We typically try a lineup of similar food products in the Tastings column, but it occurred to the Good Eating staff–popcorn mavens all–that there are so many ways to prepare popcorn that maybe the process, not the product, was due for a comparison test.
Starting with a jar of Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn, we prepared the yellow popcorn four ways: on the stovetop (per the jar’s instructions, 1/2 cup with 3 tablespoons oil); in an electric popcorn popper (per manufacturer’s instructions, 1/2 cup with 2 tablespoons oil), and in a hot-air popper and a microwave-safe popcorn bowl. We also tried a fifth version: buttered microwave popcorn in a bag–again, Orville Redenbacher’s.
We first tasted the popcorn without butter or salt, then added both to taste.
The winning method proved to be the time-tested, old-fashioned sauce-pan-on-the-stove version. But calorie counters, take note: It was closely followed by a tie between the two oil-free versions from the air popper and microwave-safe popcorn bowl.
In all three methods, tasters liked the freshness and texture of the corn.
Lagging considerably behind were the packaged microwave popcorn and popcorn made with the electric popper.
And the results …
Here are tasters’ comments for each method, approximate calorie count per 1 cup of popped corn and the cooking time required.
1. Stovetop (8 minutes, uses 3 tablespoons oil. About 35 calories per cup. 5.4 points.) “Crisp.” ” Firm and sturdy.” ” Pleasant and tasty.”
2. Hot air popper (3 minutes, no oil. About 15 calories per cup. 5.2 points.) “Good flavor.” “Good popcorn flavor with integrity and crunch.” ” Very bland.”
2. Microwave-safe bowl (3-4 minutes, no oil. About 15 calories per cup. 5.2 points.) ” Mild, toasty flavor.” “Smaller kernels.” “A bit flat-tasting but OK.”
3. Orville Redenbacher’s buttered microwave popcorn (3-4 minutes. About 35 calories per cup. 3.8 points.) “Bad chemical taste.”
“Salty, but I like it.” “Chewy.”
4. Electric popper (3 minutes, uses 2 tablespoons oil. About 23 calories per cup. 3.4 points.) ” Not so fresh-tasting.” “Very bland.” “Crisp; plain but fine.”
