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Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

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111–120 of 430 posts

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#111

Best popcorn you can make is cheap and easy cleanup. Take one large pot (the kind that holds like 10qts). Cover the bottom with kernels. Add a bit of oil, basically just enough to swirl and have everything covered in an oil sheen, not enough to have them submerged. Cover, put on high (I use gas). I like to suspend a paper towel between the lid and the rest of the pot, absorbs excess oil and water. Once popping slows,…

IMO flavacol is essential. Oil type matters too, coconut oil gives more of a movie theater style flavor (OTOH maybe not as healthy as other options...)

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#112
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For pop corn you need fine grained salt. A grinder lets you control that. It is only about the grain sizes. Nothing about freshness with salt. With pepper it is about freshly releases aromatics.

I’ve never found a salt grinder able to sustain the salt corrosion in the long run. Sooner or later, salt is aggregating and turning even the more resistant parts into rust. I was recently planning to get back to a regular pestle/mortar setup after yet another costly failure. Did you manage to find a way to work this around?

I've had a fully plastic one for about 5 years

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#113
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get pretty varied with the seasoning too. Parmesan is my favorite, but I like Italian herbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder. You can throw a bunch of stuff on there together.

If you like the garlic powder, try chicken salt on popcorn.

Or just garlic salt?

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#114
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s way too much work. Buy big bag of organic Amish baby corn. Buy a silicone popcorn maker. Toss a handful of popcorn in with some olive oil. Microwave for 3.5 minutes or until you hear only 2 pops a second. Sprinkle with salt. Done. Also a $20 bag will probably make more than a hundred bowls.

It's really no different. Take a pot, toss in a handful of popcorn with some oil. Turn on stove for a couple of minutes until pops subside. Sprinkle with salt. Done. I never bothered with the butter etc, though maybe I should.

Can you just let it sit on the flame or do you have to move it around?

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#115
post #103
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For pop corn you need fine grained salt. A grinder lets you control that. It is only about the grain sizes. Nothing about freshness with salt. With pepper it is about freshly releases aromatics.

It’s easy enough in the US to just buy fine grained salt.

A coffee grinder will quickly make a lot of really fine salt. I do that when I need to heat treat 3D printed parts to improve their material strength. You pack the part into fine salt, bake it at the original extrusion temperature, then slowly let it cool down. The plastic liquefies, and the packed salt holds its shape.

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#116

Stovetop is super easy - saucepan, some kernels, some oil, put the lid on. Low to medium heat til popping stops. Add some salt. Also incredibly cheap.

I use clarified butter instead of oil so that the popcorn soaks it in immediately after popping. Every time I take a bite, it’s like a buttery explosion. I recommend taking it off heat for 30 seconds after adding all the kernels so they all heat up to an even temperature and roast a little in the butter. Use a screen to cover the pot rather than a lid so that steam can escape and your popcorn stays crunchy.

I've been using chicken fat collected from roasting chickens, simmered down and stored in a Ball jar (aka schmaltz)

It tolerates the high heat of popcorn popping quite well and tastes great with a hint of chicken. Usually has notes of the seasoning too... which in my case is mostly black pepper.

+1 on the screen hack, that's definitely a pro-tip.

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#117

Best popcorn you can make is cheap and easy cleanup. Take one large pot (the kind that holds like 10qts). Cover the bottom with kernels. Add a bit of oil, basically just enough to swirl and have everything covered in an oil sheen, not enough to have them submerged. Cover, put on high (I use gas). I like to suspend a paper towel between the lid and the rest of the pot, absorbs excess oil and water. Once popping slows,…

That's why I take out a dozen or so unpopped kernels before popping the rest. It's easier to throw them right in the trash, rather than have to pick them out of the rest of the popped corn.

this is genius! the true life hack is always in the comments...

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#118

Best popcorn you can make is cheap and easy cleanup. Take one large pot (the kind that holds like 10qts). Cover the bottom with kernels. Add a bit of oil, basically just enough to swirl and have everything covered in an oil sheen, not enough to have them submerged. Cover, put on high (I use gas). I like to suspend a paper towel between the lid and the rest of the pot, absorbs excess oil and water. Once popping slows,…

IMO flavacol is essential. Oil type matters too, coconut oil gives more of a movie theater style flavor (OTOH maybe not as healthy as other options...)

Coconut oil is relatively healthy as far as consuming oil goes, isn't it?

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#119

Best popcorn you can make is cheap and easy cleanup. Take one large pot (the kind that holds like 10qts). Cover the bottom with kernels. Add a bit of oil, basically just enough to swirl and have everything covered in an oil sheen, not enough to have them submerged. Cover, put on high (I use gas). I like to suspend a paper towel between the lid and the rest of the pot, absorbs excess oil and water. Once popping slows,…

Out of interest, why do you prefer a salt grinder? I've never understood why these exist. Pepper grinders, absolutely - the aromatics are released on grinding. By not so with salt. Curious if I'm missing something.

I've asked my mother the exact same question a couple of weeks ago. She said, that as salt is hygroscopic "table salt" comes with anti-cacking agents. Salt which comes as larger crystals doesn't need them.

Re: Eating microwave popcorn increases the level of PFAS in body (2022)

#120
post #65

Best popcorn you can make is cheap and easy cleanup. Take one large pot (the kind that holds like 10qts). Cover the bottom with kernels. Add a bit of oil, basically just enough to swirl and have everything covered in an oil sheen, not enough to have them submerged. Cover, put on high (I use gas). I like to suspend a paper towel between the lid and the rest of the pot, absorbs excess oil and water. Once popping slows,…

There are Chinese popcorn cannons that require less work. Here is a video of a family of two operating such a popcorn booth in China: https://youtu.be/DZQNjZ1xNgE We have much to learn from their culture.

I'm normally good at picking up on sarcasm on the internet, this is just an advanced joke, right?
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