Easy Kettle Corn Recipe
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Ubiquitous at state fairs and farmers’ markets, kettle corn is an easy snack to whip up at home. This basic recipe uses nothing more than salt and sugar for flavoring, but you could add in some spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, or five-spice) if you like.
This recipe was featured as part of both our Cold-Weather Comfort Food Menu and our Bar Snacks photo gallery.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot with a tightfitting lid. When it shimmers, add kernels, cover, and shake to evenly distribute. Once kernels start popping, gently shake the pot until the popping dies down, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, immediately toss popcorn with sugar and salt, and serve.
Like FlyerFan and FeeVert, I chuck it all in at the beginning and with continued shaking and, expecting a few 'old maids', remove from heat early. But what really sets it apart is using cold pressed coconut oil. The flavor is flat out awesome and the oil is not only not bad for you, but is recommended you ingest 2 or 3 tablespoons a day. Maybe SgtStens didn't tend to the pot(not something you can turn your back on) or put the sugar in first? Oil, kernels, salt, then sugar with a tight lid on high at the beginning then a bit lower with near-constant shaking after you hear the first serious pops, removing from heat when you hear it slow down a bit, leaving the lid on until all popping ceases (ow! my eye!) should reward you with some seriously delicious kettle corn. Sounds complicated but we're talking 5 minutes of work here and it's absolutely worth the extra attention.
This has too much salt. And probably too much sugar, if I'm honest, but the next time I make it, I'll definitely use less salt. But using the Pop-Stir that I have, is truly the only way to make it.
I started with just the oil and popcorn until the kernels started to pop, then added the salt and sugar. It worked out great and tasted delicious... if a little too salty.
I love kettle corn, I can't pass it up at the fair.
I use a West Bend Stir Crazy popcorn popper and it works great and I get perfect kettle corn, with little effort and it is fairly healthy. I use a little less oil than this recipe calls for, but I put the oil, popcorn AND sugar in the popper and turn it on. Once it is done, I flip it over (the lid becomes a bowl), add salt and give it a quick stir.
The Stir Crazy has a non stick coating and it stirs the Kernels continuously. It didn't' take much time for it to pay for itself over buying kettle corn. Also, I find that kettle corn right out of the cooker is best and many times at fairs and such, it is not as fresh. Even if they are making it right there, unless you see them bag up your bag, chances are your bag was made that morning.
http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-6-Qua...
I made this in my roommate's Le Creuset enameled cast iron dutch oven, and it worked out fine. I added the sugar, oil, and popcorn all at once, and then turned up the flame. I put on some oven mitts and started shaking the pot vigorously by the handles on the side once the first few kernels popped.
There were maybe 6 to 10 burnt pieces of popcorn at the end, and a few tiny black spots on the bottom of the pot, nothing to fret about. I wouldn't try this without a thick-bottomed pan or a purpose-built WhirleyPop, though. Uneven heat on the bottom of the pan could cause thick black sludge to form from the oil and burnt sugar.
To prevent the sugar from burning -
heat oil til hot.
add the popcorn.
add the sugar when the first kernels start to pop.
Shake the pot - use a splatter screen to cover. Sometimes I carefully stick a wooden spoon and stir while keeping the splatter screen over the pot as best I can. Once there is a good layer of corn popped you can remove the screen and stir with the spoon without kernels flying all over the place. As soon as the corn stops popping take off heat and dump into a bowl. Season with salt to taste.
WHIRLEY-POP is the only way to get delicious popcorn, or, in this vase, kettle corn, in the time it takes to microwave packaged crap.
It always comes out perfect, is easy to use, and lasts forever.
I put the sugar, the salt, & the kernels in with the oil from the start, and heat them all up together. Oil is key ~ you have to use a very high-burning-point one. I like peanut & apricot oils. Non-stop shaking during the heating process is vital, & I also turn the heat down once the popping starts. I usually end up with a few unpopped kernels, because I find it better to err on the side of caution, & avoid burning the sugar.
@SgtStens and lilmomma - I believe it's the Whirley Pop popcorn maker that makes the difference. Kettle Corn made at fairs is stirred constantly; a Whirley Pop(per) does the same.
I make regular popcorn in any old pot on the stove, and no matter how much I shake it, I know I can't add sugar to the mix as it won't get properly distributed.
Kettle Corn, for me, is a purchase-only item.
This happened to me too!
I tried adding the sugar in the pot with the kernels once to achieve the crunchy coating like FlyerFan, but it burned and caused a nasty, oily tar-like napalm to coat the popcorn (and my arms when I dumped it in the garbage) with. Yuck. What did I do wrong?
I love kettle corn! But I had never thought about making it. I will definitely try this as soon as I get home. Sweet and salty works so well together.
I make this in my WhirleyPop popcorn maker all the time but I mix the sugar with the oil and the unpopped kernels. The sugar melts and coats the corn as it pops...I salt as soon as the batch is done. Easy and delicious!
er....not quite the same. No sugar crunch! But the flavor profile is likely to be close.