Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Help! Need Popcorn/Oil ratio for 4oz Popper

That's amazing that it only takes two tablespoons of oil. Ian's famous for his popcorn around here 'cause he makes it stovetop (this fascinates younger members of our family who have honestly never had anything but microwave). At any rate, you just pour enough oil to cover the bottom of whatever saucepan you're using, and then do a single layer of kernals on top of that. But I'm sure we must be using more than two tablespoons to cover the bottom of the pan! How much will yours make?

My uncle grew "strawberry popcorn" when I kid, which would pop up so much whiter than Orville Reddenbachers. Very fun.

I'd love to see theme popcorn makers - what a great idea!

I think my Dad does a tablespoon to a half cup for stovetop.

A 4oz popper makes about the same as 1.5 large bags of microwave popcorn per batch. Once the popper is warmed up, it can pop great popcorn very quickly, and it tastes so much better than the microwaved stuff.

Amie - quit letting Ian deep-fry the popcorn.

Popcorn on the stove top is an art. One I never learned, though I'm one of the few that can pop it over coals or a BBQ and not burn it.

Bren R.

Do they still make Jiffy Pop? The hardest part to stove-top popcorn is remember to turn the butter on first. Otherwise you're staring at that big, salty bowl full'o'fun getting cold while the butter slowly liquifies . . . So, what's the key to campfire popcorn - constant motion? High grille? Or going to the grave with you?

Lots of airspace, keeping it moving, using FRESH popcorn - what will pop in an air popper might not still be good for the fire - and knowing by how fast the kernals pop how high to hold it.

Bren cook outside on fire. Woman cook inside with magic. Unga-bung.

Bren R.

The secret to all popcorn is to keep the kernals covered in oil and as evenly heated as possible. Microwave popcorn is different in that there isn't a single heating surface like a stovetop, or fire.... So you should always keep popcorn moving over the heat/oil.

I am sure that there are other tricks to doing it over a campfire. BrenR?

[EDIT: Just saw that BrenR replied while I was typing mine.]

Bren,
You are correct. Popcorn on the stove top is an art which my wife had mastered. We recently purchased new appliances and the cook top is all glass. No more cooking popcorn on the stove top as you can't shake/rub the pot over the surface

Could you if the bottom of the pot was smooth, instead of ridged? I just got a new flat top and I thought you could shake away if it was smooth-bottomed pan.