The invention of microwave popcorn may seem to make classic popcorn making feel like an ancient pastime. But the truth is there are still people who love and prefer to cook their popcorn on an electric stove. But what's the best way to do it? Recently we've looked into the best way to make popcorn on an electric stove, and in this post, we'll share with you.
Here are the steps to cooking popcorn on an electric stove:
- Turn the electric stove on
- Add the ingredients and 2-4 popcorn kernels to the pot
- Cover the pot and shake it
- Add additional kernels
- Continue to shake the pot
- Remove the pot's lid
- Pop leftover kernels
If you don't have a microwave, you can still make popcorn at home-and it'll only take about 10 minutes. If you have a pot, cooking oil, and a little salt, you can make the perfect batch of homemade popcorn for a daily snack or a Friday night movie binge. Continue reading to learn how.
Steps to Make Awesome Popcorn On An Electric Stove
Things you'll need:
- 1/4-cup of your favorite popcorn corn
- 1 TBSP of butter or oil
- Salt or flavored seasoning
1. Turn the electric stove on
Place a medium-sized saucepan on the stove and set the stovetop to a low or medium setting. Be sure that the saucepan has a lid in a thick bottom, as this will ensure that the popcorn heat evenly. Also, make sure that the pot isn't too heavy, or it may be hard to shake.
2. Add the ingredients and 2-4 kernels to the pot
Add the butter or oil and salt to the saucepan and toss in two to four popcorn kernels.
3. Cover the pot and shake it
Next, place the lid on the pan and shake it back and forth on the stovetop. When the pan gets warm enough, you'll hear the kernels beginning to pop.
4. Add additional corn
Once you hear the kernels popping, add the rest of your popcorn and set the lid back on the pan. Within about a minute, the newly added corn should begin popping. If it doesn't, raise the temperature slightly.
5. Continue to shake the pot
As the kernels begin to pop, continue to slide the pan back and forth on the stovetop. This step is essential to preventing tunnels from sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot. You'll notice the popping sound initially increasing as more kernels warm up. After that, you'll notice the number slow down drastically.
Don't want to shake? Using a stovetop popper, you can just give the crank a turn for evenly popped kernels.
Click here to see a stovetop popper on Amazon.
6. Remove the pot's lid
Once the number of pops decreases to one or two pops every few seconds, remove the lid so that moisture can escape the pan. Next, remove the pan from the stove and pour the popcorn into a bowl so that it can cool down. Use this time to add salt or other seasons for extra flavor.
7. Pop leftover kernels
If there are still unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bowl, add a small amount of oil to the pan and toss them in so that they can pop as well. Once all the kernels pop, remove them from the stove and pour them into the bowl.
Electric Stovetop Popcorn Recipes
Do you prefer your popcorn with a little extra flavor? If so, here are a few recipes that can help you spice up your popcorn to make it just as sweet or as cheesy as you like. Check them out here.
Making gourmet-style popcorn doesn't have to be a challenge. In fact, you may have all of the ingredients to make a perfect batch of gourmet popcorn right at home. And if you are someone who loves extra seasoning, you'll definitely want to check out these recipes. Find the recipes here.
Are you a kettle corn fanatic? Sometimes we all crave a bit of sweet and salty flavor at the same time. If this sounds like you, we've got the perfect recipe for you to make homemade kettle corn in about 5 to 10 minutes. Learn more here.
Which Oil Is Best For Popcorn?
There is no set standard for the oil you can use when making homemade popcorn, and there are several suitable options available. Let's look at the most common choices.
Canola Oil
Canola oil is probably the most commonly used oil to make popcorn. It comes from grape seed oil and has a low amount of saturated fat. What makes it a common pick is that the taste is rather mild, so it doesn't affect the flavor of the popcorn--not to mention it's fairly inexpensive and in abundance and most grocery stores.
Check out this canola oil Amazon.
Olive Oil
You can also use olive oil for your homemade popcorn. It's one of the healthier options to use and has a high level of unsaturated fats. It's also known for adding a bit of flavor to your popcorn, which is perfect for adding spices as well.
Find this olive oil on Amazon.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil has a very mild flavor, which makes it ideal for popcorn making. You can also use it as a dressing to add additional flavors and seasoning. Sunflower oil has a low level of saturated fat, and it's also rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are known to improve blood cholesterol levels.
Check out this sunflower oil on Amazon.
Coconut Oil
If you want to make homemade popcorn similar in taste to that of the movies, consider adding a little coconut oil. Coconut oil has a natural body quality that helps to bring out the flavor and popcorn. On the downside, it does have a high level of saturated fats, and too much of it can be bad for you. However, it's one of the most popular oils used for popcorn making.
Corn Oil
If you prefer your popcorn to have a more natural taste, consider going with corn oil. It's low in saturated fat and makes for a tasty popcorn dressing. It has a mild flavor with a bit of a nutty aftertaste that blends perfectly with homemade popcorn.
Check out this corn oil on Amazon.
Soybean Oil
Soybean oil is starting to rise as a popular cooking oil choice, especially because it's high in Omega-3 oils. Its taste is fairly mild, making it a great option for popcorn making. It's also pretty inexpensive to purchase and can also be used to bake, fry, and sautee other meals.
Learning more about this soybean oil on Amazon.
Peanut Oil
If you want to give your popcorn an even nuttier taste, consider going with peanut oil. Peanut oil is the most popular alternative to coconut oil, and it contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E. It's not recommended, however, if you have nut allergies.
What Is The Ratio Of Oil To Popcorn?
When making homemade popcorn on the stove, the typical ratio of oil to popcorn is about 2:1. This means that you should add about one-third cup of popcorn kernels for every half cup of cooking oil.
Is Homemade Popcorn Healthy?
You will typically find health experts give a "yes, and no," when answering this question. The truth is that while popcorn itself is fairly healthy, it can sometimes become unhealthy due to additives. Corn itself is a fiber-rich whole-grain food that most people can digest without any health issues. However, low-quality oils, flavor additives, and too much salt can make popcorn unhealthy very quickly.
If you're looking to keep your popcorn as healthy as possible, try to use quality oils and keep the amount of seasoning added to a minimum. It's also better to go with homemade popcorn, as it typically has fewer additives in microwave popcorn.
Check out this Redenbacher's homemade popcorn on Amazon.
Why Is My Popcorn Not Fluffy?
If you find that your homemade popcorn is chewy or hard, it could be because the moisture is still locked inside of the kernels. Popcorn needs to be heated at the right temperature and with the right amount of moisture to become fluffy after it pops. The most common reasons for un-fluffy popcorn are low temperatures, too little pan agitation, and too little humidity. When making homemade popcorn, be sure to place it on low to medium heat, shake the pan back and forth, and keep the lid on the popcorn to ensure that it reaches its maximum fluff potential.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope that this post has provided you with the method that you were looking for on how to make homemade popcorn on an electric stove. Remember, monitoring the popcorn while it's cooking is the best way to prevent it from burning.
Before you go, be sure to check out our other posts:
Does Butter Get Moldy? [And What To Do If That Happens]
How To Use A Stovetop Percolator [8 Easy To Follow Steps!]
![Popping popcorn on the stove in a pot. Stovetop popcorn. How Do You Make All Popcorn Kernels Pop [Tips And Tricks]](https://kitchenseer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Popping-popcorn-on-the-stove-in-a-pot.-Stovetop-popcorn.-How-Do-You-Make-All-Popcorn-Kernels-Pop-Tips-And-Tricks-250x250.png)
