Yummy treats: Kettle Corn

Jase: When we lived in Auburn we attended a ward dinner where one of the members provided kettle corn. It was the first time I had ever tried it and I was immediately hooked. But I never got to have the real thing again until recently. I have had the microwave version and it is a far cry from the real thing.

Growing up we often ate air-popped popcorn with butter and salt. We had pan-popped popcorn once (if I remember correctly) when the power went out for a couple days in winter. But, now that I’m older, I really don’t like air-popped popcorn. To me its like eating sponge, not that I’ve ever eaten sponge. Pan-popped popcorn is crunchy. But pan popped is usually pretty greasy after you add the butter.

We have continued the tradition of after-church-popcorn in my family. But very recently, I got the idea to try kettle corn. I found a couple recipes on line, and one very unhelpful video. My kettle corn debut opened at a Family Home Evening and was an instant hit with almost everyone. Ruth is now a staunch convert, previously being against the delectable snack food, with her only memories being of the microwave variety.

Kettle corn is salty and sweet. And those two flavors work together better than chocolate and peanut butter! It is easy to prepare yourself. It has half the fat of buttered, pan-popped popcorn.

To make kettle corn heat 1/4 cup oil in a 3-quart saucepan or a frying pan, making sure to use the lid. Use a little more oil if you are using a frying pan, between 1/4 and 1/3 cup. Heating the oil takes 2-3 minutes. Then pour in 1/2 cup of popcorn seeds. Shake the seeds around until they are level in the bottom of the pan, then immediately add 1/4 cup of sugar. With a Pampered Chef bamboo spatula (this part is extremely important) push all the seeds and sugar to one side of the pan, then to the opposite side, then back again. Then shake the seeds out so they are level on the bottom of the pan again. This mixes the seed and sugar quickly and well. Replace the lid. As the seeds pop, shake the pan so the unpopped kernels stay at the bottom of the pan. They like to fly around with the popping and ride on the popped kernels.

When the popping slows to 2-3 seconds between pops, take the pan off the heat and dump the popcorn into a large bowl. I like to shake 5/8 teaspoon of salt over the mixture, adding half, stirring the popcorn, adding the rest. The salt is really to your taste. If you have a Pampered Chef adjustable teaspoon measure its easy to measure 5/8 or tweak the amount salt you use.

The popcorn will be sticky at first, while it is still warm. When it cools it will appear to have a clear coating on it. This is the candied sugar. Six cups of popcorn is a serving. So, enjoy!

Here is a helpful video on making kettle corn. Fair-sized machines are awesome. We should build one for family reunions. http://www.kettlecornmachine.com/Portals/0/uploads/PerfectBatch.html

And here’s what Wikipedia says:

Kettle corn is a sweet-and-salty variety of popcorn that adds granulated sugar, salt, and oil. The flavor of kettle corn is less sweet than caramel corn. It is a lighter sweetness that contrasts subtly with its saltiness. Additionally, nutritionists point out that it has less fat and sodium than most flavored popcorns, a desirable feature for people on low-calorie or low-sodium diets.

Kettle corn history in the United States
In the 1700s, kettle corn was introduced to colonial palates in the United States. It is referenced in the diaries of Dutch Settlers in Pennsylvania circa 1776. It was a special treat often consumed at fairs or other festive occasions. The corn is cooked for maximum taste in iron kettles and then sweetened with sugar or honey before adding salt. The combination was widely popular in the early 1800s but fell from wide usage during the 1900s. In the early 2000s, it has made something of a comeback in America, especially at 19th century living history events. As of 2006, it is cooked and sold at fairs and flea markets throughout the United States, especially art and craft shows.

The microwave version is sold at grocery stores by Orville Redenbacher's, Act II, and other brands. Most microwave varieties of kettle corn do not contain sugar, since sugar tends to scorch in the microwave. This problem has been solved by replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose. This is a health concern to some consumers, but it is not widely publicized.