Background And How To Make Everyone’s Favorite Kettle Corn

There is a wealth of folklore surrounding the people who first discovered the recipe for kettle corn. It is quite possible that one or more could be true. Several times throughout history different people have stumbled upon the same idea within the same time span. It may also be difficult discovering the truth because some times various groups of people would like to take credit for some thing and pass on embellished stories to their young children that their grandparents told them.

One such story tells that it was created around the turn of the 18th century by Dutch settlers in the Pennsylvania region. They typically cooked it to sell to people during festivals and fairs that everyone went to. They are believed to be those responsible for first using molasses and sorghum as flavors while it was cooking it in their Dutch ovens.

Another story suggests that 1800′s cowboys and farmers would celebrate the end of a good harvest or cattle round up by making it. They would heat up their big cast iron soup pot and coat the bottom with lard. After heating it up they would toss in the popcorn and what ever sweeteners they had at hand. Sugar was very expensive in the west so they often also used sorghum and molasses which was much cheaper. As the corn popped they would stir it up with wooden spoons or their hands.

Likely the most intriguing theory is that it originated with a German immigrant who moved to the U. S. Early in the 1800′s Hans Adair took his family to Missouri and began a new life for his wife and children. His older brother had a market and to make extra money they would sell popcorn, which was inexpensive at the time, that was coated it with various flavorings.

This simple recipe is quite easy requiring only a few key ingredients for it. A quarter cup lard or oil. Most purists will use animal fat to get a better taste. A quarter cup of a sweetener to mix with it. It also requires half a cup of popcorn.

It is generally best to use a pot that has a thick bottom that will spread out the heat evenly. Put in the oil and three kernels and wait for it to heat up. After the 3 kernels pop, dump in the sugar or other sweetener you are using stir and add the popcorn.

Stir it some more and cover it up. Shake it often while it is popping and dump it inside a bowl immediately when it is done. Various popcorns have different tastes or textures, so experiment with different types to find what you like.

Even though historically kettle corn was prepared in cast iron pans in the past, most people still enjoy making this treat at home. The real trick is to shake it up often while it is first popping and to take it of the heat as soon as possible after it pops to prevent the sweetener from caramelizing. You could use any kind of sweetener you prefer to use like honey, sorghum, sugar and molasses.

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