# So how do I make decent popcorn at home **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 7, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679 "2025-01-07T18:15:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/101 "2025-01-14T19:44:04Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > It also has an excellent popped-to-popped kernel ratio I’d be amazed if that ratio was anything other than 1-1. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/102 "2025-01-14T19:51:27Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Now let’s debate - white vs yellow! Why so limited? [![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91s2FqCbkmL._SL1500_.jpg) ](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91s2FqCbkmL._SL1500_.jpg) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/103 "2025-01-21T18:04:04Z")
So I bought a whirly pop style popcorn maker, some coconut oil designed for popcorn and flavacol. My first batch came out ok, but not great. It was still better than microwave popcorn. But for my second batch I made it the same way as the first batch, but for the second batch I also added topping oil and topping seasoning on the popcorn and mixed it up before eating it. The second batch came out much much better. Topping oil and popcorn seasoning really makes a difference ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/104 "2025-03-28T00:23:56Z")
Back to this topic. I got rid of my popcorn popper, the one I bought just this past December. Here it is, I posted this pic upthread — [![](https://i.imgur.com/VdnzUNw.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/VdnzUNw.jpeg) Someone got it on FreeCycle so hopefully they are using it and happy with it. Also it’s nice to get rid of appliances that are limited to a single use. I’ve been using a large pot on the stove, and it’s been working really well. The pot has a steaming basket insert that hangs by its rim, and for popping popcorn I simply turn that upside down. It allows the steam to escape while the popcorn is popping. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/105 "2025-03-28T01:30:33Z")
So after experimenting I bought the items (coconut oil, flavacol, a stovetop stirrer for popcorn). It was ok, but adding topping oil and popcorn seasoning made it taste much better. Then I found out that if I eat regular microwave popcorn with topping oil and seasoning its almost as good as the stove made stuff for much less effort. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/106 "2025-03-28T01:39:37Z")
There is a local market which has several stores which seem to sell random stuff returned to Amazon, and cheap packaged foods often beyond their listed “best before” date. Don’t go there often. But last month, I noticed they had many big cartons of Flavacol for $1 and for $10, which looked the same to me. I figured salt does not really expire, so spent the loonie to try it. I microwaved popcorn, melted some butter and mixed that with Flavacol, poured the oil over the popcorn. The Flavacol is a flavoured pyramidal salt which really sticks to the popcorn much better than regular salt. So it is easy to add too much. It tasted very good - a little like movie popcorn. Maybe I will try the coconut oil and kernels when I am feeling ambitious. I’m guessing this dollar carton of Flavacol might last me ten years. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/107 "2025-03-28T02:04:28Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > but I’d rather have some air popped. > > IMO air-popped = dry and flavorless. Oil-popped = flavorful & yummy. And salt sticks to oil-popped but simply bounces off air-popped and fill the bottom of the bowl, not the corn. Said another way, air-popped cannot be made salty enough either. I totally agree. > [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I have used all the methods for popping corn mentioned here. Air popped is what I’ve done mostly over the last 40+ years. I find some butter and popcorn salt make it taste just as good as oil popped or microwave corn. Maybe it’s gotten better since i abandoned air popped corn in the 80s, but it used to not only be dry, but also taste vaguely of the heating element. Really, the stuff had a nasty off-flavor. I like the frying-pan-with-hot-oil method. Ghee is good. So is goose fat. You need to be careful about the smoke point, but olive oil tastes nice, too. I don’t bother adding melted butter, i just cook it in a tasty fat. > [@Ulfreida](#): > > All the grease you put on it, isn’t. Of all the mentioned choices, probably plain butter is the healthiest. Hey, I’m going to guess that olive oil is better. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/108 "2025-03-28T02:14:46Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > > [@Ulfreida](#): > > > > All the grease you put on it, isn’t. Of all the mentioned choices, probably plain butter is the healthiest. > > Hey, I’m going to guess that olive oil is better. Seriously, borrowing from various skillet-based cooking options, I have had great luck with doing a mix of olive oil (not the best stuff) -AND- butter. I end up feeling better about my wasted calories and carbs after. Bonus points, if you keep the heat low, you can bloom some spices in the fat while you melt it if you’re a fan of flavored popcorn. However, I’ll admit to only doing that less than 5-10% of the time. Mostly since I’m doing the brown-bag popper option I mentioned upthread, it’s easier to just throw butter in a ramekin and melt it for topping. I’m weak. I admit it. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/109 "2025-05-08T12:15:02Z")
Bump So the package of [Flavacol](https://shop.gmpopcorn.com/products/original-flavacol-2045?srsltid=AfmBOoqrJNpm6_gD-z1p1m39fXajse92PdbHsxbpog2Os-rXp_kBSVlz) I ordered arrived yesterday. I’m hoping to really up my popcorn game. Flavacol is the stuff virtually every movie theater has used for the past half century to season their popcorn. It’s supposedly superior to standard table salt because the irregular flaked crystals adhere to popcorn significantly better than the more regularly-shaped table salt crystals. I’ve watched a handful of popcorn videos on Youtube and many of them recommend using coconut oil, however, to keep my cardiologist happy I’ve decided to stick with using canola oil. I also intend to continue using the hand-cranked style popcorn popper I’ve used for the past decade. The cleanup is fairly quick and simple and because is redistributes kernels in the base oil it ensures virtually all the kernels pop (typically, I count no more than a half dozen or so unpopped kernels using this popper. One remaining variable I have yet to explore is the type of popcorn kernel to buy/use. Currently, I have a three pound bag of Amish Country popcorn. After watching this video, however, it appears I will be purchasing bargain basement dollar store popcorn going forward, as there seems to be no particular benefit the higher end popcorn enjoys in terms of either texture or flavor. It just costs more. I’ve been a victim of manipulation by Madison Avenue once again. [The Best Popcorn.. It’s NOT What You Think!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVG-1kmHQWs) ---
**Author:** ![CrazyWaffle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazywaffle/32/19138_2.png) [@CrazyWaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyWaffle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/110 "2025-05-08T12:27:24Z")
You pop the corn with a needle. It then turns into pop corn. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/111 "2025-05-08T18:36:50Z")
@Cardigan I’m curious. Please let us know how you like it. @CrazyWaffle welcome to The Dope! ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/112 "2025-05-08T18:54:23Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > @CrazyWaffle welcome to The Dope! For real, already like the name. They’ll fit in. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/113 "2025-05-08T19:12:06Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I usually don’t care for microwave popcorn either but I’ve had luck with [Black Jewell’s](https://blackjewell.com/store/#microwave). For one thing, they a plain kind with no added salt or butter/butter substitute so I can add what I want. It also has an excellent popped-to-popped kernel ratio per bag. Microwave popcorn is mostly gross, I find Orville Redenbacher and the Movie Theater brand uses a disgusting oil substance I can’t get off my fingers and tastes like licking an old abandoned KFC fry vat. **Black Jewel** is the exception. Mostly popped, light oil, delicate balanced flavor. I’ll add my own butter to the natural version with the green label and start the show! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/114 "2025-05-08T23:10:36Z")
I like Paul Newman microwave popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679/115 "2025-05-08T23:34:53Z")
A little Flavacol goes a long way. Add way less than regular salt. It is good though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-do-i-make-decent-popcorn-at-home/1012679.md?page=5)