The [latest MythBusters episode](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672573) had a bit where they popped popcorn using something from China that looked like the popcorn pressure cooker in that link. Of course, on the show they just shot the popcorn into the air… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/22 "2012-11-19T02:34:34Z")
It is worth noting that, since this thread began, Starbucks has begun selling their bags of popcorn with the handy note printed on the bag: “100% Whole Grain!” I tried to point out to them that actually, ALL popcorn is 100% whole grain, but they kind of glared at me. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/23 "2012-11-19T04:08:02Z")
Back in the 80’s, I worked for a microwave company. One the assistants told me a story about using a 100,000 kW klystron to make popcorn for open house in the 60’s. They set up screens to keep from giving people cataracts (!). Then they would take a grocery bag, put in a measured amount of popcorn, tape the top, place it under a horn, and the press the button. Boom! Sometimes the tape would pop and popcorn would fly all over the room. People loved the demonstration. And eating “space-age” popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/24 "2012-11-19T04:18:20Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > It is worth noting that, since this thread began, Starbucks has begun selling their bags of popcorn with the handy note printed on the bag: “100% Whole Grain!” > > I tried to point out to them that actually, ALL popcorn is 100% whole grain, but they kind of glared at me. That’s just a marketing gimmick, since the public perception is that whole grain is healthy, probably even if it is cake or cookies (although I suppose you could make cake and cookies with all healthy ingredients, not that many people would eat them). ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/25 "2012-11-19T09:26:33Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > (although I suppose you could make cake and cookies with all healthy ingredients, not that many people would eat them). Humpf. I make healthy cakes and cookies all the time. And many people eat them. 😉 To the (zombie) OP: it sounds like you’d end up with Brazillian “canjica”, if you were to use the right kind of maize. You boil the kernels in condensed milk and coconut, add a little cinnamon and… yum! Tia Celia in Rio would start cooking me some whenever I called to say I was coming to stay. Now I’m homesick for Brazil… ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/26 "2012-11-19T15:14:32Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > The [latest MythBusters episode](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672573) had a bit where they popped popcorn using something from China that looked like the popcorn pressure cooker in that link. > > Of course, on the show they just shot the popcorn into the air… I watched that last night; I’m kinda surprised that they didn’t show a YouTube video like mine, if for nothing else then to show how Asian people usually catch the popped corn. And Alton was right, that popper was just way too much mass to heat up to make the method “quick”, at least from a cold rest. ---
**Author:** ![raine1200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@raine1200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raine1200)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/27 "2013-02-27T04:15:16Z")
> [@Qwisp](#): > > Okay we all know why popcorn pops. What would happen if you boiled it? Would it pop into a soggy mess? Maybe the kernels would just soften up.I don’t know and unfortunately I have none in the house to experiment with. This stupid question has been bothering me all day.Help! OK I found your post asking that same question. I make plain microwave popcorn all the time in microwave popper. It gets messy with shells and whatever I add. So I just tried it, put 1 teaspoon of water in the bottom. It worked but I think regular dry method is better. So I would say you can steam it. Best thing was I could chew up the non- popped ones cause the water softened them a bit. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/28 "2013-02-27T05:07:10Z")
zombie or no a little bit of water in the microwave does nothing besides make a little steam, not enough to do anything. it does boil the popcorn nor does it put moisture into the unpopped kernels. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/29 "2013-02-27T11:56:52Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > It is worth noting that, since this thread began, Starbucks has begun selling their bags of popcorn with the handy note printed on the bag: “100% Whole Grain!” > > I tried to point out to them that actually, ALL popcorn is 100% whole grain, but they kind of glared at me. Actually that’s not quite true. I’m sure I’ve seen “dehulled” popcorn for sale. I’m not even sure if [this stuff](http://olddutch.bobsproduce.com/puffcorncurls.aspx) is real popcorn that has been dehulled, or some sort of reconstituted puffy product… ---
**Author:** ![Chrysantheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7feea3/32.png) [@Chrysantheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrysantheus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711/30 "2013-08-23T05:34:44Z")
Try boiling it in grease! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boiling-popcorn/35711.md?page=1)