Can You Use Butter Instead of Oil for Popcorn? A Guide to Buttery Popcorn Bliss

Popcorn, that quintessential movie snack, conjures up images of fluffy white kernels transformed into golden, airy puffs, generously coated in a buttery glaze. While most popcorn recipes call for oil as the popping medium, have you ever wondered if you could achieve that same buttery goodness by using butter instead? The answer is yes, but with a caveat: regular butter has a lower smoke point than the ideal temperature for popping popcorn, leading to burnt butter and potentially ruined popcorn. However, fear not, popcorn enthusiasts! There’s a simple solution: clarified butter, also known as ghee, comes to the rescue.

Clarified Butter: The Key to Buttery Popcorn Perfection

Clarified butter is essentially butter with its milk solids and water content removed, leaving behind pure butterfat. This simple transformation elevates its smoke point significantly, making it suitable for the high temperatures required for popcorn popping. You can purchase clarified butter from most supermarkets or opt for ghee, a similar product commonly used in Indian cuisine. Alternatively, making your own clarified butter is a straightforward process:

Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat.
As the butter melts, it separates into three layers: foam on top, clarified butter in the middle, and milk solids at the bottom.
Skim off and discard the foam.
Carefully pour the clarified butter into a separate container, leaving the milk solids behind.

This golden liquid is your ticket to buttery popcorn bliss.

Popping Perfection: Stovetop and Microwave Methods

With your clarified butter ready, let’s explore two popular popcorn-popping methods:

Stovetop Method:

In a large saucepan with a lid, combine 2 tablespoons of clarified butter per 2 ounces of popcorn kernels.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and add 4-5 popcorn kernels. Cover the pan and wait for the kernels to pop.
Once the “test” kernels pop, add the remaining kernels and replace the lid.
Shake the pan frequently and vent the lid occasionally as the popcorn pops.
Remove the pan from heat when the popping slows down to one pop every 10 seconds.
Transfer the popcorn to a bowl and season as desired.

Microwave Method:

In a brown paper bag, combine 1/4 teaspoon of clarified butter, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels.
Fold the open end of the bag several times.
Microwave the bag on high for up to 2 minutes, stopping when the popping slows down to one pop every 3 seconds.
Experiment with timing to find the sweet spot for your microwave.

Extra Buttery Bliss: Tips and Tricks

If you’re a die-hard butter lover, here are some ways to amp up the buttery flavor:

Stovetop Method:

Simply increase the amount of clarified butter you use while popping the kernels.

Microwave Method:

Drizzle additional clarified butter over the popped popcorn after it’s done, along with your favorite seasonings.

With clarified butter as your secret weapon, you can now indulge in the irresistible allure of homemade popcorn, bursting with buttery flavor and fluffy texture. Experiment with different seasonings, explore creative flavor combinations, and discover your perfect popcorn recipe. So, grab your favorite movie, settle in for a cozy evening, and let the buttery aroma of popcorn fill your home with pure joy.

Alright, teach me how to pop popcorn on the stove!

To start, you’ll need a large pot that can be covered for this. The reason is that popcorn expands, so you’ll need to shake the pot while it pops, so I wouldn’t suggest using a heavy pot like a Dutch oven. And man, cast iron is hard to shake.

Use a large, attractive pot when making popcorn on the stove. Popcorn expands!.

After choosing your pot, you will prepare your popcorn using the following method:

Turn up the heat to high and pour in the coconut oil.
After the oil has melted fully, add the popcorn kernels.
Rotate the pot to ensure that every kernel is roughly covered in a single layer of coconut oil and receives a nice little coating.
Shake the pan thoroughly from time to time to prevent the kernels from burning.
Put the pot’s lid on after the first kernel pops, leaving it slightly ajar to let out steam, or else popcorn will start flying everywhere in your kitchen.
Shake the pot frequently while the popcorn is popping to avoid burning. Within a few minutes, you’ll hear the popping slow down. After turning off the burner, give it a few minutes to sit.

Can’t I just use ghee instead of clarifying the butter?

You sure can! Ghee is shelf-stable clarified butter that is perfect for melting and drizzling on popcorn. Saves a step!

Making Movie Theater Popcorn At Home | But Better

FAQ

Can you pop popcorn with just butter?

Heat 2 tablespoons clarified butter in 7- to 9-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add a few popcorn kernels to melted clarified butter and let pop. Once popped, add remaining kernels; swirl to coat in butter. Cover; reduce heat to medium.

What can I use to pop popcorn if I don’t have oil?

Pop your popcorn in a dry pan or skillet, no oil. Controversial, I know, but I find that popping popcorn in hot oil increases the likelihood of burnt popcorn and dead kernels. Dry pan popping results in beautiful light popcorn that provides the perfect blank canvas for all your favorite seasonings.

Does butter affect popcorn popping?

Salt, vegetable oil, and butter levels showed statistically significant effects on the unpopped kernel ratio and expansion volume in conventional popping, both in linear and squared terms (P < 0.05 and 0.01, Table 2).

How do you add butter to popcorn without making it soggy?

Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers.

Can you make popcorn with butter instead of oil?

You see, the best way to make popcorn with butter instead of oil is by melting the butter on the pan, adding the kernels, and heating until they pop. However, the problem is that regular butter has a low smoke point, which means that odds are your butter will start to smoke or burn before all the kernels have popped. The solution? Clarified butter.

What are the best substitutes for butter?

The substitute that you might want to use depends on what you are using butter for. In baking you can use any fat such as olive oil, nut butters, or even avocados. In baking you can also substitute non-fats for butter such as Greek yogurt, mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or even applesauce. For replacing butter as a spread, you can use any fat, hummus, avocado, nut butter, or cheese. For cooking, canola oil can be a great sub, or avocado oil is also good because it has a high smoke point.

What can I substitute for butter in popcorn?

The traditional popcorn recipe includes butter and salt. But you can always experiment and substitute the butter with something else — for example, coconut oil, nut butter, avocado, olive oil, and many more. 1. Replace Butter with Olive oil

Does butter make a good buttered popcorn?

Yes absolutely – it makes the best buttered popcorn if you do it this way. Be sure to shake it so the butter is evenly distributed throughout the kernels. How do you add butter to popcorn?