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There’s just something about movie theater popcorn that makes it taste amazing. It’s salty, it’s buttery — it’s a real treat. However, no matter how many times you’ve tried adding butter and salt to your popcorn at home, it never tastes the same. Even the bagged “movie theater butter” microwave popcorn can’t get it right. So, what’s the secret? The flavor all comes down to one ingredient: Flavacol.
You’ve likely never heard of Flavacol because, really, only movie theaters use it. Essentially, it’s butter-flavored salt. It’s a really fine, bright orange powder that adds that buttery flavor you crave and the signature yellow color. If the yellow dyes don’t freak you out, it’s downright delicious.
The trick is to combine your Flavacol seasoning with an oil — coconut oil, vegetable oil or even olive oil — while popping your corn. The oil prevents the powder from burning and distributes it a bit, so you coat all of the kernels with the buttery, salty flavor.
So, where do you get Flavacol? Amazon carries a 35-ounce carton of it for less than $10. However, after a few taste tests, I suggest getting the Flavacol seasoning and butter-flavored popcorn topping combo for $18.95. If you ask for extra butter on your popcorn at the movie theater, this butter-flavored topping (aka butter-flavored soybean oil) is for you.
Also, keep in mind that a little Flavacol goes a long way. You can always add more if you think you need it.
My personal trick is to mix two tablespoons of whatever oil I have with one teaspoon of Flavacol in a pot over medium heat on the stove. When the oil is hot, I add just a couple of kernels to the pot and put on the lid. Once they’ve popped, I add two tablespoons of more popcorn and put the lid loosely back on.
After all the kernels are done popping, I pour the popcorn into a bowl. Then, I add the butter-flavored topping. If you really like salt, you could taste test it and add a little more Flavacol if you think it needs it.
Seriously, you can have real movie theater popcorn every day. It’s so easy and definitely a game changer for movie nights at home.
The trick is to combine your Flavacol seasoning with an oil — coconut oil, vegetable oil or even olive oil — while popping your corn. The oil prevents the powder from burning and distributes it a bit, so you coat all of the kernels with the buttery, salty flavor.
Use four tablespoons of coconut oil for the true movie theater flavor, or use canola oil if you want to be a bit healthier. Put the salt into the oil and stir it up until it is well mixed. Then put it into the whirley popper and put it on the stove on medium heat. Popcorn kernels aren't special.
The flavor all comes down to one ingredient: Flavacol. You've likely never heard of Flavacol because, really, only movie theaters use it. Essentially, it's butter-flavored salt. It's a really fine, bright orange powder that adds that buttery flavor you crave and the signature yellow color.
Clarified butter or ghee, a type of clarified butter, is the best bet for coating your kernels. Regular butter contains water and milk solids, which lead to a soggy snack. The water and milk solids are removed from clarified butter and ghee.
Two popular choices are canola and vegetable oil (both with a smoke point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit), thanks to their generally neutral flavor. Refined peanut oil (with a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit) is also recommended, especially if you like to infuse your popcorn with some of its nuttiness.
How to Use Flavacol. When using Flavacol to make popcorn at home, you will find that a small amount goes a long way. Half a teaspoon added directly to your Whirley Pop stovetop popper or electric popcorn popper before popping is all it takes to give your entire popcorn batch that famous salty and buttery taste.
In most cases, movie theaters use coconut or canola oil for their popcorn. Both options provide a cleaner taste. Plus, coconut and canola oil are healthier alternatives to many types of oil.
Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers.
there IS a “secret ingredient”. Or, more precisely, a sort of “trade secret”; and that's Flavacol. What's in it? “Salt, artificial butter flavor, FD&C Yellow #5 Lake (E102) and Yellow #6 Lake (E110)”.
The movie theaters don't use the same seasoning and salt that you find at the grocery store. Their secret? Flavacol. Flavacol is a super-fine grained seasoned salt that - used sparingly - makes your popcorn taste as if it came straight from the Bijou.
It's a personal preference—and there are certainly people who eat both and wouldn't even notice the difference.” AMC, Regal, and Marcus theaters use coconut oil, while Cinemark opts for canola, and other regional chains use a blend.
Most commonly, it is all in the way that the kernels are prepared and popped that helps the finished product to taste the way it does in the theater. Some place their kernels in coconut and canola oil before popping them, which gives them a unique taste and helps make them sweet.
Follow the instructions in this recipe (melt the butter, pour over popped kernels then shake to coat). Do you add butter to popcorn before or after popping? Add the butter to the popcorn after the kernels are popped.
The first is try using butter on the bottom of the pot as the cooking oil for the popcorn. The second is melt several tablespoons of butter . Then fill a bag of popcorn only half way . drizzle the melted butter on the top half of sides of the bag fold over then shake the bag vigorously to coat the popcorn lightly.
Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect.
Flavacol is a seasoned powder that goes on the corn before it's popped and it's made of four ingredients: salt, artificial butter flavor, FD&C Yellow #5 Lake (E102), and Yellow #6 Lake (E110). The latter two give popcorn that bright, appealing yellow color that movie theater popcorn is known for.
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