When you buy popcorn at the movie theater, it is usually packaged in a bag or container that has dry, non-sticky kernels. If you get your snacks from this source, making sure they are hot is mostly up to you!
In fact, aside from microwaving them, there are only two ways to reheat cinema snack foods: boiling them or toasting them. Both of these methods require heating the item in the presence of air, so make sure you don’t cover them while doing either!
Boiling can be done in water or sauce bowls, but remember that liquid will cause the poppable bits to soak into each other and become gluey. For that reason, it is best to pour out any excess moisture before toasting.
Toasting is accomplished by placing the items in a microwave safe dish and zapping them for a few minutes until crispy and warm.
Place in a bowl
When you get your popcorn, make sure to keep it separate from other ingredients and foods as they can burn easily at that stage.
You can either use an oven or a stove top microwave safe container. Either one will work!
When heating butter and sugar together, there are two things that can happen. It can melt down and combine, creating what we call melted chocolate or it can burnt into nothing but charred sugar.
To avoid this, you have to watch it carefully. The first thing is to make sure that when you add the butter, it has been stirred for a few minutes to break up any clumps. This helps prevent pieces of butter burning separately.
Once it’s all mixed in, then you can pour it onto the popcorn and toast it over medium-high heat until it looks hot and browned.
Heat for a few seconds in the microwave
Even though most movie theaters offer large, self-service spoons or poppers that contain melted butter or oils, many people still get popcorn at home!
To make sure everyone is left with enough crispy, delicious popcorn, there are several good ways to reheat it.
The best way depends on what you like taste of your popcorn and how much time you have before eating.
This article will discuss three different methods: baking it in the oven, boiling it in oil or water, and microwaving it.
Choose which one is right for you by thinking about whether you like saltier, less salty, or both flavors of popcorn.
Heat for a little longer
The second best way to warm up your popcorn is by heating it slightly more than the first method. This works because when you heat it hot, some of the kernels start to dry out and separate from the popping mixture.
When this happens, they burn slightly longer before disappearing. However, make sure that your hand is not touching the popper while doing this or the butter may scorch!
Tip: If your poppers do not have an indicator light to indicate if the popcorns are cooked through, then going one step further can help. When the popped corn stops bouncing back within a couple seconds, it has lost enough air so it is done.
Just make sure to check every few minutes as each person’s popcorn might be finished at a different time.
Try a different bowl
While using butter or olive oil to reheat popcorn may work, it is not your best bet if you want the highest quality popcorn. Using too much fat can result in greasy mouth feel and overly salty kernels.
To avoid this, use melted sugar as the cooking liquid! The sugars will dry out some of the moisture in the air surrounding each kernel, thus lowering the surface temperature and leaving more flavor and texture in the popper.
You can also stir the popped corn just before serving to promote separation of these flavors and textures.
Use less butter or oil
Even though most movie theaters use too much melted butter or olive oil as an ingredient in their popcorn, this is not necessary when re-booting your popper bag!
The oils in the butter or olive oil can often prevent your popped corn from sticking together and floating down the side of the pot. This could be due to excessive butter or oil being mixed into the kernels at the very beginning.
Once all the kernels are in the popper, try mixing some of the hot air with just plain old regular popcorn. If you find that it does not stick well, then lower the temperature of the heat source until it does.
Another way to reheat popcorn is using a microwave only method. Simply put a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a bowl shape container and spread out the top slightly. Add a small amount of popcorn and cover with a paper towel. Repeat until all the popcorn has been added.
Held in the warm glow of the oven, they will start to pop and separate which can then be stirred and sifted through a colander to get rid of any bits.
Add salt
One of the most common ways to reheat popcorn is by adding one or more teaspoons of olive oil, then stirring in a large amount of kosher salt. This process helps re-solidify the melted butter flavor and taste that popcorn gets lost during cooling.
After you add the salt and pour out any excess water, spread the popped kernels onto an oven-safe plate or bowl to cool. When they are cold and dry, sprinkle with additional salt and toss to coat.
You can now either refrigerate them or fry them like normal. The only difference is that you will need slightly less air time due to the extra salty coating.
Try a different brand
The first thing you should do if your poppable item seems burnt or burned down is try another bag or box of popcorn!
There are many brands that manufacture microwave safe plastic bags and containers for popcorn. Some are even labeled “beverage-proof” or “popcorn-proof,” which helps confirm this tip.
They all have similar ways to reheat their product, so we can learn from those recipes.
Combine with other ingredients
While most people know how to make healthy popcorn by either cooking it in the microwave or the stove, less known is how to reheat it. Once you pop your corn, let it cool slightly and then either spoon it into an airtight container or use a good quality butter or sauce-covered hand as needed.
To rewarm it, pour a few tablespoons of the oil onto a medium burner and when hot add the popcorn. Stirring will help spread out the individual kernels and ensure even toasty flavor and nutrition for each piece.
Should you want more texture from your popcorn, cook it longer until all the grains are browned and toasted.