My New Popcorn Kettle

@porwest (78726)
United States
February 3, 2019 2:50pm CST
My sister has one of these which she showed me yesterday when we were over at her place hanging out for the evening. I know I had seen these before, but when she told me about it I thought...maybe I might want one. It is, of course, a popcorn making kettle. Now, not that I ONLY ever eat popcorn from a microwaveable bag. I HAVE made popcorn from kernels before. Usually in a covered saucepan. I usually would just put in a mix of oil and butter, a little salt, and some popcorn kernels and it comes out just fine. BUT, I wanted this little contraption since these days with my salt restriction, even if the microwaveable popcorn bags aren't TERRIBLE with the salt, it's still more than I would care to take in for a popcorn snack. And this little kettle would make popping some popcorn just a bit more fun. And I can use my No Salt salt alternative and my unsalted butter and probably make a tasty batch of fresh, homemade popcorn. I found this kettle today at Goodwill for $3. So that was a deal. The ONLY rub was that while my wife were out just tooling around enjoying some of the nice weather this weekend, I went to Dollar General, Aldi, Target, and even Big Lots and not a single freaking store had kernel popcorn! Not that I had any immediate plans to pop up some popcorn. BUT, the irony tickles me that I WANTED kernels and NOBODY had any. Had I been looking for microwaveable popcorn I'd have seen dozens of packages of popcorn kernels available. Ah, such is just another day in the life of Jim Bauer.
15 people like this
16 responses
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
3 Feb 19
I hope you have fun with your popcorn poppeing contraption thing lol.
2 people like this
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
4 Feb 19
@porwest I hope you can find some soon, it would be a lot of fun..
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
3 Feb 19
I like "popcorn popping contraption thing." If I can find some kernels it should be fun.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
12 Feb 19
@hillhjill I finally picked up a bag at Schnucks. Only $1.99 for a 1 lb bag. Only using like 3 or so tablespoons per batch, so this should last a while. Popped it in butter, oil, and No Salt salt alternative. Butter was unsalted too. It was good and had just enough flavor.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (115612)
• United States
3 Feb 19
That's a great buy!
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (115612)
• United States
3 Feb 19
@porwest I've made it before from kernels just in a pot on the stove. More often, though, I buy the kernels and soak them in water for my parrot. She LOVES "plumped" corn!
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
12 Feb 19
@NJChicaa Didn't know parrots liked that. But it makes sense. Yeah, that's the way I did it in the past too. Just on the stovetop in a pot. Works fine either way. This just seemed like a neat way to do it.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
3 Feb 19
I thought so too. I don't know what these go for in the store. But $3 seemed like a really good deal.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Feb 19
This brings back memories for me. When I was a child, I had to have MRI's and EKG's done. For one of them I would have to stay up the whole night, and I'd have to not take my medicine. I forget which procedure required this. My mom would always make it special for me by making popcorn in this manner. We just used a pot, I had no idea such a contraption as this existed. What's your "salt alternative"? Also, You should be able to find just kernels in any normal grocery store.
2 people like this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
7 Jun 19
I just use the "No Salt" brand of salt alternative, although in hindsight it leaves a bitter taste to the popcorn, so I have since resorted to going back to margarine as opposed to No Salt and unsalted butter. I don't use the No Salt. Just the margarine (which has a little bit of salt in it) and it tastes much better.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40170)
• United States
3 Feb 19
That's a cool little gadget! May you soon find all the kernels you desire.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40170)
• United States
13 Feb 19
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
I eventually did get some kernels at Schnucks, a local grocery store. I popped a batch on Sunday and it was good.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Feb 19
I have one of those.
2 people like this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
3 Feb 19
Do you like the popcorn it makes?
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Feb 19
@porwest Yes, I do.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
12 Feb 19
@JohnRoberts Finally popped some in it. It was very good actually.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
3 Feb 19
Your local grocer doesn't have them either?
2 people like this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
They do. On this particular day that was the only place I did not go to. An actual grocery store.
@allknowing (130088)
• India
3 Feb 19
Never knew anyone could be that serious about popcorn
@valmnz (17100)
• New Zealand
8 Feb 19
Hope you've managed to pop plenty of popcorn since writing this. What a great little contraption. I've only ever done it in a saucepan.
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
3 Feb 19
I think that the popcorn taste better than the microwave?
2 people like this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
I think so too. Fresh is always better, and the way I am able to make it...no salt. Winning.
@sol_cee (38224)
• Philippines
4 Feb 19
It looks easy to clean too.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
I will have to ask my wife. She does all the dishes.
@just4him (303392)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
4 Feb 19
The thing is, you didn't go where they were being sold. Looks like it would be great over a campfire.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
12 Feb 19
Never thought of the campfire idea, but yeah. That would work great over a campfire.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Feb 19
It just wasn't your day was it? Do you have some kernels now?
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
I do. I finally got some this past weekend at Schnucks, which is just a local grocery store. Popped a batch on Sunday and it was good.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34196)
18 Feb 19
No kernel popcorn? A sign of the times where convenience outweighs fun or doing it the old fashion way. I like Goodwill browsing. It's like a treasure hunt. Sometimes you just might find a treasure among someone's discarded junk, lol.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34196)
8 Jun 19
@porwest Or in your case TREASURE
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
11 Jun 19
@dgobucks226 Well, of course. Exactly.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
7 Jun 19
Goodwill, and just about any other thrift store is a lot of fun to walk around. I think it's why, despite the fact that I hate shopping, I do like to go to the flea market. I must just like junk.
1 person likes this
• Rupert, Idaho
4 Feb 19
That is very cool! And great idea to use the unsalted butter and no salt!
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
7 Jun 19
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
13 Feb 19
That's the best part. A virtual salty snack.
1 person likes this
• Rupert, Idaho
14 Feb 19
@porwest That is great! Sounds very good
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65287)
• Serbia
3 Feb 19
I love popcorn
@WiseGhots (14607)
3 Feb 19
C'mon, folks! It's popcorn time!