Making Popcorn With a Hot Air Popper

Intro: Making Popcorn With a Hot Air Popper

Making popcorn yourself is easy and fun with a hot air popcorn popper. When you make your popcorn with this method it comes out airy and fluffy instead of oily. It also has the added benefit that you can choose how much butter and salt to put on your popcorn. This is very nice if you find the pre-packaged microwave popcorn to be too salty or oily for your tastes.

STEP 1: Gather Your Equipment

Equipment Required:

hot air popcorn popper

large bowl

measuring spoons (your popcorn popper may come with it's own custom measuring device)

knife

STEP 2: Gather Your Ingredients

½ stick (¼ cup) of butter or margarine (more or less as desired)

salt

popcorn kernels

STEP 3:

Plug in popcorn maker.

Place bowl under spout of popcorn maker.

STEP 4:

Measure out your kernels (if your hot air popcorn maker comes with a measuring device, use that, otherwise anything between a half and three quarters cup should be sufficient)

STEP 5:

Pour the kernels into the popcorn maker from the top.

STEP 6:

Place the plastic guard that comes with your popcorn maker on top. ( if your popcorn maker came with a measuring cup like the one in the picture, make sure to place the measuring cup over the hole on top of the popcorn maker.)

Cut off the amount of butter or margarine you would like. (2-4 Tbsp typically)

Some hot air popcorn makers use the measuring cup on top as a place to melt the butter while the popcorn pops. If your popcorn popper has this feature, place butter in the measuring cup to allow butter to melt as the popcorn pops. Otherwise, put the butter in your measuring cup and melt in in the microwave (30 seconds or less should do).

STEP 7:

Turn on popcorn maker. (Do not remove the top cover while the popcorn popper is on. Do not touch the inside of the popcorn maker while it is on as it may burn you).

Wait for the kernels to stop popping.

Tilt the popcorn maker towards the spout to pour the remaining kernels into the bowl.

Turn off popcorn maker.

Pour melted butter on popcorn according to desired taste.

STEP 8:

Sprinkle salt on popcorn according to desired taste.

Enjoy. A lot!

Popcorn should come out light and fluffy with a salty, buttery taste that will melt delightfully in your mouth!

Comments

[JeremyO34]

Can you put the pre-packaged microwave popcorn kernels in?

[sarahmsnrn]

At First, I thought your question was stupid, but really, it makes sense . FYI, don’t put butter in while the popcorn is popping. Very messy

[marniehaworth]

I live at 6600 feet and my Hot Air Popper does not pop popcorn, is that due to the altitude? If so what is the process at this altitude.

[The Floyd]

Well this is a blast from the past, I feel like this instructable was an assignment for a class in college. I just did a little searching and I don't think that the altitude is the problem, if anything, from my brief research, people have noted that cooking time should be reduced for popcorn at higher altitudes because water boils at a lower temperature which is what causes the popcorn to pop. That said, kernels stored at a higher altitude will likely dry out faster than at a lower altitude and become unpoppable. Check the sell by date on your kernels, if they are old they might not pop. I'd recommend getting fresh kernels.

[OgnjenK1]

the real question is how to make the salt stick. even if you add butter later, it is not enough for all popcorns. Also, some ideas for a healthy version with No butter at all, anyone?

[Danger is my middle name]

That's so handy that your popcorn maker has a space for the butter to melt. Also, yum!