Microwave popcorn is one of the easiest, healthiest, and tastiest snacks you can make. Follow these tips for your best success yet.
The traditional way to make tasty microwave popcorn is by adding the right amount of butter. This may be a hard bill to fill, since everyone's taste for a butter topping differs, but you can eventually figure out the right amount desired by those who eat your prepared treat. Buttered popcorn became popular in movie theaters when associates added the creamy topping for extra flavor. At home, try melting your butter into liquid form in the microwave before applying it to your popcorn. Dribble it liberally over the popped kernels. Then mix or shake the bowl with the buttery coating, taking care not to spill it. Be sure all the butter dissolves and spreads over the popcorn, as some people can't stand the thought of eating chunks of half-melted butter.
Another simple but effective ingredient for delicious popcorn is to add plain table salt. You can use sea salt if preferred. Some brands come already salted, but it's a good idea to get the unsalted variety and salt it yourself or taste the bought version to be sure the taste is suitable. Originally salt was used to preserve meats and other foods, but gradually it has come to be valued for its taste properties, especially in bland foods like popcorn. Give a few hard shakes of salt into the bowl before adding popcorn; this ensures that the bottom layers will be treated, along with the top. After filling the bowl with popcorn, gently shake it a bit to move the salt around. Added along with butter, your popcorn is growing tastier by the minute.
A third way to make perfect popcorn is to add a few dashes of pepper. Don't laugh! This tastes much better than it sounds. Add the pepper last because you will find that it completes the unique taste of your popcorn, making it different from any commercial brand you can purchase. Shake enough pepper to see occasional black sprinkles, but avoid putting in too much or you will start sneezing and the peppery taste will overpower the corn.
For the semi-adventurous seeking new flavors but fearful of trying them from scratch, buy a box of microwave kettle corn, which adds a slight sugary coating to the kernels. You can find other tastes to try as well. But it is always fun to experiment with ingredients you have at home, so try the butter, salt, and pepper for a new sensation on an old favorite.
