Jalapeno Popcorn

[jazzdude]

Peanut oil. It’s the only way to make corn, no exceptions.
 
Season with either Lawry’s seasoned salt or Cajun seasoning. This is a hill I’m willing to die on. 

I wasn't a fan of peanut oil, though it works well enough that I'd use it if I ran out of my usual popping oil (especially over canola oil). I suppose avocado oil would work based on smoke point, but not sure how it'd affect the flavor, and is more expensive anyways.

But you are 100% correct on the seasonings (Lawry's seasoning salt is my go-to seasoning, but I also have Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning available with my popcorn supplies for when I'm in the mood for something different)

I guess I'll fly my nerd flag: did a project during an experimental design class to determine the "best" jalapeno corn, as defined by popped volume, crispiness, and heat. Conducted a screening experiment looking at several variables: compared peanut oil vs the orville redenbacher popcorn oil, small amount of oil vs more oil, small amount of jalapenos (1-3) vs a more generous amount (6-9), and cheap popcorn (generic cheap kernels from the commissary) vs expensive (orville redenbacher) popcorn. Long story short, after a ridiculous number of batches of popcorn (70ish), the expensive kernels, more oil (3-4 tbsp oil to 1/2 cup kernels), and 6-9 jalapeno slices (literally, and cooked off for about a min before adding the corn, mt olive brand for reference) had the best success. The orville oil was a slightly more consistent with producing the results and flavor I wanted, though wasn't statistically different from peanut oil in producing the volume, crispiness, and heat I was looking for. Wish I could find the paper, but it's lost to blackboard online and I can't find my copy on my laptop.

Outside the experiment, too many jalapenos adds too much moisture and makes for soggy popcorn, and is brand dependent, so I'd recommend sticking with one brand of jalapenos for consistency. I like mt olive jalapenos since they are sliced thin and crisp up consistently without being too hot (which means more crispy jalapenos per batch of corn).

The Whole Foods bulk mixed popcorn kernels also works very well, and holds onto the jalapeno heat and flavor very well, maybe too well, and is great when I want a very spicy corn.

Coconut oil makes for very crispy popcorn, but you've got to add melted butter after the fact, or use flavacol, otherwise it's a bit bland.

If I want spicy corn but I'm out of jalapenos, about a tablespoon of sriracha sauce right after adding the corn works, though you lose out on the delicious crispy bites of jalapeno.

And the infidel corn earlier in the thread is great, though the extra cleanup due to bacon grease makes it a once in a blue moon treat because I'm lazy.

ETA: this is based on my experience in my home popcorn machine

[17D_guy]

11 hours ago, jazzdude said:

I wasn't a fan of peanut oil, though it works well enough that I'd use it if I ran out of my usual popping oil (especially over canola oil). I suppose avocado oil would work based on smoke point, but not sure how it'd affect the flavor, and is more expensive anyways.

But you are 100% correct on the seasonings (Lawry's seasoning salt is my go-to seasoning, but I also have Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning available with my popcorn supplies for when I'm in the mood for something different)

I guess I'll fly my nerd flag: did a project during an experimental design class to determine the "best" jalapeno corn, as defined by popped volume, crispiness, and heat. Conducted a screening experiment looking at several variables: compared peanut oil vs the orville redenbacher popcorn oil, small amount of oil vs more oil, small amount of jalapenos (1-3) vs a more generous amount (6-9), and cheap popcorn (generic cheap kernels from the commissary) vs expensive (orville redenbacher) popcorn. Long story short, after a ridiculous number of batches of popcorn (70ish), the expensive kernels, more oil (3-4 tbsp oil to 1/2 cup kernels), and 6-9 jalapeno slices (literally, and cooked off for about a min before adding the corn, mt olive brand for reference) had the best success. The orville oil was a slightly more consistent with producing the results and flavor I wanted, though wasn't statistically different from peanut oil in producing the volume, crispiness, and heat I was looking for. Wish I could find the paper, but it's lost to blackboard online and I can't find my copy on my laptop.

Outside the experiment, too many jalapenos adds too much moisture and makes for soggy popcorn, and is brand dependent, so I'd recommend sticking with one brand of jalapenos for consistency. I like mt olive jalapenos since they are sliced thin and crisp up consistently without being too hot (which means more crispy jalapenos per batch of corn).

The Whole Foods bulk mixed popcorn kernels also works very well, and holds onto the jalapeno heat and flavor very well, maybe too well, and is great when I want a very spicy corn.

Coconut oil makes for very crispy popcorn, but you've got to add melted butter after the fact, or use flavacol, otherwise it's a bit bland.

If I want spicy corn but I'm out of jalapenos, about a tablespoon of sriracha sauce right after adding the corn works, though you lose out on the delicious crispy bites of jalapeno.

And the infidel corn earlier in the thread is great, though the extra cleanup due to bacon grease makes it a once in a blue moon treat because I'm lazy.

ETA: this is based on my experience in my home popcorn machine

First, thank you for your service.  What is your normal oil, the orville?

[jazzdude]

First, thank you for your service.  What is your normal oil, the orville?

Yes, that's my typical oil I use. https://www.orville.com/kernel-popcorn-and-oil/popping-topping-oil

It's butter flavored, not too expensive (for home use, or if you're squadron only makes corn occasionally), and easily found at the commissary or grocery store. But if you've got peanut oil or another high smoke point oil, it'll work similarly enough. Just gotta melt butter and add it afterwards. Vegetable/canola oil kinda works, but leaves a lot of gunk behind that's hard to clean and can smoke up pretty quick if you're frying up thicker jalapeno slices.

On a different note, if you don't want to invest in a movie theater style popper for home use, this works well (I had an older version of this machine when many years ago in pilot training out at navy-land).

https://westbend.com/collections/stir-crazy/products/stir-crazy-deluxe-1

Relatively cheap and effective if you're looking to make jalapeno corn for 1-3 people, and the popper lid is the bowl, so it makes cleaning easy.

But I really like my popcorn (Saturday popcorn was a family tradition growing up), and as a single C-17 pilot back in the day, I had money to burn so I upgraded ($200-300 gets you a decent machine for home use, and about an extra $100 gets you either the cart/stand or a mini fridge for drinks to put the machine on).

ETA: looks like I've come full circle from 14 years ago when I started this thread-gotta pay the knowledge learned forward!

[jazzdude]

Here's my process (based on a movie theater style popper that can cook 1/2 cup of kernels per batch):

- Heat about 3 tbsp oil for one minute in the popper. If you're eyeballing it, err on the side of slightly too much
- Dry 6-9 sliced, pickled jalapenos on a paper towel, then add to the popper (reduces oil splatter, gets them crisper, and makes the popcorn less soggy)
- Cook the jalapenos for about 1 minute in the oil. This helps ensure the jalapenos are crisp, and let's the oil temperature come back up before you add the corn so it isn't soggy at the end. It also removes the weak and unworthy from the room.
- Add 1/2 cup popcorn kernels to the popper, allow to pop
- After the corn has popped and you've dumped it out, add Lawry's seasoning salt to taste
- Enjoy!

[17D_guy]

Thanks. I went with a whirleypop (https://www.whirleypopshop.com/) and have been pretty happy with it. Orivelle is the same oil I roll with most of the time.  Planning out a popping area now where I'm going to upgrade to something a little more grand.

[Tonka]

On 1/7/2021 at 4:38 AM, jazzdude said:

I wasn't a fan of peanut oil, though it works well enough that I'd use it if I ran out of my usual popping oil (especially over canola oil). I suppose avocado oil would work based on smoke point, but not sure how it'd affect the flavor, and is more expensive anyways.

But you are 100% correct on the seasonings (Lawry's seasoning salt is my go-to seasoning, but I also have Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning available with my popcorn supplies for when I'm in the mood for something different)

I guess I'll fly my nerd flag: did a project during an experimental design class to determine the "best" jalapeno corn, as defined by popped volume, crispiness, and heat. Conducted a screening experiment looking at several variables: compared peanut oil vs the orville redenbacher popcorn oil, small amount of oil vs more oil, small amount of jalapenos (1-3) vs a more generous amount (6-9), and cheap popcorn (generic cheap kernels from the commissary) vs expensive (orville redenbacher) popcorn. Long story short, after a ridiculous number of batches of popcorn (70ish), the expensive kernels, more oil (3-4 tbsp oil to 1/2 cup kernels), and 6-9 jalapeno slices (literally, and cooked off for about a min before adding the corn, mt olive brand for reference) had the best success. The orville oil was a slightly more consistent with producing the results and flavor I wanted, though wasn't statistically different from peanut oil in producing the volume, crispiness, and heat I was looking for. Wish I could find the paper, but it's lost to blackboard online and I can't find my copy on my laptop.

Outside the experiment, too many jalapenos adds too much moisture and makes for soggy popcorn, and is brand dependent, so I'd recommend sticking with one brand of jalapenos for consistency. I like mt olive jalapenos since they are sliced thin and crisp up consistently without being too hot (which means more crispy jalapenos per batch of corn).

The Whole Foods bulk mixed popcorn kernels also works very well, and holds onto the jalapeno heat and flavor very well, maybe too well, and is great when I want a very spicy corn.

Coconut oil makes for very crispy popcorn, but you've got to add melted butter after the fact, or use flavacol, otherwise it's a bit bland.

If I want spicy corn but I'm out of jalapenos, about a tablespoon of sriracha sauce right after adding the corn works, though you lose out on the delicious crispy bites of jalapeno.

And the infidel corn earlier in the thread is great, though the extra cleanup due to bacon grease makes it a once in a blue moon treat because I'm lazy.

ETA: this is based on my experience in my home popcorn machine

Curious... double blind? Thats a lot of work! But appreciate the insight...

[jazzdude]

Curious... double blind? Thats a lot of work! But appreciate the insight...

Not a double blind experiment, but no reason to be-I had direct access to the end user's (me) opinions for subjective measures, and wasn't concerned about a placebo effect :) So combined DT/OT event for the win.

Since I had to design, execute, and evaluate a rigorous experiment for my design of experiments/statistics class, I figured I'd do something to make my life better and answer some questions I already was curious about. Plus the supplies were cheap, and the experiment could be executed in one day.

[di1630]

Does anyone infuse their cooking oil with jalapeños?


Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

[HuggyU2]

While the jalapenos are cooking, is it recommended to have the stirrer on to keep them moving around?  Or off, and just let them cook?

[KODAK]

I’ve always left the stirrer off for several minutes while the jalapeños cook, then turn it on when I add the popcorn.

[Bobsan]

The stirrer tends to create two big heaps of jalapeños at the ends, so best to leave it off. However, in most machines there's a slight tilt in the cooker so there's more oil on the one side. Pro tip to run the stirrer for 180º rotation every 69 seconds to swap the uphill and downhill peños, and then spread evenly to break the mounds.

Edited August 26, 2021 by Bobsan

[HU&W]

7 minutes ago, Bobsan said:

The stirrer tends to create two big heaps of jalapeños at the ends, so best to leave it off. However, in most machines there's a slight tilt in the cooker so there's more oil on the one side. Pro tip to run the stirrer for 180º rotation every 69 seconds to swap the uphill and downhill peños, and then spread evenly to break the mounds.

This.  Occasional spins of the stirrer and break the mounds with a fork.  

[12xu2a3x3]

i don't know how recently this has been said but always drain the juice out of the peños cause our mostly 13B LPA doesn't and turns the squadron to Unit 731 every fucking time

[HuggyU2]

9 hours ago, 12xu2a3x3 said:

...always drain the juice out of the peños...

I think that one of the very old posts, someone mentioned squeezing them in paper towels for the best results.  

[Standby]

On the topic of corn: too much oil! My single biggest gripe (aside from the lack of bacon grease as a sub for oil) is the use of too much oil. Super tiny and overcooked corn. 

[BashiChuni]

Tiny corn is from not letting the oil get hot enough before dumping in the kernels 

[Standby]

10 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

Tiny corn is from not letting the oil get hot enough before dumping in the kernels 

That is definitely a RC for small popcorn. In our case, lately, it has been too much oil. It slow roasts the corn and doesn’t allow it to fully pop. You can tell because it’s super greasy and tastes burnt. 

[12xu2a3x3]

On 8/26/2021 at 10:50 PM, HuggyU2 said:

I think that one of the very old posts, someone mentioned squeezing them in paper towels for the best results.  

Checks, had similar success with a French press 

[busdriver]

After dumping the pickling liquid out, put a paper towel into a bowl, on top of the jar, with the cap slightly unscrewed.  Then flip the whole thing over and put it back in the fridge.  It'll drain the rest out over night.

[Magellan]

 

[disgruntledemployee]

This stuff is great for adding HEAT to anything.  Mix some in with your season salt and done.  A good alternative when you're out to peños or don't want the mess.  Any Kroger brand store, like Pick n Save has it. 

 

[HU&W]

Super controversial opinion.  
 

Hatch green chili corn is better than jalapeño.  

[Danger41]

2 hours ago, HU&W said:

Super controversial opinion.  
 

Hatch green chili corn is better than jalapeño.  

This post sponsored by the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

[Biff_T]

17 hours ago, HU&W said:

Super controversial opinion.  
 

Hatch green chili corn is better than jalapeño.  

This just started a war! Lol

Green Chili does sound phenomenal but there's nothing quite like getting a few those fried jalapeños to enjoy with the corn.   With a nice light beer on a Monday afternoon.   There's nothing going on.  Go ahead sir, turn on the beer light. 

[Mighty]

Habanero Corn on Fridays to keep the people on their toes