# What do you put on popcorn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729 "2010-12-11T00:27:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/1 "2010-12-11T00:27:36Z")
Me: lemon pepper, jalapeno salt, and sour salt (citric acid). No butter EVER. Orville Redenbacher Natural microwave, but I’m thinkin’ about that whirly-pop thing. They’re $19.95 at Stein Mart. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/2 "2010-12-11T00:34:34Z")
Definitely a fan of the whirley-pop. I even gave one to my brother a couple years back and he was like “gee… thanks…” in this really WTF? kind of way, but when he tried it he called me up to say it was the best thing ever. I like powdered Cheez (the oranger the better) and ranch dressing powder (not at the same time). ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/3 "2010-12-11T00:50:33Z")
Butter. Salt. Anything else is gilding the lily! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/4 "2010-12-11T01:01:11Z")
Ranch dressing powder- great idea! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/5 "2010-12-11T02:34:32Z")
Stovetop popping only. Don’t have a Whirley-Pop, but my 5 quart saucepan seems to work fine. Pop in a LOT of olive oil. 1/2 cup popcorn and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Once oil and corn are heating, sprinkle Lawry’s Seasoned Salt in there, then a couple pinches of sugar. It all pops up together and corn is evenly coated in oil and salty goodness. Going to go make some now, I think! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/6 "2010-12-11T02:35:09Z")
butter and salt often continuing with chili powder and then sometimes continuing with Parmesan cheese I originally found the butter, chili powder, Parmesan recipe in an issue of Organic Gardening by Rodale Press in the late 70’s. I haven’t found better. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/7 "2010-12-11T02:41:15Z")
Hot air popper. Butter-flavored spray, popcorn salt. The finer salt seems to allow you to use less of it. ---
**Author:** ![Homo\_litoralis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homo\_litoralis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homo_litoralis)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/8 "2010-12-11T02:42:15Z")
Bacon fat. Seriously. Our version of popcorn would be shunned by any self-respecting vegetarian. We pop corn the old-fashioned way in a heavy stock pot. Melt enough bacon fat to cover the bottom of the pot and add a single layer of kernels so that each one is swaddled in fatty goodness. Shake over medium-ish heat until the explosions dwindle. A glass lid is a bonus for your viewing pleasure. A two-dollar, two-pound bag of kernels yields over eight gallons of popped corn. The flavor is subtle but understandably addictive. Oh, did you mean after it’s been popped? Our current favorite is Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. It tends to fall to the bottom of the bowl (where those deliciously charred old maids await), so you could powderize it in a spice grinder for greater adhesion and a more intense kick. Keep your fingers away from your eyes and other sensitive membranes. Trust me on that. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/9 "2010-12-11T02:55:38Z")
Using a hot air popper, I pop Redenbacher’s original. I melt two ounces of Country Crock butter in a special “butter pouring bowl” that I designed, crafted, glazed and fired myself – it maximizes butter distribution in a very efficient manner when pouring. When the popping begins, I put the bowl on a lazy susan and give it a spin. As the popcorn is coming out, I’m pouring the butter (lightly and evenly) with one hand and using the other hand to alternate between shakes of regular salt and Bacon Salt (three regular to one Bacon). Yeah, I take my popcorn pretty damn seriously. By the by, while visiting some friends in Indiana last year, they popped popcorn in the same manner as **Homo litoralis** described. _Damn_ tasty. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/10 "2010-12-11T02:59:15Z")
I make popcorn by throwing kernels into a brown paper bag and taping it shut. Then I melt some butter to put on it, and sprinkle it with a small amount of sea salt. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/11 "2010-12-11T03:01:13Z")
Vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/12 "2010-12-11T03:15:42Z")
Salt and melted butter, sometimes also with fresh black pepper, or Salt and turbinado sugar (kettle corn), or Salt and nutritional yeast (if you’ve never had it, you have _no idea_). ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/13 "2010-12-11T03:25:21Z")
[Old Bay](http://www.oldbay.com/) ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/14 "2010-12-11T03:25:50Z")
Lemon pepper (which has salt) or garlic salt and parmasan cheese, I tried chipolte seasoning but didn’t care for the result. Butter with herbs such as dill or fennel can be a nice twist. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/15 "2010-12-11T04:14:29Z")
Spritz with Olive oil PAM cooking spray and sprinkle on grated parmesan. You can skip the PAM, but the cheese won’t stick as well. (popped with Presto air popper) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/16 "2010-12-11T04:57:52Z")
Half butter and half lemon olive oil. Salt. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/17 "2010-12-11T06:27:55Z")
Butter and Lawry’s seasoned salt. I pop in peanut oil. This is a hijack, but with so many popcorn-lovers, I figure I’ll ask here. I used to have a hot-air popper, and it was good, but when it died, I went to popping in a pan with oil. Lately, I’m not getting big pops. The popcorn is kind of dense and not nearly as fluffy and apetizing as I’d like. Is there something wrong with my technique or temperature? Is my popcorn just old? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/18 "2010-12-11T06:28:47Z")
Butter and Tabasco. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/19 "2010-12-11T06:54:35Z")
Salt. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729/20 "2010-12-11T06:58:48Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Butter and Lawry’s seasoned salt. I pop in peanut oil. > > This is a hijack, but with so many popcorn-lovers, I figure I’ll ask here. I used to have a hot-air popper, and it was good, but when it died, I went to popping in a pan with oil. Lately, I’m not getting big pops. The popcorn is kind of dense and not nearly as fluffy and apetizing as I’d like. Is there something wrong with my technique or temperature? Is my popcorn just old? It’s the water in popcorn kernels that make them pop. Over time they do tend to dry out and not pop as well. I’ve read that you can add a teaspoon or two of water to a jar of kernels and shake them up a few times over a couple of days so they will absorb the moisture. I’ve never actually tried it as I tend to go through popcorn pretty quickly with my beloved Whirley Pop. With a dash of popcorn salt added to the oil before popping as the only seasoning. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-popcorn/563729.md?page=2)