Microwave Popcorn, Home Made

My love of popcorn goes way back to my earliest childhood when my mother would make great bowls full on a weekend night when we lived in a garage… We owe a debt of gratitude to native Americans for this marvelous technological advance they made. I believe popcorn is one of the wonder foods for the following reasons:

The Wonders of Popcorn

1. It is a whole grain, easily grown in substantial quantities.
2. It contains the roughage often removed from processed grains. It also contains the same rich protein (though low in lysine, see “complimentary protein”), B complex vitamins and vitamin E of all whole grains.
3. It is a live food, and sustains itself quite well for long storage periods.
4. It has a very long storage period which makes it perfect for those who want to have a long-term well stocked pantry, or who are survivalists, or are awaiting the collapse of civilization…
5. It is embarrassingly inexpensive, especially when bought in bulk (I typically buy a 40 pound bag at a time). I immediately house it in large air-tight containers such as gallon milk jugs, etc. Air-tight is extremely important so that the kernels do not lose moisture and therefore popping ability.
6. It is DELICIOUS as well as nutritious.
7. And now, it is SO easy to whip up a bowlful in five minute any or every evening you desire.

Problems with Commercial Microwave Popcorn
Commercial microwave popcorn may be convenient, but you probably know the problems with it:

1. It contains LARGE amounts of hydrogenated fats. You have noticed the thick grease after you eat a bag… (Look it up if you don’t know the problem with hydrogenated oils.)
2. It contains artificial flavoring (notably diacetyl: so-called “butter-flavor… This is associated with popcorn workers lung disease) and artificial colors.
3. It contains much more salt than one might desire (200-355 mg/bag), and you cannot control the quantity.
4. It costs three to four times what it would cost if you made your own as below. (How much more DOES it cost? I haven’t bought it for so long, I have no idea.)
5. It generates waste in the form of an oily heavy bag which remains after you have made it.

I am delighted to have devised the following “appropriate technology” for making microwave popcorn at home and believe that many will find it useful. What do you think?

Directions

Prepare a number 10 or 12 bag bag: Fold over the top about 1 inch wide folds twice, Place 4 inch piece of masking tap with the last 1/2 inch folded over on itself (for a handle) on the second fold (to serve as a closure). (I do not use staples because of possible sparks/fire, and the staples damage the bag, making it less re-useable.)

Measure out 1/3rd cup unpopped corn. It is convenient, if you store your unpopped corn in a Mason jar, to use the lid as a measurer which equals close to 1/3rd cup.

Pour the corn into the bag.

Fold over the double fold, and press down the masking tape to secure.

Lie the prepared bag in the microwave. Shake the bag to evenly distribute the corn in a monolayer to ensure even heating.

Set your microwave to the proper time at the highest setting. This will take a trial or two. Set tie time, for instance, for 5 minutes and start it. Listen for when the popping is less than one per second or so. Record the time and use that for your standard timing. NOTE: The higher the wattage, the more effective the popping efficiency. I far prefer a 1500 watt microwave, but they are VERY difficult to find…

Prepare your oil dispenser: Drill a tiny hole in the lid of a dry clean 16 ounce water bottle. Fill about half full with vegetable oil (we use canola, but some have criticized us for using canola…

After the popping has ceased to less than a pop per second, remove the filled bag from the microwave.

Pour the popped corn into a wide large (gallon-sized) bowl

Apply the oil by squirting as you turn the bowl and toss the corn to evenly coat the popped corn.

Apply your desired seasoning. (Someday, I will patent my seasoning which my students have loved for years…)

Serve up the corn in 12-16 ounce cups. The whole process takes less than five minutes. YUM!