Making popcorn isn’t much of a deal nowadays because there are more simplified machines that can help you make popcorn at home. But, one repeating issue is how to add butter to your popcorn without getting it soggy.
Everyone loves the butter-flavored popcorn they eat at the movies. Sometimes, you go home to repeat it after you think you’ve mastered the recipe but end up with a soggy mess. You’re not in this alone, and there is a way out.
Let’s find out how you can make delicious buttery popcorn without getting it soggy with butter.
How to put butter on popcorn without getting it soggy
1. Clarify the butter
Clarifying butter is a process of melting butter and removing the milk fats. This process leaves you with more oil, giving you a better texture and flavor of popcorn. This is how to clarify butter:
- Take the sticks of butter you need and put them in a Pyrex measuring cup
- Melt the butter in the microwave on high heat for about 30 to 40 seconds
- Bring it out when all you have is a foamy liquid
- Leave the melted butter to cool. As it cools, you’ll see that the butter separates into three distinct layers: a foamy layer, clarified butter, and milk fats
- Scoop the foamy layer out and discard it
- Afterward, collect the clear yellow clarified butter into a clean glass bowl or cup and discard the milk fats
You don’t always have to make clarified butter or ghee at home. Clarified butter is marketed by different brands that you can purchase from the stores.
2. Pop the corn kernels
If you’re making popcorn on a stove, you’ll need a pot and oil.
- Heat the oil in the pot on high heat and add a few corn kernels
- When the kernels pop, add the rest and cover the pot. Leave little room for steam to escape
- You’ll hear loud popping sounds afterward. When the popping slows down, bring out the pot and leave it to cool
If you’re making the popcorn in a microwave, it’ll take less time.
- Put the microwave bag of popcorn in the microwave and pop for two to three minutes
- When the popping slows down, turn off the microwave and bring out the bag
3. Drizzle clarified butter over the popcorn
While some people advise that you pop the corn in the clarified butter, you can drizzle the butter over the popcorn instead.
With this method, you can be sure that your popcorn will not be soggy, each kernel will be coated with butter, and you’ll have crisp popcorn.
To make this step perfect, get your popcorn and butter ready at the same time. Drizzle the clarified butter over the popcorn and toss the popcorn well so that each kernel gets the butter.
Sprinkle some salt for taste. If you used salted butter, watch the amount of salt you add or leave out the salt completely.
Does butter affect popcorn popping?
Yes, the type of butter you use to make popcorn plays a role in how the corn kernels pop. Regular butter will not pop the corn kernels as clarified butter would.
How much butter should you use for popcorn?
The amount of butter you spread over popcorn depends on how much popcorn you have. Two tablespoons of clarified butter should be enough for a medium-sized pot of popcorn. Most importantly, you should drizzle the butter slowly and sparingly.
What can you use for popcorn instead of butter?
You can skip butter when making popcorn if you want a healthier option.
But if you want crispy popcorn but fear that you’ll end up with soggy popcorn, you can substitute butter with oils like canola oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, olive oil, or grape seed oil.
FAQs
Can you use regular butter for popcorn?
No, you cannot. Regular butter will burn instead of making the corn pop. The butter you should be using for popcorn is clarified butter.
This popcorn gives you clear, buttery popcorn instead of the soggy end product of regular butter.
Can you put butter in a microwave popcorn maker?
Yes, you can. You can use either butter or oil when making popcorn in a microwave popcorn maker.
Can you put butter in a hot-air popcorn maker?
Air popcorn makers have a small cup above the machine, which serves as a butter melter.
Then, the melted butter slowly drizzles over the popcorn as it pops. If your hot-air popcorn maker has this, good for you.
If your air popper does not have this melting cup, do not put butter into the popping chamber. Otherwise, it could spark a fire and damage the machine.
How do you get butter to stick to popcorn?
The best way to make butter stick to popcorn is to melt the butter and drizzle it slowly over the popcorn.
Conclusion
So, there’s a way to butter popcorn without getting it soggy. As you have read in the article, clarified butter is the secret to clear, buttery ‘movie theatre’ popcorn. Clarify your butter and skip the pitiable sogginess.
Slowly drizzle the clarified butter over the popcorn. Toss the popcorn to evenly distribute the butter. Feel free to flavor your popcorn as you like. Serve with a glass of chilled juice while you enjoy a movie.
Thanks for reading.
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