Do you want to know Why Is My Stovetop Popcorn Chewy? That’s a good question, Read this article to find out the solution for your question
After you have prepared the popcorn using the stove, if it turns out to be rubbery or chewy you would probably not love the taste of it. The primary reason why the popcorn turns out to be chewy or rubbery is because of the presence of the steam that gets trapped in the pot as the popcorn begins to pop. You can make use of an aired lid or even slightly keep the pan open to prepare crisp popcorn.
The reason for the popcorn to turn chewy
The popcorn kernels contain water content that is stored within the circle of soft starch. When the popcorn kernels begin to heat, the water that is stored inside starts to expand thereby building up the pressure on the hard starch surface. The thin outer layer falls off and the popcorn will explode causing the soft starch present inside to get inflated and it gets burst by turning the popcorn kernel inside out and by releasing the steam.
When you start to heat the popcorn kernel, the moisture that is present inside the popcorn kernels will begin to heat and it gets turned into steam which gets collected at the popper. If it is not ventilated properly, the excess moisture gets collected in the pot. When you use a pot with ventilated lid the steam will be released out, you could also slightly tilt the lid for letting the steam out.
To help in the process of popping the popcorn, the oil also matters as it enables to coat the popcorn and to withstand the moisture from the kernel creating a protective barrier. Beware not to use too much quantity of oil as it can lead to the creation of chewy popcorn. A good ratio is a ¼ cup of popcorn kernels to 1 tablespoon of oil to avoid the popcorn from turning chewy.
Give the proper amount of heat and shake evenly
By evenly heating the popcorn kernels, your popcorn will pop evenly. If the heat is at a high temperature and if you didn’t shake the pan then the popcorn kernels will either get burnt on one side, pop too early, or may not pop and get wasted. On the other hand, if the heat is kept too low the moisture begins to leak and the popcorn starch overlooks and it becomes rubbery. An important tip is to keep shaking the popcorn to evenly distribute the heat.
Do not keep the popcorn open for a long duration
It is advisable to pop the popcorn just before you consume it. Do not keep it open for long hours as it can absorb the humidity from the air thereby losing its crispiness and becoming chewy. Store the popcorn in an airtight container, you could also use a bag for storing it. Keep it in a cool and dry place or a kitchen cabinet. Do not keep the lid of the container open or never store it in the freezer or refrigerator. If you properly store the unpopped popcorn, the moisture level that it contains will be retained and it helps in the proper popping of the kernels.
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