How to make popcorn on the hob, properly

Tree

First off, ignore the back of the packet. I followed it for years and was left w/ piles of burnt unpopped kernals.

• Pick a decent saucepan with a flat bottom (not the warped one from under the sink). Make sure you have a proper lid for it too.
• Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan thinly.
• Put on the highest heat on the hob.
• When the oil is hot, pour in enough kernals to cover the bottom of the pot to a depth of one kernal
• Keep the pot on high heat, agitating the kernals from time to time
• Ensure you have your bowl to hand. When the kernals start to pop, keep agitating it on the hob on the highest heat.
• When the pot is mostly full, shake it to keep thekernals at the bottom and swiftly tip out half of the popcorn into the bowl. Return the pot to the heat
• Repeat this until the popping slows down and tip out the remaiining popcorn into the bowl (i hold the lid over the bowl for a couple of seconds to ensure any latecommers dont try to pop out of the bowl)
• Turn off the heat, and set the pan aside to cool. DO NOT put cold water into it
• Season the popcorn as you see fit.

If you want to add butter, melt it and pour it on at the end. Adding butter at the start will guarantee a lovely burnt butter residue on your lovely pot.
Dumping a load of cumin and chilli into the oil at the start can make lovely texmex popcorn.

The Sweeper

I have a hot air popcorn maker - a cheap one - from ages ago and I use that. But it is worth noting that whatever your method, DO NOT USE STALE KERNELS. Stale kernels result in popcorn like styrofoam. I thought it was just the popcorn maker, but I bought a new pack of kernels and used them the same week and it was markedly different.