Getting popcorn seasonings to stick
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mathandcats
Posts: 786 Member
Does anyone know a good way to get your popcorn seasonings to stick evenly? I could of course just pour butter over my popcorn, but I'm trying to make this as low cal as possible, and that can add a lot. Also, when you do this you end up with some popcorn that really absorbs a lot and is coated in your seasoning, and the rest has little/none. I want a more even distribution.
Here was what I attempted today:
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Popped in whirley pop (aka stove top). I immediately transferred it to a large bowl with a lid, and while still hot, sprinkled the seasoning all over the top. I covered it and shook like crazy. Almost none of the seasoning stuck, so I ended up melting and pouring 1 tbsp of butter over it to fix it. But that doesn't give me the equal distribution I'm after, and if I'm going to have to add butter anyway, I'd rather have air popped my popcorn.
Any suggestions? To be clear, I'm not after a buttery taste, just a way to stick some powdered seasonings on.
Some things I've seen suggested from internet searches are using olive oil instead of butter, or using cooking spray. Does anyone have experience with this? Does the oil work better for even distribution, or does the cooking spray give an odd taste (sometimes it tastes kind of like propellant to me...)?
edit: For some seasonings, I had success adding it to the oil and popping it in it (e.g. making sweet kettle corn). But some seasonings will burn if you do this, so I don't know what to do for those ones.
Here was what I attempted today:
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Popped in whirley pop (aka stove top). I immediately transferred it to a large bowl with a lid, and while still hot, sprinkled the seasoning all over the top. I covered it and shook like crazy. Almost none of the seasoning stuck, so I ended up melting and pouring 1 tbsp of butter over it to fix it. But that doesn't give me the equal distribution I'm after, and if I'm going to have to add butter anyway, I'd rather have air popped my popcorn.
Any suggestions? To be clear, I'm not after a buttery taste, just a way to stick some powdered seasonings on.
Some things I've seen suggested from internet searches are using olive oil instead of butter, or using cooking spray. Does anyone have experience with this? Does the oil work better for even distribution, or does the cooking spray give an odd taste (sometimes it tastes kind of like propellant to me...)?
edit: For some seasonings, I had success adding it to the oil and popping it in it (e.g. making sweet kettle corn). But some seasonings will burn if you do this, so I don't know what to do for those ones.
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Replies
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I go with butter. Mine is not low cal:)0
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I spray mine with a 0 calorie butter flavored spray to get the seasoning to stick. Not 100% but has worked better so far w/out having to use up daily calories on butter.0
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I'd love to know the answer to this. I get a pretty even distribution, but only by going slow. I put a cup or so of popcorn in a large tub, sprinkle a little topping, shake, shake, shake, then repeat. A little itty bitty bit at a time. I sure would like to be able to get the topping on there before the stuff cools all the way.0
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I usually only put very fine grain popcorn salt on my oil popped popcorn and it sticks okay without additional butter or oil spray.
What kind of seasonings are you using?
Maybe grind them to be more powdery and put the popped corn in a bag and shake it with the seasoning powder.
Maybe spread your popped popcorn on a tray and give it a brief spray of oil and then spirinkle the seasonings.0 -
I usually only put very fine grain popcorn salt on my oil popped popcorn and it sticks okay without additional butter or oil spray.
What kind of seasonings are you using?
Maybe grind them to be more powdery and put the popped corn in a bag and shake it with the seasoning powder.
Maybe spread your popped popcorn on a tray and give it a brief spray of oil and then spirinkle the seasonings.
I use a variety of seasonings depending what I want: we have sour cream and onion and all dressed (store bought) and there are some recipes I want to try for homemade seasonings, but I want to improve my technique first. If we just want salt or a sweet kettle corn, I can just add it to the coconut oil and stove pop and it works great.
I like the idea of spreading it on a tray and spraying. Maybe I'll try some butter flavoured spray and do that, thanks for the suggestion!
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Can you just put the seasoning in with the oil and then pop it?
I actually have a kettle popper and always add coconut oil and seasoning together.. The same with brown bag microwave.0 -
barneygood wrote: »
Yes to weird propellant taste
Moisture is how you get salt to stick, fine salt (or not).
A few other options:
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. This has a pump type sprayer. The product is refrigerated. No propellant needed. Tastes better than Pam anyway.
Another option - I use a tiny bit of oil when I pop my corn. I use a Presto Microwave popper, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of oil does the trick.
Olive oil mister - this product is helpful for other things as well.0 -
Can you just put the seasoning in with the oil and then pop it?
I actually have a kettle popper and always add coconut oil and seasoning together.. The same with brown bag microwave.
You can for some seasonings, but others will burn before your popcorn is popped, and some might clump. For salt or crystalline things, I think this generally works.barneygood wrote: »
Yes to weird propellant taste
Moisture is how you get salt to stick, fine salt (or not).
A few other options:
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. This has a pump type sprayer. The product is refrigerated. No propellant needed. Tastes better than Pam anyway.
Another option - I use a tiny bit of oil when I pop my corn. I use a Presto Microwave popper, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of oil does the trick.
Olive oil mister - this product is helpful for other things as well.
I think I will try the "butter" spray next time. My friend initially suggested popping in oil would leave enough residue to make it stick, which is what I just tried. Didn't work for me, but maybe my technique is wrong or maybe I need more oil.
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Never found a way. I eat it dry. The fat must be a critical ingredient.0
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I use pan spray. I get the expensive stuff from Whole Foods. I think the brand is Spectrum. Olive oil. This brand does not leave any sort of weird taste.0
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I use Bragg's Liquid Aminos, you can buy it in a little spray bottle. I use that with nutritional yeast. It works a little better with olive oil too, but lately I've been omitting the oil.0
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I have also used braggs liquid aminos. Works and tastes great.0
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I add the seasonings to the oil (I use peanut) and it covers it evenly.0
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Back when I was in college at the height of the fat phobic craze, we'd spray a light mist of water on air popped popcorn to make the salt stick. Now, I put butter on it and the seasonings stick just fine.0
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Tried30UserNames wrote: »Back when I was in college at the height of the fat phobic craze, we'd spray a light mist of water on air popped popcorn to make the salt stick. Now, I put butter on it and the seasonings stick just fine.
I love the water idea . . . I'm going to try that; thank you, @Tried30UserNames!!! Going to have to be a very LIGHT mist, though, I would guess, so the popcorn doesn't get soggy.0 -
DaveAkeman wrote: »Tried30UserNames wrote: »Back when I was in college at the height of the fat phobic craze, we'd spray a light mist of water on air popped popcorn to make the salt stick. Now, I put butter on it and the seasonings stick just fine.
I love the water idea . . . I'm going to try that; thank you, @Tried30UserNames!!! Going to have to be a very LIGHT mist, though, I would guess, so the popcorn doesn't get soggy.
Maybe try putting water in an olive oil mister to get a fine coat of mist. If you put the prepared popcorn in a single layer on a oven tray you could try putting it in the oven for a minute on a high broil setting (after misting and sprinkling seasoning of course) to dry the water and hopefully adhere the seasoning in the process. Good luck!0 -
Well, I couldn't find the butter sprays people have mentioned here, so I got this: villabertolli.com/products/bertolli-100-extra-light-tasting-olive-oil-spray, since it was the only thing with no propellant. It worked alright, although it is kind of a direct stream and less of a spray. Hopefully that's just because it's new, as it did seem to be misting a bit more by the end. It didn't leave any olive oil taste.0
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I usually use 1 tbsp coconut oil and 1 tbsp of honey melted, then poured over 3tbsp air popped kernels. In a bowl with a lid and SHAKE! Every piece coated, then I toss it with a little salt. SO YUMMY.0
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Yesterday I bought some microwave Skinny Girl popcorn, flavored with sea salt and lime. 160 calories for 3 cups and it was pretty tasty and easy.0
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