Are you a big fan of crispy popcorn? Then you are going to love my Movie Style Popcorn recipe. Buttery, super crisp and irresistibly delicious. Perfect to enjoy as a quick snack or tuck into a heaping bowl with a movie. Using just 3 ingredients, now you can make this all-time classic movie snack at home.
Movie Style Popcorn
Have you ever tried to replicate the flavour and texture of the popcorn sold at cinemas? Just to end up with chewy, burnt popcorn. Well, that's all about to change because, with a few simple twists in the ingredients, chewy and burnt popcorn is going to be a thing of the past.
So what's the secret?
It lies in these 2 ingredients: Clarified butter used to pop perfectly puffy, crisp, and buttery popcorn and finely ground salt to season.
What is the difference between using regular butter or oil and clarified butter?
Regular butter contains water and milk solids, which lead to a soggy snack. Unless you are cooking it over relatively low heat, it has a tendency to burn and smoke extremely quickly.
Popcorn kernels are popped over high heat, so it's not ideal to use butter.
Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than most common cooking oils like canola, sunflower, butter, or coconut oil. These oils have a lower smoke point.
Using clarified butter with its heat-sensitive component which is milk solids removed, you have this amazing liquid with a higher smoke point.
This is perfect for stir-frying, searing, frying, or even making the most amazing popcorn which stays crisp for hours.
Why finely ground salt?
The texture of regular table salt granules is too large to stick properly onto the cooked popcorn. Grinding the salt creates a powdery, fine-textured salt perfect for coating the cooked popcorn.
The salt can be ground using a mortar and pestle or quickly pulsed in a food processor.
How to make clarified butter for your popcorn
While the video and the full printable recipe is written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to guide you.
A quick step by step to make clarified butter
You can read my detailed post on How to make clarified butter or follow this quick step by step guide
Clarified butter may seem like a fancy or intimidating ingredient to make, but I promise it is super easy. Taking under 10 minutes to get the perfect medium to pop perfectly crisp popcorn every time.
Clarified butter can also be made in a large batch as it can be stored for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
So whenever the munchies, attack, you have your stash of clarified butter ready to pop the perfect popcorn.
Step 1- Melt the butter: Start by heating the butter in a heavy-based pot on very low heat.
Step 2 - solids start to separate within 2 minutes: As the butter melts it starts to splatter and foam begins to rise to the surface. The splattering means that the water in the butter is evaporating. Continue to simmer the butter until the splattering subsides, about 5 minutes.
Step 3 -Do not stir the butter during the entire cooking process: You can lightly skim the surface to remove some of the foam. This will also help you to monitor the colour of the butter more carefully as it turns in colour
Remove it from the stove as soon as the foam turns a golden yellow
Step 4 - Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a paper towel: Set it over a heatproof container or glass measuring jug.
Step 5 - Gently pour the liquid through the strainer.
Step 6 - Storage: If you are not using it immediately, then transfer your strained ghee / clarified butter to a dry glass jar and store at room temperature for up to 3 months or refrigerate for up to I year.
The clarified butter will naturally solidify at room temperature or when refrigerated. When heated for use it will return to its golden brown liquid.
Is there a substitute for homemade clarified butter
Yes, there is, although it is cheaper to make your own, you can get storebought ghee. It works the same as using clarified butter in any recipe which calls for it.
How to make Movie Style Popcorn
While the video and the full printable recipe is written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to guide you.
- Grind the salt: Grind the salt using a mortar and pestle or quickly pulse in a food processor until it is fine and powdery. Add flavouring like cheese or onion powder, if you like.
- Heat the clarified butter in a large pot: Heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the popcorn kernels: Add the popcorn kernels and swirl to coat them in the butter. Cover with a lid.
- Cook for between 4 to 5 minutes: Gently shake the pan for every 10 seconds or so while kernels pop. This ensures that most of the kernels pop.
- Remove from the heat: After about 4 -5minutes or when the popping slows, remove the pot from heat.
- Coat with extra melted butter: Use 2 extra tablespoons of melted butter to pour over the cooked popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt.
Tips for making perfectly crispy popcorn
- Use a large pot to cook the popcorn. This ensures even well-distributed heat circulating in the pot. There is enough space for the popcorn to pop and it will not burn on the surface of the pot
- To create crispy fluffy popcorn ensure that you use clarified butter or ghee. Normal butter or oil will not give the same texture and flavour. Butter that has not been clarified contains milk solids. The milk solids in the butter are what creates soggy, chewy popcorn.
- Remove the pot from the stove immediately when the popping stops or slows.
- Transfer the cooked popcorn to your serving bowl pour the clarified butter and toss in the ground salt. This has to be done while the popcorn is still hot. It ensures that the butter and salt stick properly to the popcorn
Enjoy ♥
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Movie Style Popcorn
Ingredients
For the clarified butter See note 1
- 2 sticks of butter
For the popcorn
- 1 Tablespoon salt or to taste
- 4 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
- ½ cup popcorn kernels
Instructions
To make the clarified butter
- Melt the butter: Start by heating the butter in a heavy-based pot on very low heat.
- Solids start to separate within 2 minutes: As the butter melts it starts to splatter and foam begins to rise to the surface. The splattering means that the water in the butter is evaporating. Continue to simmer the butter until the splattering subsides, about 5 minutes.
- Do not stir the butter during the entire cooking process: You can lightly skim the surface to remove some of the foam. This will also help you to monitor the colour of the butter more carefully as it turns in colour
- Remove it from the stove as soon as the foam turns a golden yellow
- Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a paper towel: Set it over a heatproof container or glass measuring jug.
- Gently pour the liquid through the strainer.
- The clarified butter will naturally solidify at room temperature or when refrigerated. When heated for use it will return to its golden brown liquid.
Make the popcorn
- Grind the salt: Grind the salt using a mortar and pestle or quickly pulse in a food processor until it is fine and powdery. Add flavouring like cheese or onion powder, if you like.
- Heat the clarified butter in a large pot: Heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the popcorn kernels: Add the popcorn kernels and swirl to coat it in the butter. Cover with a lid.
- Cook for between 4 to 5 minutes: Gently shake the pan for every 10 seconds or so while kernels pop. This ensures that most of the kernels pop.
- Remove from the heat: After about 4 -5minutes or when the popping slows, remove the pot from heat.
- Coat with extra melted butter: Use the remaining two tablespoons of melted clarified butter to pour over the cooked popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt.
Video
Notes
- Is there a substitute for homemade clarified butter?Yes, there is, although it is cheaper to make your own, you can get store-bought ghee. It works the same as using clarified butter in any recipe which calls for it.For a more detailed post on Clarified butter or ghee: How to make Clarified butter or Ghee
- The texture of regular table salt granules is too large to stick properly onto the cooked popcorn. Grinding the salt creates a powdery, fine-textured salt perfect for coating the cooked popcorn. The salt can be ground using a mortar and pestle or quickly pulsed in a food processor.
Laura says
What a fantastic idea! I've never thought of using Clarified Butter for popcorn - now, that's just genius! Can't wait to make my own, thanks for the recipe!