Use A Garlic Clove To Level Up Your Homemade Popcorn

Making popcorn at home is right up there with movie-theater versions, maybe even surpassing them in terms of customization. Rather than butter-or-not being your only choice, homemade popcorn comes with endless opportunities for upping your corn game. For example, you could opt for natural flavors and healthier oils. That includes flavors far off the beaten culinary path, such as garlic. 

Before wincing, consider that corn is a savory gift of Mother Nature, including popped versions of it. So why not treat it as a blank state for adding compatible savory ingredients? Alliums like garlic are admittedly a strong leap from caramel, kettle, or even cheddar popcorns, but you're the corn artist with control over the amount of garlic you employ. The most encompassing, natural, and deeply flavorful way to level up your homemade popcorn is with garlic-infused oil. 

You'll be using the same type of cooking oil as usual; there's just an extra step for getting the garlic flavor into the oil. Garlic powder or garlic salt have their place in other popping methods, but this one instead requires fresh, peeled, garlic cloves. Toss one or more of them into a pan, cover with your favorite cooking oil, and slowly heat the cloves just until soft and pliable. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor. Then scoop out the cloves, bottle your freshly infused garlic oil, and use it for stovetop popping. 

You can certainly purchase commercial versions of garlic-infused oils, many made with premium, extra-virgin, and/or cold pressed olive oil. It's a quick, convenient way to make your garlic popcorn, but it also means less control over the strength you desire. Making it at home also gives the option of tweaking the flavor with compatible herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano. Just be sure to store it in a glass container that is kept refrigerated. You'll generally need to use the homemade version within a couple of weeks. 

If you're in a hurry or don't have access to a stove, there's also a microwave version of homemade garlic popcorn that doesn't involve buying prepackaged bags of microwave popcorn. Instead, you'll be using plain popcorn kernels, an oil of your choice, some garlic powder, and a lunchbox-style paper bag. Place roughly one-half cup of uncooked kernels and 1.25 teaspoons of oil in a bowl. Sprinkle with garlic powder to taste, then dump the mixture into the paper bag. Fold the top over a couple of times, position it upright in the microwave oven, and cook until the popping slows, just as you would any type of microwave popcorn. 

Regardless of whether choosing garlic-infused oil or garlic powder, add some saltiness and extra garlicky flavor by shaking garlic salt over the hot cooked popcorn. Increase the savory goodness with a dash of chili powder, paprika, nutmeg, or grated Parmesan.