Kettle Corn in a Whirley Pop

Submitted by Dorie's Lori

"This version is light and airy, with just a touch of ethereal sweetness and saltiness. By playing with the proportions, I hit upon this recipe that rivals the addictive Kettle Corn we paid a fortune for at fairs and such! It was created after I tried the recipe in the Whirley-pop instruction booklet, and found it tough, gloppy, and also a very small batch. See also my Whirley Pop Notes below the recipe."

 

• Ready In: 7mins
• Ingredients: 4
• Yields: 6 quarts
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1⁄2 cup popcorn
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, scant

directions

1. Note that this recipe's cooking method is for a gas stove. You might have to monkey with the heat a bit on an electric one.
2. Add all ingredients to the Whirley pop, and pop, using, on average, a medium heat: alternate between a lower flame and a high one. This is in order to send the heat to the outside edges, which is where the popper sends the popcorn!
3. Be sure to remove from the heat quickly when the popping slows. Empty immediately into a big bowl, and stir around with a big spoon and/or your hands to break apart the kernals. (Careful - it's hot!).
4. For an easier cleanup, put some water and a squirt of soap immediately into the popper to soak.
5. After it has cooled thoroughly, keep in an air-tight container to prevent sogginess.

6. Whirley Pop Notes:

7. I actually purchased mine because, try as I might, I just couldn’t make great Kettle Corn in a pot on top of the stove. I tried a number of recipes. They all came out tough, and never fully popped, and the sugar always burned. And I am a pretty patient cook! To make matters worse, the cleanup of burnt sugar on my stainless pots was a significant chore!
8. So, I bought a Whirley-pop. With all the great reviews on-line, I knew I would come to love it. I was right! It makes great popcorn, all kinds! Bonus is that you can use less oil than cooking in a pot, like only 2 teaspoons per 1/2 cup batch.
9. So, this recipe is for a Whirley Pop, as I haven't personally had any success in a regular pot. If you don't have one yet, and you make popcorn a lot, I highly recommend one! Although they are mostly a "single-use" item, they are only about $23. And, personally, I recommend this Kettle Corn recipe over the one in the book.

Reviews

[Nharres]

I used Canola oil as it was what I had on hand and what I generally use in my Whirly Popper. It turned out really well but was definitely too salty (and we like salt!). Next time will cut back to 1/4 tsp of salt (you can always salt it afterward if needed). I made sure to not put the sugar in until the kernels were sizzling and then I constantly cranked the handle from that point forward. As soon as the popping became consistent I turned off the burner and allowed the residual heat to cook the remaining kernels. Not a single problem with burning.

 

[dinan54]

If you have to use a quarter of the amount of salt that the recipe calls for then don’t give the recipe 5 stars. That’s how people end up with a bowl of inedible kettle corn. Thanks a lot

 

[cpeppin]

1st try, I burnt it. 2nd try I added the sugar salt combo after the 1st kernal popped. 2nd time I also kept it on low and it worked fabulous. The kettle corn tastes just like the farmers market. It's addicting! PS used canola oil.

 

[Jeri Jo C.]

My husband's favorite popcorn, mine too. Lightly sweet and salty, just the right amount.

 

[Janet]

So salty it was inedible. Using high to medium heat per the recipe burned the sugar. Half the kernels remained unpopped. I had better luck redoing, using 1/4 of the salt and lower heat, and making only half the recipe at a time.