Peggy Deland has been a freelance writer and editor since 2007. Her articles appear on a variety of websites, including Life Unplugged, ConsumerSearch and AnswerBag. Her writing focuses on areas of personal and professional expertise, including health, aviculture, science, green living and travel.
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Beer and FoodSUPPLIES
- Large, deep pot with lid
- Plain popcorn
- Oil
- Sugar
- Salt
Overview
Kettle corn has been served at festivals, county fairs and carnivals for decades. The easiest way to make your own kettle corn is to buy the microwave version, but it just doesn't have the same flavor and texture as the real thing. Homemade kettle corn can be a little tricky to make, but it's very inexpensive and indistinguishable from the version made at festivals. It's also customizable. You can adjust the levels of sugar and salt to suit your taste or add extra ingredients to make your own flavors.
Step 1
Pour 1/4 cup of oil into the pot. You can use any kind of oil or fat you like, as long as it doesn't have a low smoke point. Corn oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, olive oil and canola oil are good choices. Butter or margarine will scorch. If you want a buttery flavor, try butter-flavored popcorn oil.
Step 2
Heat the oil on medium-high heat with 2 or 3 kernels of popcorn. When these kernels pop, you'll know the oil is hot enough.
Step 3
Add 1/4 cup popcorn once a "test kernel" has popped. Wait 10 seconds, then add salt and sugar and put the lid on the pot. You can use anywhere from 1 tbsp. to 1/2 cup sugar and anywhere from 1/8th tsp. 1 tsp. salt, depending on the results you want. 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt is a good starting point.
Step 4
Shake and slide the pot around continuously for several minutes until the a few seconds pass between popping sounds. Remove the pot from the stove. Uncover it and add any additional ingredients (see Tips for ideas).
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Try one of these add-ins for extra flavor: 1 tbsp. cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. cayenne powder, 1 tbsp. Butter Buds, 1/2 tsp. apple or pumpkin pie spice.
You can also add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla or other flavoring extract with the sugar.
Try using brown sugar or honey instead of sugar for a richer flavor.
Experiment with different oils to find your favorite. Some people swear by corn oil and others love the taste of peanut oil. Canola or light olive oil give kettle corn the cleanest taste.
- WARNING : Don't try to make kettle corn or any other stovetop popcorn on a smooth top range. All the sliding and shaking of the pan could damage the surface your stove's surface.
Don't open the lid to check on the popcorn. Flying kernels can burn your face and eyes.
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