A couple months ago I had a fun family session down at Holden Beach, south of Wilmington, NC. A sweet friend of mine from college hired me to do photos with her whole family – all four generations. It was so special to spend the whole day with them, capturing the ebbs and flows of the day, kicking our toes around in the sand, sharing stories, and soaking up the last golden rays of light as the sun dipped beneath the clouds. It was a long enough drive that they invited me to spend the night, and we sat around chatting and playing games till late into the night, all the while munching on copious amounts of homemade popcorn.
My friend Lauren explained to me that homemade popcorn was her dad’s tradition – a little oil, some popcorn kernels, and a little salt makes for a deliciously simple midnight snack. Apparently he keeps huge 50 lb bags of popcorn kernels at home for just such an occasion. I love families that have food stories like this – popcorn is his thing. The whole family knows that when they get together, dad will be making popcorn. It’s tradition. I love that.
As we sat around the dining room table at the beach house, I was in awe at the bowl after giant bowl of popcorn he kept bringing out from the kitchen. I’d always thought that stovetop popcorn was some magical method of popcorn-making that I’d never be able to perfect. Isn’t there a certain way you have to shake the pan? Will I burn the popcorn? Or have too many kernels left over? I never tried it because I was afraid I’d fail. But after sitting around the table with Lauren’s family, laughing and chatting long after the kiddos had gone to bed, eating popcorn until I could eat no more – I decided I needed to learn how to make my own stovetop popcorn.
And you guys – here’s a secret – it’s really really easy to make!
I snooped around the internet for a while until I found a method that was simple enough and provided a good popcorn to oil ratio. I found this recipe over on the Pastry Affair and haven’t looked back since. She recommends using coconut oil, which I agree with. I tried olive oil and canola oil as well, but I like the subtle flavor the coconut oil gives to the popcorn (it doesn’t taste like coconut, I promise). Use whatever neutral oil you have around the house and have fun making your own homemade popcorn! It’s very rewarding and only takes a couple minutes longer than the microwaved stuff. It’s well worth it to know you’ve made a healthier snack with ingredients you can pronounce!
The instructions below might look a little overwhelming, but you really don’t have to take it this seriously. I’ve found that setting a timer for myself helps keep my mind on the task at hand – I’m easily distracted and fear I’d burn the popcorn otherwise!
Homemade Stovetop Popcorn
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs coconut oil or other neutral oil
- 1/3 c popcorn kernels
- Optional 1 Tbs melted butter
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt or popcorn salt if you have it!
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium high in a large heavy bottomed pot with a lid. Place 4-5 popcorn kernels in the pot and cover.
- Once kernels begin to pop, pour the rest of the popcorn into the pot, cover the pot, and use potholders to shake the pot a couple times to distribute the kernels evenly. Remove from the heat for 30 seconds - this allows the kernels to reach the same temperature so they pop around the same time. At this point I like to start a timer for 4 minutes - once the countdown reaches 3:30, place the pot back on the heat.
- When the kernels begin popping vigorously (around 2:30 on my stovetop), tilt the lid so it is slightly askew on the pot - this allows the steam to escape so your popcorn doesn't get soggy. At this point, I watch the clock and shake the pot every 10 seconds until the popping slows down. The popping itself should last 2-3 minutes - I've found on my stovetop that it finishes just as my 4 minute timer runs out.
- Once the popping slows significantly, remove the pot from the heat and let rest for a moment to ensure no kernels pop out when you uncover it. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl, drizzle with the melted butter (optional), and sprinkle with salt and your toppings of choice.
