Old Fashioned Stovetop Popcorn

Old fashioned homemade popcorn that is delicious and crunchy. Easy to make with just a pot on the stovetop!

Let me show you the best way to make popcorn! The old fashioned way, when done right, tastes AMAZING!

This is the way my dad would make popcorn and growing up we would all gather around in the kitchen while he was making it to see who could get the first bowl!

Now that we know how to make it, we have it almost every night as a snack! The same thing happens where my kids gather around with their little bowls to grab some before it’s gone!

Even my dog Oreo knows when it’s popcorn time and waits patiently for the test kernels to pop out of the pan so she can gobble them up!

There are a few little tips that I think make the popcorn taste better. First I like to store my popcorn kernels in the refrigerator, I think it helps keep them fresh! 

Second, I have a pan with a lid that I only use for making popcorn and because I have cooked so much popcorn in it, the pan is “seasoned” and has that popcorn flavor infused in it .

Another thing is I prefer the white kernels over the yellow. I think they taste better, but that could be because that is what my dad used. I also think the type of kernels used make a big difference in taste! My favorite is Orville Redenbacher’s White Corn.

Ingredients for old fashioned stovetop popcorn

• ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
• ¼ cup canola oil

How to make old fashioned stovetop popcorn

Get a pan with a lid and pour the oil in and heat over medium high heat. 

Put in 2 kernels of popcorn.  I call these the test kernels, you wait for them to pop and that’s how you know the oil is hot enough to add in all the kernels.  If you add the kernels before the oil gets hot enough the popcorn ends up tasting stale.

Once the test kernels have popped, pour in all the kernels and put a lid on it and give it a nice shake to distribute the oil.

Now just wait until you hear it start popping and once the popping has slowed and almost stopped pour out all the popcorn into a bowl.

This goes pretty fast so do not walk away! You do not want to burn the popcorn so dump it as soon as the popping is pretty slow.

Next top with melted butter and salt or topping of your choice! We really like the cheese powder in our house! 

I have also cooked this with coconut oil for a healthy version and it turned out great! A hint of a coconut flavor but it was super yummy!

Old Fashioned Stovetop Popcorn

Old fashioned homemade popcorn that is delicious and crunchy. Easy to make with just a pot on the stovetop!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  

• ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
• ¼ cup canola oil

Instructions

 

• Pour the oil in a pot that has a lid. Heat on high on the stovetop
• Add two kernels of popcorn to the oil in the pan with no lid. Wait for them to pop out and then the oil is hot enough for popping.
• Add the ⅓ cup of popcorn kernels to the oil in the pan and swirl it around to make sure the oil has covered all the kernels. Put the lid on the pan and wait for the popping to start.
• Listen to the popping and when it has started to slow down about 3-4 seconds between each pop, or had stopped popping, pour the popcorn out in a bowl. You do not want your popcorn to burn so remove it as soon as you hear the popping slow down.
• Add some melted butter and salt, or powdered cheese, or toppings of your choice.

Notes

Store your popcorn kernels in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. Cooking the two test kernels in the beginning ensures that the oil is hot enough so that the popcorn is super crunchy and not stale tasting.

Keyword homemade popcorn, Old Fashioned stovetop popcorn

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