Popcorn and Caramel Corn and Clarified Butter

Five years ago I wrote about conquering my culinary nemesis, Popcorn. After trying all the helpful hints readers had given me a couple years before in their comments on my initial post, Popcorn - My Culinary Nemesis, I put together a method that works perfectly for me every time. 

I’m still using the same pan, a lightweight but heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan, the perfect stovetop popcorn pan, one I can actually lift and shake several times during the popping rather than just scraping it back and forth on the stove. Other lessons learned are in the directions below. 

Step 2 (below) is the single most important tip that turned me into a popcorn master! Those 30 seconds off the heat after adding the popcorn kernels to the pan, hot from popping the 4 test kernels, make all the difference. I have few to no unpopped kernels, ever!

At first I was using organic cold-pressed canola oil as a better alternative to the usual highly refined oils, but I wasn’t really happy about it. So a few years later, when I realized that extra virgin olive oil has quite a decent smoke point (375F/191C), I tried that and it worked beautifully.

But that was a couple years ago, and I got to thinking about how clarified butter has a really high smoke point (485F/252C) and offers the added benefit of killing two birds with one stone, cooking the popcorn and buttering it at the same time.

This photo is Popcorn; the other two photos are Caramel Corn.

How to Make Clarified Butter

Clarified butter takes about 15 minutes to make and keeps in the refrigerator for several months. To make 2/3 to 3/4 cup, melt 2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter in a 1-quart saucepan, bring to a boil, cook over medium heat for maybe 10 minutes (long enough to cook off the water content), skimming off the foam floating on the top. Let stand for a few minutes, give it a final skim, and pour carefully into a half-pint jar, leaving behind any milk solids on the bottom of the pan. 

The foam and milk solids have a lot of flavor, so you can stir them into something you’re making or put them on your vegetables rather than putting them in the trash.

Do leave a comment and share your likes and dislikes and tips for popcorn and its variations. I should tell you, my caramel corn is much less sweet than most, and I hope you'll try it this less-sweet way. Also, for those who care about such things, it contains no corn syrup.

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Popcorn 

(Makes about 10 cups) 

1/3 cup (2.5 ounces/71 grams) popcorn kernels 
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) clarified organic unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 Put 4 popcorn kernels ("test" kernels) in heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan (I use the Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 3-Quart Covered Saucepan) along with the clarified butter and salt. Heat over medium to medium-high heat. 

2 When the 4 kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat, and count 30 seconds. 

3 Return the pan to medium to medium-high heat. When it really starts popping, shake the pan gently back and forth over (or slightly above) the burner, holding the lid askew (at least from time to time) to let the soggy-making steam out. 

4 As soon as the popping slows to several seconds between pops, dump it into a wide 4- or 5-quart bowl. If you like more butter on your popcorn, melt a tablespoon of it in the hot popcorn pan and drizzle it over the popcorn, tossing well to distribute the butter evenly. 

Caramel Corn 

(Makes about 10 cups) 

1/3 cup (2.5 ounces/71 grams) popcorn kernels 
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) clarified organic unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter  
1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon water 
1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 Preheat oven to 250F/120C/Gas1/2. Line an 18x13x1-inch half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Measure popcorn kernels and clarified butter. Before starting to pop the corn, in 1-quart saucepan start melting together the sugar, butter and the tablespoon of water over low heat, stirring a few times.


2 Pop the corn as directed in Popcorn recipe, but don't use salt and don't add butter. Pour into a very large bowl (to give you room for tossing). 

3 Increase heat to medium and cook caramel until it has been bubbling for one minute. Stir in the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of water; it will foam up. 

4 Immediately drizzle the foamy sauce over the popcorn, tossing well to coat. Spread out on prepared half-sheet pan. Bake for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.

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Jean