CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last month, the Regal movie chain shuttered all of its 536 theaters. That’s over 7,000 screens, about 100,000 miles of Twizzlers laid end to end, and a whole lot of popcorn. Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do right now to repopulate the theatrical landscape. As for the Twizzlers, you’re on your own. Maybe you should check the candy aisle of your grocery store, right next to the 26 varieties of M&Ms.
But as for movie popcorn, huzzah! We’ve got you covered. Here’s a recipe that will get you mighty close to the stuff you used to buy at the concession stand, plus a temporary license to put on as much buttery topping as you would if you were really truly at the movies.
The classic movie-theater recipe is a compendium of saturated fat and calories, but that’s OK, because right now we really just need comfort. So, get out a medium-sized, medium-to-heavy-weight pot (nothing fancy please, there’s too many gourmands out there who tragically burned out their Le Cruset Dutch ovens on this stove top recipe). Heat it on medium-high briefly and then add one tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil and three corn kernels.
When those pop, add 1/3 cup popcorn and 1/2 teaspoon of the secret ingredient, Flavacol. No, it’s not a particularly addictive cough syrup, but a very fine flaked salt with just the right combination of Yellow Dyes #4 and #6 that gives movie popcorn its unique color and intense saltiness (available at Dean Supply or online).
Then, give the pot a good shake, turn the heat to medium, and stand by. In two or three minutes, the popping will start in earnest. Shake every 15 seconds or so and tilt the cover occasionally to vent the steam so the popcorn stays crisp. Remove from heat when the sound abates and shake one more time to encourage those last few kernels to give it up and pop.
Let cool very briefly and then empty the popcorn into a nice big bowl. For extra authenticity, add theater-style butter-flavored popcorn topping (available online). It does add a polish to your popcorn, but if the partially hydrogenated soybean oil, artificial butter flavor, TBHQ, and methyl-silicone give you pause, perhaps just toss with real butter, lots of it.
So now that you know, go to it. Then pull up the La-Z-Boy and crank up that 75-inch OLED 4K TV. Whether you’re screening the latest new horror flick or a classic from Alfred Hitchcock, it’s much more fun with a big tub of buttery almost-movie popcorn, and, of course, its classic accompaniment…a monster cup of Diet Coke.
Now that you’ve mastered the basics, here’s a few more things to cornsider:
Be More Chic
If you are looking for a recipe similar to, but a little more life-affirming than the totally committed experience above, try subbing lower-fat avocado oil for the coconut oil, and buzz some regular Kosher salt in a blender or food processor to make your own micro-sized salt flakes that have a cling factor similar to Flavacol. If you’re feeling truly luxe, use your fancy imported Maldon salt and some extra-rich Irish or French butter for a Euro-style finishing touch.
More is More…
If you’re looking to play the ratios a little, you can try the popcorn that made New York Times legendary recipe maven Melissa Clark’s “popcorn world explode”. Chef Jessica Koslow’s startling recipe calls for a full 1/2 cup oil to a mere 1/3 cup popcorn but makes a popcorn that’s ultra-crunchy and tastes luxuriously deep-fried, almost like a potato chip experience. Pop as before with avocado, grape seed or even more fabulously, macadamia nut oil, then turn the whole thing out into a large bowl, season with your best salt, let sit for five minutes for the flavors to meld, and dive in. Excessive? Perhaps. But life can be short, brutish, and cruel. Indulge now, perhaps with a glass of nice soft unoaked Chardonnay.
…..and Less is Less
Sometimes, you just want an easy snack, and you want it now. Nothing is more elegantly easy than microwave popcorn. Not the commercial stuff that comes in a tri-fold bag along with who knows what else inside, but a small handful of corn, about 1/4 cup, put in a plain brown paper lunch bag, top folded over twice and microwaved for two to four minutes. Watch carefully and remove as soon as the popping slows. Add melted butter and salt right into the bag if you please, or just enjoy as is. With no calories and no clean-up, perhaps less is actually more.
Sometimes the simple toppings are the best for homemade movie popcorn -- like topping things off with cinnamon and sugar, with a special, sweet treat.
The Best Toppings are Simple Shake-Ins
Popping corn in oil has the advantage of producing popcorn ready to season and eat without having to add melted butter. You can add it (one to three tablespoons) if you want toppings to adhere better, but that’s a personal choice.
To start, use 1/4 cup of oil (canola, coconut, vegetable, grape seed, and avocado are all good, as is any other high flashpoint oil) to 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels. Using the method described above to pop the corn, turn the popped corn out into a large bowl and immediately add the dry toppings (or the dry ingredients mixed into the melted butter), toss well, and eat.
Simple toppings include 1 1/2 teaspoons each of sugar and cinnamon plus a pinch of salt or 2 teaspoons of good curry powder with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. For smoky savory popcorn with a bright citrus note, try 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika with 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary and 1 teaspoon grated lime zest, and most simply and my personal favorite, add 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel seasoning and then shake it up, baby!
Everyone needs a good caramel corn recipe in their repertoire.
But Then There’s Maple Bacon Caramel Corn
Everyone needs a good caramel corn recipe in their repertoire. This maple-flavored, bacon-flecked version may be considered “gilding the lily”, but isn’t that what caramel corn is all about anyway?
6 slices bacon
5 cups popcorn, popped
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup pecans (toasted, chopped)
Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat or non-stick aluminum foil. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy, then drain off the fat and let it cool. Once cool, coarsely chop the bacon into half-inch pieces. Place the bacon, popcorn, and chopped pecans into a large bowl and toss them together. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup and stir them together over medium heat. Once the sugar and butter have melted, stop stirring and insert a candy thermometer.
Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 238 F/114 C on the candy thermometer, which should only take 3 to 4 minutes. Once at the proper temperature, remove the pan from the heat, add the baking soda, and stir vigorously. The sugar mixture will foam up, so be careful during this step. Pour the foamy sugar over the popcorn mixture in the bowl and quickly stir everything together, making sure the popcorn, nuts, and bacon are coated with caramel. Spread the popcorn out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake it for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to distribute the caramel. Once it is golden brown and crunchy, take the popcorn out of the oven and allow to cool completely, if you can wait that long. (Courtesy of The Spruce Eats)
Here’s another too-much-is-just-about-right movie popcorn recipe, Western-style; cumin-scented, chili-spiked -- good and buttery to boot!
And Chili Cheese Corn
Here’s another too-much-is-just-about-right recipe, Western-style; cumin-scented, chili-spiked -- good and buttery to boot!
10 heaping cups popped corn
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (preferably with a microplane for fine
shreds)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Put popcorn in a large mixing bowl, toss with butter mixed with chili powder and cumin. Place popcorn on a silpat-covered baking pan and sprinkle with cheese. Bake five minutes, toss again and serve warm.
And Finally, Popcorn for Breakfast
Along with being one of most convenient and cheapest snacks, popcorn is actually good for you. Popped corn is a whole grain that has significant amounts of magnesium, phosphorus and manganese, six grams of protein and seven grams of fiber in every two cups, which make it an excellent breakfast cereal! Serve it with milk, diced apple, cinnamon, and toasted nuts. It’s a great way to pop up for a fresh new day!
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