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You will get better tasting popcorn but just popping it yourself on the stove, and it is really easy. Instructions come on the bag or jar, quality varies a little by brand, so try a few til you have a fav (our store brand is good). You can also use different flavored oils, like garlic or butter, for variety.
I recently started making my own to avoid salt, and was suprised how little hassle it is. I have a hot air popper, but I have never liked it, the popcorn has NO flavor. You really have to have some oil to make good popcorn (but it doesn't take much). I've never used a microwave popper, but I can't imagine it would taste better than stove popped.
The microwave method just involves taking a paper lunch bag, sticking about 1/4 cup of kernels and 1 tsp of oil in it, and then nuking it for 2 mins.
Really?? Cool!
My dad makes the best stove-popped popcorn ever. I am a little afraid to try to make popcorn on the stove because I am afraid it won't be as good.
When we popped popcorn in the air popper in the dorms, we used to get I Can't Believe Its Not Butter spray to put on it. That gave a decent, low cal flavor. (Although you will believe it is not butter.) We also used to use Molly McButter powder on our popcorn (with a little bit of fake butter spray to make the powder stick). There are a lot of options to liven up air popped popcorn, though unfortunately if they aren't fattening, they are full of chemicals. You could always try different seasonings as well.
There's nothing unhealthy about popping popcorn over a stove with organic coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil. The latter is probably easier to find. You can pop it yourself on a stove with a regular pot and lid (lid is a must), or you can get a fancy popper like a whirly pop or whatever it's called. I got one of those for Mom and it's great! And you can top it off with real butter. Butter does far less damage to your body than most "man made butter substitutes" out there. And measure it properly. 1/4 cup of kernels goes a LONG way!
The microwave method just involves taking a paper lunch bag, sticking about 1/4 cup of kernels and 1 tsp of oil in it, and then nuking it for 2 mins.
You can do the same thing over the stove with a large pot w/ lid and a little more oil. The only difference is that you've got to shake the pot to keep the kernels from burning.
I just got rid of my air popper, George! Had it for years. The texture of popcorn made in the microwave is much more pleasing.
I use the above method which I first saw on Alton Brown. I don't put any fat in with the popcorn.. just put 1/3 c. in a lunch sack, fold down the top twice, about half an inch each time, and put one staple in either side. Nuke for 3 minutes, open and enjoy!
You can do it without the staples if you want.. but I've never once had a problem. I sometimes eat this crispy popcorn plain, and sometimes I nuke the butter separately.
Not sure why you'd prefer the hot air method... I've used this one for close to 30 years. I'm on my second one now. I lost part of it during an army move and had to buy a new one. They work great and as you can see from the reviews, almost everyone loves it!
We're popcorn fanatics at our house. I'd say we eat it almost every other evening; either before the 4 year old goes to bed, or after when the wife and I watch a little TV. We take it to the pool on weekends, take some in the car for a trip, whatever.
I am an absolute stovetop kind of guy. I ban 2 things from my kitchen; microwave popcorn and Cool Whip. The brown bag stuff is OK, but I like the taste of stove top so much better, and the amount of oil I use is so small.
My popper of choice is a steel wok I picked up at an Asian Market for $12. It has a dome aluminum lid. It's the perfect shape.
The corn is Jolly Time; 3 pound bag from Big Lots - $2.50 - lasts about a month. That's seriously cheap eats.
I've used vegetable oil, coconut oil, even palm kernel oil. I don't recommend palm kernel by itself, but a little with coconut oil is good, it adds that movie theater color if you like that sort of thing.
I've got Flavacol, the bizarre butter flavored orange salt theaters use, and sometimes I like that, but most of the time I use Morton pickling salt. The fine texture works better than plain salt.
I've even done Kettle Korn, which is a little complicated at first, but easy once you get the hang of it.
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