question about popping corn.

[momoftwo]

I love Pop corn but am appalled at the amount of fat in most microwave brands. Not to mention my microwave is cooking very unevenly lately. I bought some store brand popping corn. Put some oil in the bottom of a heavy pot, coverend the bottom with corn, popped it. Like I have done many times beofre BUT this time, the kernels were only about 1/2 popped and by that I mean all of them popped but only 1/2 way, like mostly kernel with just a little edible peice around the edge. Do you think it was the quality of the corn or what??? This has never happened to me before.
Thanks,

[KTinNYC]

Just last night I wanted to make popcorn and realised that the Orville Redenbacher was nearly 3x the cost of the Jolly Time so I decided to go with the Jolly Time. Popped it the same way as I always do, in a brown paper bag with some oil, folded it over, stapled it shut and lo and behold the Jolly Time had more pooped kernals and tasted better. An incredible value.

[Val]

Just a little additional hint...you CAN make the popcorn in the microwave without ANY fat. After you buy some good quality popping corn, you just put 1/3 cup into a brown paper bag, fold closed and nuke it for 2 minutes...(usually does it pretty good for me)...then when it's freshly popped, add your butter or whatever flavorings.

[momoftwo]

thanks all, I did do the method monku suggests (that's the way my mother taught me:) I'll try the water thing this afternoon, if that fails, I'll toss it and go for a more expensive brand. Thanks!

[monku]

Most likely what you bought wasn't fresh and the moisture in the kernels were gone. Maybe check the sale date on your next purchase. Redenbacher I believe is a proprietary type of hybrid corn, I don't think you can go wrong with it even though it costs more.

[greygarious]

It's the store-brand stuff - probably it is older but there may also be a general quality difference. It has dried out. You can put the remaining kernels in a glass jar, fill with cold water and let sit for a minute, Then pour off the water and store the covered jar in the fridge. Try to use it sooner rather than later. I have given in, and now buy Orville's stuff, transfer to glass (plastic breathes), and refrigerate. Far less "flopcorn" that way.

[monku]

I think the tried and true method is to put the oil in the pot, turn the heat to med-high, put in a two or three kernels. When those two or three kernels pop, then you add the rest of the pop corn to cover the bottom.

With your method I think what's happening is the oil isn't at the right temperature for them to pop and you're probably "cooking" and killing the kernels and that's why only half are popping. Popcorn to pop contains moisture and when I say you're "cooking" the kernels, that moisture is probably escaping and why only half of them are popping.