Offtopic, but I absolutely love popcorn. And while prepackaged microwave popcorn is decent, and I certainly wouldn't complain if that's what someone served to me, none of the ones I have ever...
Exemplary
Offtopic, but I absolutely love popcorn. And while prepackaged microwave popcorn is decent, and I certainly wouldn't complain if that's what someone served to me, none of the ones I have ever tried (even the "authentic butter flavor" or "theater style" labeled ones) have come anywhere close to tasting like actual American movie theater popcorn.
So I have spent the last few years (silver lining to COVID lockdowns) casually experimenting, trying to create as authentic tasting theater-style popcorn as I could at home... and I think I've finally come about as close as is possible now.
IMO the two key ingredients for making authentic tasting theater-style popcorn are the popping oil and the salt:
You want to buy a refined coconut oil or coconut+corn oil based "popping oil" with artificial butter flavor and beta-carotene in it. Wabash Valley Farms Popping Oil is the absolute best I have tried so far, which isn't surprising since a lot of theater chains use the same brand.
For the salt you absolutely, unequivocally need to use Gold Medal Flavacol. Nothing else I have tried tastes quite like it, nothing else I have tried has had the same incredibly incredibly fine-grain texture, and it's what most actual theaters use too.
And for the kernels, you can get fancy and gourmet if you want to, but IME the most consistent quality is still good ole fashioned Orville Redenbacher's Original.
For popping method, I have also tried all sorts of different ones at this point too:
You can use an Air Popper (e.g. CuisineArt) which typically have basins on top where you can put the melted popping oil+Flavacol. They're supposed to allow the oil to slowly drizzle on the popcorn as it pops, but IMO they're kinda shit, and this method usually results in a very very dry, bland popcorn but with some way moister/saltier pieces mixed in.
You can use a Silicone Popcorn Maker Bowl (e.g. CuisineArt), which works in the microwave. Just toss popping oil, Flavacol, and kernels in it, give that a stir, then cover and microwave on high until the popping slows down. Time will depend entirely on your particular microwave. This definitely wins in the speed category, all the popcorn gets evenly coated in the oil and Flavacol, and the popcorn texture is decent too... so long as you take the lid off immediately so it doesn't steam the popcorn. However, the steam it traps inside it is genuinely dangerous, and the bowl+lid also gets insanely hot, so use oven mits or a towel and be careful. Cleaning the flimsy silicone afterwards is a massive PITA too though, since the Flavacol leaves a salt residue all over the silicone no matter how thoroughly you think you've cleaned it. So the Silicone ends up covered in a fine white powder once it's dried, even after multiple washes in soapy water.
You can also just make your popcorn on the stovetop in a regular pot with a lid. Toss ingredients in, med to med-high heat, tossing/shaking whole pot occasionally to stir, continue until popping slows. Take off heat, take off lid to let steam escape, and let rest for a few seconds until popping stops completely, then transfer to a bowl. This produces the best texture of all the above options, IMO, but it can be a bit finicky and inconsistent. All the popcorn also gets evenly coated in the oil and Flavacol, but it's really hard to pop all the kernels without burning the bottom layer of popcorn. So it's best to undercook it even if that leaves some kernels unpopped (Edit, see: Lonan's tip to prevent burning below). Cleaning is super easy though.
However, I recently bought myself a Whirley-Pop, which is a specialized pot specifically for popcorn making, and IMO it's by far the best method. It has all the benefits of making stovetop popcorn in a pot, but because of the stirring arms, it's much easier to ensure all the kernels pop, but nothing gets burnt in the process. The lid flaps make venting the steam and pouring the popcorn into a bowl easier and safer too. The only downside is cleaning is a bit more difficult than a regular pot because of all the extra bits & bobs and the lid flaps. But you don't actually need to clean it all that thoroughly since leaving some oil coating ("seasoning") the popper is recommended by the manufacturer. So just use hot water and give it a quick scrub, then dry it all with paper towel.
p.s. 2 tablespoons popping oil and 1/2 teaspoon Flavacol to 1/4 cup kernels is my preferred ratio, but if you like your popcorn butterier or saltier you can adjust everything to your personal taste. And if you're one of those people that likes to squirt extra "butter-flavored topping" on your popcorn from the pump dispenser at the theater, just heat more of the same ratio of popping oil and Flavacol in the microwave for 10-15s, then drizzle that on top.
So I put Creole seasoning and nutritional yeast on my popcorn and I've started taking some cracker cut cheese slices and sort of dipping/dragging them through the remaining seasoning. It's really...
So I put Creole seasoning and nutritional yeast on my popcorn and I've started taking some cracker cut cheese slices and sort of dipping/dragging them through the remaining seasoning. It's really good and sates my "eat this with my fingers" urges.
I've seen that video before, and been tempted to try the complete recipe. When I'm in the mood for a topping, I already often put chili crisps onto my "theater-style" popcorn though, so can vouch...
I've seen that video before, and been tempted to try the complete recipe. When I'm in the mood for a topping, I already often put chili crisps onto my "theater-style" popcorn though, so can vouch for that being delicious as well. :)
For stove top popping the technique I've found to work is to put the oil in the pan with just 3 kernels. Heat until those pop. Remove them carefully and add the rest of the kernels. Wait 20...
For stove top popping the technique I've found to work is to put the oil in the pan with just 3 kernels. Heat until those pop. Remove them carefully and add the rest of the kernels. Wait 20 seconds then put on medium high heat as usual. Popping usually starts soon after. Give the pan a shake every now and then.
By getting the oil hot first you tend to not burn the kernels at all.
Ah, interesting. I spent a lot of time playing with ingredients to try to get the taste right, but I never thought to try totally different techniques like preheating the oil for making the...
Ah, interesting. I spent a lot of time playing with ingredients to try to get the taste right, but I never thought to try totally different techniques like preheating the oil for making the stovetop popcorn in a regular pot. I already have the whirley-pop now though, so I don't really need to do anything special to get perfect popcorn every time with it. But thanks for sharing your technique! Hopefully anyone else that decides to give stovetop a try sees your advice so they can avoid burning the popcorn like I sometimes did.
I have to thank you for this comment. I used to work at a movie theatre in high school, and they gave us free popcorn on our breaks; I was so addicted and probably ate more of that during my teen...
I have to thank you for this comment. I used to work at a movie theatre in high school, and they gave us free popcorn on our breaks; I was so addicted and probably ate more of that during my teen years then I'd like to think about....
Anyways, I moved away from from home, and could never make the same quality of popcorn (even my local theatres seem to prefer caramel corn...), but thanks to your comment I imported a whirly pop, some flavicol, and found a locally made "butter flavoured oil", and now I have nostalgia overload with finally reproducing that exact same tasty movie-theatre popcorn 🤩
Hah, nice. You're very welcome, and thanks for commenting yourself all these months later. It's super gratifying to hear that my mini-obsession, experimenting, and comment was useful to someone...
Hah, nice. You're very welcome, and thanks for commenting yourself all these months later. It's super gratifying to hear that my mini-obsession, experimenting, and comment was useful to someone else too. You just made my day! :P
"Popping" back into this thread to echo the thanks. I picked up a Whirley-Pop, Flavacol, and some specialty popping oil and OMG my popcorn is so good now. I'm enjoying a bowl as I type this, and I...
"Popping" back into this thread to echo the thanks. I picked up a Whirley-Pop, Flavacol, and some specialty popping oil and OMG my popcorn is so good now. I'm enjoying a bowl as I type this, and I just realized I never voiced my appreciation here. That random comment of your is legit one of my favorite moments in Tildes history.
🍿❤️I'm glad you're enjoying the popcorn, and thanks for letting me know! It actually does mean a lot to hear that my efforts and comment here was useful to people. :)
🍿❤️I'm glad you're enjoying the popcorn, and thanks for letting me know! It actually does mean a lot to hear that my efforts and comment here was useful to people. :)
I'm so glad about Technology Connections' (if temporary) use of a shorter form. Not that the longer videos are artificially inflated, but 40+ minute videos simply feel a bit too much.
I'm so glad about Technology Connections' (if temporary) use of a shorter form. Not that the longer videos are artificially inflated, but 40+ minute videos simply feel a bit too much.
Personally I love a lot of his long form content, but I get it. He does this every Nov BTW. "No-effort-november", where he still clearly puts a lot of effort into his content but they're generally...
Personally I love a lot of his long form content, but I get it.
He does this every Nov BTW. "No-effort-november", where he still clearly puts a lot of effort into his content but they're generally shorter.
Interesting that some microwaves may have audio detection for popcorn. I imagine that's the only food that it's good for? The steam detector makes sense for other foods/functions.
Interesting that some microwaves may have audio detection for popcorn. I imagine that's the only food that it's good for? The steam detector makes sense for other foods/functions.
Maybe it's used to stop/turn down the magnetron if it hears popping (when not making popcorn)? Like if you've ever had a liquid make a mess in the microwave because it popped. Just spitballing...
Maybe it's used to stop/turn down the magnetron if it hears popping (when not making popcorn)? Like if you've ever had a liquid make a mess in the microwave because it popped. Just spitballing here, it does seem like a pretty niche feature
...we grew up with an analog-control litton main battle tank from the seventies which - no exaggeration - took three grown men to move, and its primary smart feature was a meat themometer, so...
...we grew up with an analog-control litton main battle tank from the seventies which - no exaggeration - took three grown men to move, and its primary smart feature was a meat themometer, so until this video i didn't know whether newer smart features were actual sensor logic or just lookup-table marketing gimmicks...
...i overcooked a bag of orville reddenbacker circa 1984 while listening for its prescribed pop timing when unexpected guests pulled me away and the ten-minute timer ran its full course, burning a hole through the top of the microwave and infusing the house with a profound scorched aroma for the next week; after that experience, i'm a little too gun-shy to step away and trust an undocumented button...
...i've always wondered whether popcorn buttons used dumb timers or smart sensors, but absent any documentation presumed the former as a precaution, so i've never used one...it warms my cold, cynical heart to learn that technology does indeed advance despite market forces to the contrary...
Bookmarked for later because I can't watch atm. But I wanted to add the best sensor for microwave popcorn is your ears. The popping follows a predictable curve: uncooked > no popping > some...
Bookmarked for later because I can't watch atm. But I wanted to add the best sensor for microwave popcorn is your ears. The popping follows a predictable curve: uncooked > no popping > some popping > crazy energetic popping > some popping > burnt. You want go stop at the 2nd "some popping" before burnt. Personally, I prefer the taste when you stop slightly early and leave a bunch of kernels unpopped. But man, the optimising part of my brain feels bad about that and I still often overcook the majority of the popcorn to pop as many kernels as possible before burning
The video pretty much agrees with this, and states that even "not great" popcorn microwaves can still help with this manual timing. Are you sure about this? I was under the impression that (in the...
the best sensor for microwave popcorn is your ears. The popping follows a predictable curve: uncooked > no popping > some popping > crazy energetic popping > some popping > burnt. You want go stop at the 2nd "some popping" before burnt.
The video pretty much agrees with this, and states that even "not great" popcorn microwaves can still help with this manual timing.
the optimising part of my brain feels bad about that and I still often overcook the majority of the popcorn to pop as many kernels as possible before burning
Are you sure about this? I was under the impression that (in the microwave at least) the popped kernels absorb a negligible amount of energy compared to the unpopped ones, so you pretty much can't burn it until all of the kernels have popped, but then the whole batch starts to burn super quickly.
In my experience there's always some proportion of unpopped popcorn. Even in a slightly burnt bag. I suspect the energy unpopped popcorn receives vs. popped corn is roughly proportional to their...
so you pretty much can't burn it until all of the kernels have popped
In my experience there's always some proportion of unpopped popcorn. Even in a slightly burnt bag. I suspect the energy unpopped popcorn receives vs. popped corn is roughly proportional to their relative weights. When majority of kernels are popped, they start taking more than negligible amount of energy.
I've looked at quite a few microwaves before purchasing my current (and 1st) model but none of them had popcorn buttons. ¿Is that an American thing? I do like to eat popcorn but here you typically...
I've looked at quite a few microwaves before purchasing my current (and 1st) model but none of them had popcorn buttons. ¿Is that an American thing?
I do like to eat popcorn but here you typically buy loose kernels and thus get to determine the quantity yourself. It also seems healthier to skip the oil/flat.
As the video explains just listening to the popping frequency slowing down is a pretty reliable proxy. From experimentation I have come to accept that with a microwave I'll always end up with a portion of roughly 1/5 unpopped lest I risk charring. And overcooking is much worse than undercooking when it comes to smell and taste.
From experience there's also a difference from brands and shelf time. Larger, fresher kernels tend to yield better results.
Back when I owned a gas stove I actually found the perfect way for loose kernels (plus oil): you start at a low flame and very gradually increase it until the first pop. Then you instantly maximize the heat and only turn it off once the popping slows considerably. Pouring it out into a bowl for consumption right away completely removes any external heat, so no chance for delayed burning. I guess it works so well because the slow heating gets all kernels uniformly to a high base temperature level. Then they spend minimum time at the temperature were actual burning can occur because they need not wait for their siblings.
Popcorn buttons on microwaves are very common in the US, yes. I also typically buy loose kernels and pop them on the stovetop (a wok is AMAZING for this btw) but the whole "it seems healthier to...
Popcorn buttons on microwaves are very common in the US, yes.
I also typically buy loose kernels and pop them on the stovetop (a wok is AMAZING for this btw) but the whole "it seems healthier to skip the oil/fat" is bizarre to me -- adding oil is more important when making stovetop popcorn bc it helps distribute heat more evenly. Microwave popcorn in bags is significantly less oily bc even the butter taste comes from artificial flavoring mostly. If you really want to optimize for health (which defeats the purpose of popcorn to me but to each their own), get an air popper.
On the stove top oil is a sheer necessity although you only need a thin film that barely covers the bottom of the receptacle. Oils are all different though. For cooking/frying you will want...
On the stove top oil is a sheer necessity although you only need a thin film that barely covers the bottom of the receptacle.
Oils are all different though. For cooking/frying you will want something that can get really hot without smoking. The products of (partial) combustion are definitely not healthy. With that restriction many of the most healthy contenders like cold pressed olive or linseed oil are unfortunately already out. Coconut oil still works nicely and even imparts some flavor. Sunflower cooking oil is neutral in taste and also works well.
For my microwave popcorn I don't use any oil whatsoever and it still has great taste. Sometimes I sprinkle it with cinnamon, pepper or lemon juice.
As far as snacks go I consider it quite healthy. Of course it shouldn't replace a proper meal but compared to something else you might snack on like a chocolate bar it's upper echelon.
I will always upvote a video from Technology Connections. Consistently great content coming from that channel. Thanks to Technology Connections I now know how an air conditioner actually works,...
I will always upvote a video from Technology Connections. Consistently great content coming from that channel. Thanks to Technology Connections I now know how an air conditioner actually works, and I properly use my dishwasher. :)
Sadly, all but one of my apartments has had a built-in over the stove microwave, all GE ones, which all have/had the crappy time-based popcorn button without a sensor. I dunno why GE/Haier seems...
Sadly, all but one of my apartments has had a built-in over the stove microwave, all GE ones, which all have/had the crappy time-based popcorn button without a sensor. I dunno why GE/Haier seems so resistant to putting a sensor in (even the one in the house my family lived in when I was in high school, a pre-Haier buyout Profile model) did not have a sensor for popcorn.
I'm partial to the Whirley Pop popcorn pot I got as a gift some time back though. Toss some ghee in the pot as the popping oil/flavoring, crank the handle while it's popping, then toss the popcorn in a bowl with Old Bay as the seasoning. Beats crappy theater popcorn by a mile, IMO. I don't know why people are so enamored with the greasy, fake-tasting theater popcorn in the first place. So much better to find seasonings of your own to like.
Same. We have an expensive high-end Miele built-in microwave, and it asks for the bag size when pressing the popcorn button.
Sadly, all but one of my apartments has had a built-in over the stove microwave, all GE ones, which all have/had the crappy time-based popcorn button without a sensor.
Same. We have an expensive high-end Miele built-in microwave, and it asks for the bag size when pressing the popcorn button.
My GE builtin that came with the house also asks for size. The button works perfectly...maybe < 10 unpopped kernels in whole bag no burning. GE Profile Spacemaker XL1800. I get the impression...
My GE builtin that came with the house also asks for size. The button works perfectly...maybe < 10 unpopped kernels in whole bag no burning.
GE Profile Spacemaker XL1800.
I get the impression there is a vast quality gulf between "GE" products and "GE Profile" products.
Offtopic, but I absolutely love popcorn. And while prepackaged microwave popcorn is decent, and I certainly wouldn't complain if that's what someone served to me, none of the ones I have ever tried (even the "authentic butter flavor" or "theater style" labeled ones) have come anywhere close to tasting like actual American movie theater popcorn.
So I have spent the last few years (silver lining to COVID lockdowns) casually experimenting, trying to create as authentic tasting theater-style popcorn as I could at home... and I think I've finally come about as close as is possible now.
IMO the two key ingredients for making authentic tasting theater-style popcorn are the popping oil and the salt:
You want to buy a refined coconut oil or coconut+corn oil based "popping oil" with artificial butter flavor and beta-carotene in it. Wabash Valley Farms Popping Oil is the absolute best I have tried so far, which isn't surprising since a lot of theater chains use the same brand.
For the salt you absolutely, unequivocally need to use Gold Medal Flavacol. Nothing else I have tried tastes quite like it, nothing else I have tried has had the same incredibly incredibly fine-grain texture, and it's what most actual theaters use too.
And for the kernels, you can get fancy and gourmet if you want to, but IME the most consistent quality is still good ole fashioned Orville Redenbacher's Original.
For popping method, I have also tried all sorts of different ones at this point too:
You can use an Air Popper (e.g. CuisineArt) which typically have basins on top where you can put the melted popping oil+Flavacol. They're supposed to allow the oil to slowly drizzle on the popcorn as it pops, but IMO they're kinda shit, and this method usually results in a very very dry, bland popcorn but with some way moister/saltier pieces mixed in.
You can use a Silicone Popcorn Maker Bowl (e.g. CuisineArt), which works in the microwave. Just toss popping oil, Flavacol, and kernels in it, give that a stir, then cover and microwave on high until the popping slows down. Time will depend entirely on your particular microwave. This definitely wins in the speed category, all the popcorn gets evenly coated in the oil and Flavacol, and the popcorn texture is decent too... so long as you take the lid off immediately so it doesn't steam the popcorn. However, the steam it traps inside it is genuinely dangerous, and the bowl+lid also gets insanely hot, so use oven mits or a towel and be careful. Cleaning the flimsy silicone afterwards is a massive PITA too though, since the Flavacol leaves a salt residue all over the silicone no matter how thoroughly you think you've cleaned it. So the Silicone ends up covered in a fine white powder once it's dried, even after multiple washes in soapy water.
You can also just make your popcorn on the stovetop in a regular pot with a lid. Toss ingredients in, med to med-high heat, tossing/shaking whole pot occasionally to stir, continue until popping slows. Take off heat, take off lid to let steam escape, and let rest for a few seconds until popping stops completely, then transfer to a bowl. This produces the best texture of all the above options, IMO, but it can be a bit finicky and inconsistent. All the popcorn also gets evenly coated in the oil and Flavacol, but it's really hard to pop all the kernels without burning the bottom layer of popcorn. So it's best to undercook it even if that leaves some kernels unpopped (Edit, see: Lonan's tip to prevent burning below). Cleaning is super easy though.
However, I recently bought myself a Whirley-Pop, which is a specialized pot specifically for popcorn making, and IMO it's by far the best method. It has all the benefits of making stovetop popcorn in a pot, but because of the stirring arms, it's much easier to ensure all the kernels pop, but nothing gets burnt in the process. The lid flaps make venting the steam and pouring the popcorn into a bowl easier and safer too. The only downside is cleaning is a bit more difficult than a regular pot because of all the extra bits & bobs and the lid flaps. But you don't actually need to clean it all that thoroughly since leaving some oil coating ("seasoning") the popper is recommended by the manufacturer. So just use hot water and give it a quick scrub, then dry it all with paper towel.
p.s. 2 tablespoons popping oil and 1/2 teaspoon Flavacol to 1/4 cup kernels is my preferred ratio, but if you like your popcorn butterier or saltier you can adjust everything to your personal taste. And if you're one of those people that likes to squirt extra "butter-flavored topping" on your popcorn from the pump dispenser at the theater, just heat more of the same ratio of popping oil and Flavacol in the microwave for 10-15s, then drizzle that on top.
So I put Creole seasoning and nutritional yeast on my popcorn and I've started taking some cracker cut cheese slices and sort of dipping/dragging them through the remaining seasoning. It's really good and sates my "eat this with my fingers" urges.
I've seen that video before, and been tempted to try the complete recipe. When I'm in the mood for a topping, I already often put chili crisps onto my "theater-style" popcorn though, so can vouch for that being delicious as well. :)
For stove top popping the technique I've found to work is to put the oil in the pan with just 3 kernels. Heat until those pop. Remove them carefully and add the rest of the kernels. Wait 20 seconds then put on medium high heat as usual. Popping usually starts soon after. Give the pan a shake every now and then.
By getting the oil hot first you tend to not burn the kernels at all.
Ah, interesting. I spent a lot of time playing with ingredients to try to get the taste right, but I never thought to try totally different techniques like preheating the oil for making the stovetop popcorn in a regular pot. I already have the whirley-pop now though, so I don't really need to do anything special to get perfect popcorn every time with it. But thanks for sharing your technique! Hopefully anyone else that decides to give stovetop a try sees your advice so they can avoid burning the popcorn like I sometimes did.
I have to thank you for this comment. I used to work at a movie theatre in high school, and they gave us free popcorn on our breaks; I was so addicted and probably ate more of that during my teen years then I'd like to think about....
Anyways, I moved away from from home, and could never make the same quality of popcorn (even my local theatres seem to prefer caramel corn...), but thanks to your comment I imported a whirly pop, some flavicol, and found a locally made "butter flavoured oil", and now I have nostalgia overload with finally reproducing that exact same tasty movie-theatre popcorn 🤩
Thanks!!
Hah, nice. You're very welcome, and thanks for commenting yourself all these months later. It's super gratifying to hear that my mini-obsession, experimenting, and comment was useful to someone else too. You just made my day! :P
"Popping" back into this thread to echo the thanks. I picked up a Whirley-Pop, Flavacol, and some specialty popping oil and OMG my popcorn is so good now. I'm enjoying a bowl as I type this, and I just realized I never voiced my appreciation here. That random comment of your is legit one of my favorite moments in Tildes history.
🍿❤️I'm glad you're enjoying the popcorn, and thanks for letting me know! It actually does mean a lot to hear that my efforts and comment here was useful to people. :)
I'm so glad about Technology Connections' (if temporary) use of a shorter form. Not that the longer videos are artificially inflated, but 40+ minute videos simply feel a bit too much.
Personally I love a lot of his long form content, but I get it.
He does this every Nov BTW. "No-effort-november", where he still clearly puts a lot of effort into his content but they're generally shorter.
Interesting that some microwaves may have audio detection for popcorn. I imagine that's the only food that it's good for? The steam detector makes sense for other foods/functions.
Maybe it's used to stop/turn down the magnetron if it hears popping (when not making popcorn)? Like if you've ever had a liquid make a mess in the microwave because it popped. Just spitballing here, it does seem like a pretty niche feature
Hmm, yeah that's a good potential use for it as well. Didn't think of that because by the time something pops, the mess has already been made.
...we grew up with an analog-control litton main battle tank from the seventies which - no exaggeration - took three grown men to move, and its primary smart feature was a meat themometer, so until this video i didn't know whether newer smart features were actual sensor logic or just lookup-table marketing gimmicks...
...i overcooked a bag of orville reddenbacker circa 1984 while listening for its prescribed pop timing when unexpected guests pulled me away and the ten-minute timer ran its full course, burning a hole through the top of the microwave and infusing the house with a profound scorched aroma for the next week; after that experience, i'm a little too gun-shy to step away and trust an undocumented button...
...i've always wondered whether popcorn buttons used dumb timers or smart sensors, but absent any documentation presumed the former as a precaution, so i've never used one...it warms my cold, cynical heart to learn that technology does indeed advance despite market forces to the contrary...
...is that weather channel music at the end?..
Bookmarked for later because I can't watch atm. But I wanted to add the best sensor for microwave popcorn is your ears. The popping follows a predictable curve: uncooked > no popping > some popping > crazy energetic popping > some popping > burnt. You want go stop at the 2nd "some popping" before burnt. Personally, I prefer the taste when you stop slightly early and leave a bunch of kernels unpopped. But man, the optimising part of my brain feels bad about that and I still often overcook the majority of the popcorn to pop as many kernels as possible before burning
The video pretty much agrees with this, and states that even "not great" popcorn microwaves can still help with this manual timing.
Are you sure about this? I was under the impression that (in the microwave at least) the popped kernels absorb a negligible amount of energy compared to the unpopped ones, so you pretty much can't burn it until all of the kernels have popped, but then the whole batch starts to burn super quickly.
In my experience there's always some proportion of unpopped popcorn. Even in a slightly burnt bag. I suspect the energy unpopped popcorn receives vs. popped corn is roughly proportional to their relative weights. When majority of kernels are popped, they start taking more than negligible amount of energy.
I've looked at quite a few microwaves before purchasing my current (and 1st) model but none of them had popcorn buttons. ¿Is that an American thing?
I do like to eat popcorn but here you typically buy loose kernels and thus get to determine the quantity yourself. It also seems healthier to skip the oil/flat.
As the video explains just listening to the popping frequency slowing down is a pretty reliable proxy. From experimentation I have come to accept that with a microwave I'll always end up with a portion of roughly 1/5 unpopped lest I risk charring. And overcooking is much worse than undercooking when it comes to smell and taste.
From experience there's also a difference from brands and shelf time. Larger, fresher kernels tend to yield better results.
Back when I owned a gas stove I actually found the perfect way for loose kernels (plus oil): you start at a low flame and very gradually increase it until the first pop. Then you instantly maximize the heat and only turn it off once the popping slows considerably. Pouring it out into a bowl for consumption right away completely removes any external heat, so no chance for delayed burning. I guess it works so well because the slow heating gets all kernels uniformly to a high base temperature level. Then they spend minimum time at the temperature were actual burning can occur because they need not wait for their siblings.
Popcorn buttons on microwaves are very common in the US, yes.
I also typically buy loose kernels and pop them on the stovetop (a wok is AMAZING for this btw) but the whole "it seems healthier to skip the oil/fat" is bizarre to me -- adding oil is more important when making stovetop popcorn bc it helps distribute heat more evenly. Microwave popcorn in bags is significantly less oily bc even the butter taste comes from artificial flavoring mostly. If you really want to optimize for health (which defeats the purpose of popcorn to me but to each their own), get an air popper.
On the stove top oil is a sheer necessity although you only need a thin film that barely covers the bottom of the receptacle.
Oils are all different though. For cooking/frying you will want something that can get really hot without smoking. The products of (partial) combustion are definitely not healthy. With that restriction many of the most healthy contenders like cold pressed olive or linseed oil are unfortunately already out. Coconut oil still works nicely and even imparts some flavor. Sunflower cooking oil is neutral in taste and also works well.
For my microwave popcorn I don't use any oil whatsoever and it still has great taste. Sometimes I sprinkle it with cinnamon, pepper or lemon juice.
As far as snacks go I consider it quite healthy. Of course it shouldn't replace a proper meal but compared to something else you might snack on like a chocolate bar it's upper echelon.
I will always upvote a video from Technology Connections. Consistently great content coming from that channel. Thanks to Technology Connections I now know how an air conditioner actually works, and I properly use my dishwasher. :)
Sadly, all but one of my apartments has had a built-in over the stove microwave, all GE ones, which all have/had the crappy time-based popcorn button without a sensor. I dunno why GE/Haier seems so resistant to putting a sensor in (even the one in the house my family lived in when I was in high school, a pre-Haier buyout Profile model) did not have a sensor for popcorn.
I'm partial to the Whirley Pop popcorn pot I got as a gift some time back though. Toss some ghee in the pot as the popping oil/flavoring, crank the handle while it's popping, then toss the popcorn in a bowl with Old Bay as the seasoning. Beats crappy theater popcorn by a mile, IMO. I don't know why people are so enamored with the greasy, fake-tasting theater popcorn in the first place. So much better to find seasonings of your own to like.
Same. We have an expensive high-end Miele built-in microwave, and it asks for the bag size when pressing the popcorn button.
My GE builtin that came with the house also asks for size. The button works perfectly...maybe < 10 unpopped kernels in whole bag no burning.
GE Profile Spacemaker XL1800.
I get the impression there is a vast quality gulf between "GE" products and "GE Profile" products.