A Poppin' Good Time

Many people will be hosting parties or viewings of the National College Athletic Association Final Four tournament this weekend, and where people meet, food often follows. Game day menus can often slide into the mundane tortilla chips and salsa area, but since money is tight, especially among college students, a great option to please a crowd is to pop a huge batch of popcorn. 

Homemade popcorn is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to feed sports fans. The only ingredients are 2/3 cup of popcorn kernels (any variety will do) and 1/4 cup light cooking oil (grapeseed, canola, vegetable, etc) and whatever flavorful add-ins sound delicious. It is easy to make a couple of batches, each with different flavors. Some popular ideas are obviously salt and melted butter, but a 1/4 cup sugar to make kettle corn  or even a few tablespoons of chili powder and/or cumin added to get chili flavored popcorn. 

The main technique is to get a large stock pot with a wide base and high sides. Popcorn will expand and need space to pop, and a wider base allows for more distribution of heat. Keeping the proportions of popcorn and oil the same, a smaller pot can be used to ensure that the kernels are in as close to a single layer on the bottom of the pot as possible. Heat the oil on medium and put the kernels in the pot. As soon as the first kernel pops, stick a lid on the pot and start shifting the pot from side to side. This keeps the popcorn from sticking and burning on the bottom and makes sure that the oil is evenly coated on all the kernels. 

The best time to add salt or other spices and add-ins is right after the popcorn has popped. Allow a few more shakes to make sure all the flavors are well incorporated. They can be added as soon as the kernels start to pop, but can increase chances of burning and flavors can alter with extreme heat, which isn't near as tasty or crowd pleasing.