beXnlog

Kettle Corn Batches #1 - 3

Kettle corn is not the same as caramel corn. First of all, the sugary coating is ultra thin and barely visible. Second, it's popcorn that's barely sweet, barely salty and well balanced with both flavors. Caramel corn explodes in a thick sweet crunch and leans more towards the realm of candy than a popcorn snack. Now, i love caramel corn, especially with a buttery toffee coating and peanuts, but kettle corn is utimately the superior choice. The addictive crisp, the toasty corn, the not-quite-sweet and not-quite-salty flavor that satisfies both cravings... just thinking about it makes me salivate!

I read a LOT of recipes online. They ranged from overly simplistic to totally wrong - stuff like no mention of salt, steps like cooking butter and brown sugar into a syrup and pouring it onto popped corn (like faux Cracker Jack!), and the insistence of special machines, (not to mention one site that claimed it couldn't be made at home!). Of the ones that sounded decent, 3 echoed similar ratios. I tried a half-batch of that first.

#1: 1/4 c popcorn kernels, 2 T canola oil, 2 T white sugar, salt; 3 qt steel pot, large electric stovetop burner on 6.5 heat.

I shook that pot constantly, but unfortunately the sugar burned a bit at the bottom. The batch was 65% surprisingly excellent and much like what i recall real kettle corn to be like, although the remaining 35% of the batch was coated in burnt sugar and not delicious although still edible. be and i ate it shockingly fast and wanted more immediately.

#2 (a few hours later): 1/4 c popcorn, 2 T canola oil, 1.5 T white sugar, salt; 3 qt steel pot on small electric stovetop burner on 6 heat.

Now THIS batch hit the jackpot! By lowering the sugar and heat slightly, i experienced no burnt sugar. I did get splatted once in the face with hot oil, but i guess that's part of the danger. be and i ate this batch even faster. Even O who hates popcorn liked this!

#3 (a few more hours later): 1/2 c popcorn, 4 T canola oil, 3 T white sugar, salt; 8 qt heavy steel stockpot on large electric stovetop burner on 6 heat.

My attempt to make a larger batch was successful, although even more dangerous! Since the pot was so large and heavy it was difficult to shake, so we ended up trying to stir it while using the cover as much as possible. be got hit by oil a few times, i freaked out and O says he wish he had a video camera. I saw a tiny amount of kernels with almost-burnt sugar but picked those out. I think if it was left on the heat any longer it would've totally burned. Verdict: still excellent. Too bad i have to save it for the beach tomorrow. Would rather eat now.

be's Insanely Addictive and Dangerous Kettle Corn

1/4 c popcorn kernels
2 T canola oil
1.5 T white sugar
fine-grained salt

Pour the oil and popcorn into a 3 qt steel pot. Heat over medium. When you see the oil start to sizzle, add the sugar and stir it with a wooden spoon. Cover and shake every 2-3 seconds until you hear the first pop. (A glass cover really helps here.) If possible, crack cover slightly and stir again with the spoon, otherwise constantly shake the pot using oven mitts. Even if you do stir it again, keep shaking. When the kernels are popping like crazy, lift the pot off the heat and keep shaking. Once the kernels are all popped (this will take <1 minute), immediately dump into a large bowl and shake on salt. (One person can sprinkle the salt while another shakes the bowl to coat evenly.) Makes 2 medium servings.

Tips:
1) Be very careful of splattering hot oil and sugar. Hot sugar keeps burning if it touches your skin. Use the cover at all times.
2) Once a majority of the kernels have popped, it's impossible to stir with the spoon so it's up to the shaking.
3) To take off unfortunate burnt sugar, first cool the pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Pour out the burnt sugar water and cool pot again, then wash as usual.
4) When you pour out the popcorn, it may seem slightly sticky at first - this is when you must salt it - but as it cools it will break apart with shaking. We like to toss it over and over in a large metal bowl.
5) Get all the ingredients and supplies ready. Once it starts popping, you have about a minute until it's time to salt it. A second person is very helpful here.
6) To clarify, "shaking" is moving the pot quickly back and forth over the heat. I don't mean for you to lift it off the stove entirely, until the kernels are going crazy and lifting it off won't make a difference anyway.

Good luck and happy eating! I know i'll make 1,000 more batches by the end of the year.

posted by beXn @ 1:21 AM