The Best Stove Top Popcorn Is Not Made With Oil

Stove-popped popcorn can help you avoid some of the extra ingredients in bagged microwave popcorn. It may take a bit longer than the microwave but it's well worth the wait. If you don't have the time for home popped, you could also pick up your favorite movie theater popcorn to go. Medium heat is the best temperature to set your stove top on before you begin the popping process but sometimes not all the kernels will pop — find out what may be the culprit behind this.

There are many different types of popping oils on the shelf, but the best stove-top popcorn is popped using ghee. Ghee, a clarified butter commonly used in Indian cooking adds a buttery taste during the cooking process. The reason why clarified butter is so tasty is because of the clarification process, which removes water and milk solids from the butter until only the fat remains. It also has a higher burning temperature than butter and other oils making it the ideal solution to avoid burning your popcorn. Your pot can be removed from direct heat once the popping slows, but leave the lid on until the popping stops completely if you don't want hot kernels flying around your kitchen. 

Like butter, ghee can be purchased in different flavors including Pink Himalayan Sea Salt allowing you to skip the salt and move on to more elaborate options. A little Louisiana hot sauce or chili pepper flakes can add some heat to this salty treat. Topping your popcorn with some garlic powder and herbs such as Thyme and Oregano will surely add some spice to your life. For a sweet treat add some sugar to your ghee in the beginning to make a buttery kettle corn. You can also melt down some caramel and pour it over the top once the corn is popped. 

The spice brand Sauer manufactures a lineup of seasonings specifically for popcorn called Kernal Season's . The lineup includes unique flavors such as churro and bacon cheddar. Choosing the best corn kernels for your popcorn has been simplified by the fact that Zea Mays Averta is the only variety of corn plants whose seeds can be used for popcorn. There are still plenty of options for brands of popcorn kernels you can choose from at your local grocery store to make the best stove-topped popcorn.