Homemade Movie Popcorn (Stay-crisp Butter Popcorn)
Recipe video above. It's buttery and yellow, just like the buckets you buy at the movie theatre Candy Bar! The yellow colour is optional, the butter is not. Bonus: The popcorn stays crisp for several days, thanks to the clarified butter (aka ghee). If you skip making the Popcorn Butter, see notes for recipe amendments.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: butter popcorn, movie theatre popcorn
Servings: 8
Calories: 134cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
Movie Popcorn:
3tbspPopcorn Butter or ghee(Note 1)
3/4cuppopcorn kernels
2 - 3tbspExtra Popcorn Butter or ghee(Note 1)
1tspPopcorn Salt
Popcorn Salt:
1tbspsalt
Popcorn Butter (clarified butter / ghee):
250 g / 2 sticks unsalted butter
Yellow Colouring (optional):
1 1/2tspwarm tap water
1/4tspsaffron powder, imitation (Note 2)
1/8tsptumeric powder
Instructions
Movie Popcorn:
Place 3 tbsp Popcorn Butter in a large 10L/10qt lightweight pot over medium heat (medium high if weak stove).
When the butter is almost melted, pour in Yellow Colouring, if using. Quickly give the pan a shake to disperse the colouring across the base.
Add kernels, shake quickly to spread across the base, then clamp lid on. The kernels will start popping after a minute or so.
Shake briefly once after 30 seconds or so. When the popping stops, immediately pour popcorn into a large bowl.
Melt Extra Popcorn Butter in microwave. Pour over popcorn, sprinkle over salt. Shake and toss well to disperse. Extra fantastic served warm but still irresistible at room temp.
.
Popcorn Salt:
Place in a mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder. OR use about 1/2 cup salt and blitz in food processor.
Popcorn Butter (video helpful):
Place butter in a silver saucepan over medium low to medium heat.
Leave to melt, it will start to sputter and spit, then foam.
When you push the foam aside and you see brown bits on the bottom of the saucepan, remove from heat. Takes about 10 minutes.
Line a strainer with 2 paper towels, then strain butter through - discard brown bits.
Pour strained butter into a jar or container. It sets when it cools. Use in liquid or set form. Keeps in the pantry for months (it is now ghee / clarified butter).
Yellow Colouring (optional):
Mix ingredients in a small bowl until spices dissolve.
Notes
1. Popcorn Butter - Can be substituted with store bought Ghee. Recipe makes more than you need because it's easier to make this quantity, and it keeps for months. We're making ghee here which is clarified butter, which is butter where milk solids and water has been removed, so it's 100% butter fat. Because it's 100% fat, it has a far higher smoking point than butter (you can't cook popcorn in normal butter), and it also means it can be stored in the pantry without spoiling.The removal of the water from the butter is also the reason why the popcorn stays crispy for days - unlike when you douse it with normal melted butter.If you skip making Popcorn Butter, you MUST use normal oil to cook the popcorn, do not use normal butter. Then douse the popcorn with normal melted butter - but it does soften, and is certainly no good the next day.Use leftover ghee in Daal, Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, or any other recipe that calls for ghee, or in place of cooking oil for any Indian recipe. 2. Saffron Powder - Found in the herbs and spices section of supermarkets. Get the cheap saffron powder which is not 100% saffron and has colouring added - it's about $1.20 to $1.50 in Australia. Don't get the expensive saffron powder which is pure ground saffron!3. STORAGE: Stays crisp for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. It can even be kept for 4 days if you have a super airtight container.4. Nutrition per serving.