Cooking: Popcorn!

I learned how to pop popcorn this week! I'm sure this will be super obvious to a lot of people but I've always bought the pre-bagged stuff or used an air popper.

I used the recipe from the first website that popped up with I googled "stovetop popcorn" and it worked like a charm. Find it here. But it's pretty straightforward.

Add oil.
Add three tester kernels.
When they pop, remove from heat and add the rest of the kernels.
Return to heat and shake pot occasionally.
Take off heat when the popping has stopped.
Add butter and salt and enjoy.

I think our cast iron dutch oven helped keep everything from burning. I just kept shaking it all the time and took it off the heat when the popping slowed down/stopped. I kept opening the cover to check on it and then popcorn flew everywhere.

Generic popping corn.

Coated the bottom of the pan and added three tester kernels.

Magic is happening inside.

Popped! 

Tonight I tried the paper bag/microwave method. I looked up how to do it and the seriouseats.com article made me paranoid the bag was going to catch on fire.

I was paranoid it would burn so I stopped it quite early so there were a lot of kernels unpopped. But it was very quick and easy and just as tasty.

Cover kernels with a bit of oil and salt (I probably used too much oil).
Put in bag.
Microwave until right before the bag catches on fire (or the popping stops)
Add butter and salt and eat!

Popped and didn't catch on fire!

Yum!