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How to make the best homemade popcorn in a microwave with this trick

Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY
·3 min read

If you’re a popcorn fanatic but don’t love the overpriced, pre-bagged stuff or the questionable ingredients found in most microwave popcorn, you’re in for a treat! We’re spilling the beans (or should we say kernels?) on the easiest and most affordable ways to pop and customize delicious popcorn at home without the need to master the stovetop technique.

From the simple, everyday item you can use to contain those kernels to a hack you can employ to judge the exact moment your corn is popped to perfection, we're dishing up all the secrets on how to achieve popcorn worthy of a movie theater right in your own kitchen. Here’s the best method to easily make perfect microwave popcorn at home.

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How to make the best microwave popcorn at home

Ingredients:

  • Paper lunch bag

  • Popcorn kernels

  • Vegetable oil (optional)

  • Salt

  • Butter

  • Popcorn seasoning of choice (optional)

Instructions:

  • Pour 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of kernels into a brown paper lunch bag.

    • You can find premium quality kernels at a fraction of the cost of microwave popcorn in pre-portioned bags.

    • If you don’t have paper lunch bags, you can use a large microwave-safe bowl and a microwave-safe plate as a lid instead.

    • There are also affordable specialty containers available online that are designed specifically for popping kernels in the microwave.

  • Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. If vegetable oil isn’t desired, you can pop without it.

  • Fold and close the bag, then shake gently to coat the kernels with the oil.

  • Place the folded and sealed bag in the microwave and heat on high for 3 minutes.

  • Once the kernels are popping in 2-second intervals, the popcorn is ready.

  • If your kernels are a little bit older and you notice they’re not popping as well, try the soaking method:

    • Add kernels to a bowl, submerge in water, and let soak for 10 minutes.

    • The soaking method can help kernels cook more evenly and yield fluffier popcorn.

  • When done, add salt, butter, and/or the popcorn seasoning of your choice.

    • When using salt to flavor, using fine salt is preferable as it adheres to the kernels more easily.

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Microwave 101: How to microwave food properly

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to make popcorn in the microwave, but with movie theater quality