Historically, popcorn has been considered one of the most popular go-to healthy snacks on the market. While some people have shied away from the salty and buttery taste of the classic popcorn, they wanted to find other ways to enjoy the snack food staple. One such form began in the 18th century when kettle corn was first introduced to the masses. After a few hundred years that saw kettle corn’s popularity wane, the delectably sweet snack made a comeback in the 20th century..
In recent years, kettle corn has surged in popularity across the globe. Nowadays, you can find it at most movie theaters, fairs, carnivals, and supermarkets. You can even buy flavored popcorn and kettle corn at any of these locations! While this sweet snack is a type of popcorn, there are some significant differences between regular popcorn and kettle corn that may surprise you!
How Are Popcorn and Kettle Corn Kernels Different from Regular Corn?
Many people probably don’t think about this too much or have assumed that you can use any old corn kernel to make popcorn. However, regular corn kernels do not pop like traditional popcorn or kettle corn. These kernels have been specially treated and grown to pop open when exposed to high heat.
Flavor
Cooking regular popcorn at home involves high heat, cooking oil, and a pot. Usually seasoned with salt and butter, popcorn has become a staple of both movie theaters and mindless snacking on the couch. However, with kettle corn, the flavor profile changes from a savory snack to one with more sweet notes that you can alter and swap out for flavors that you want most.
Sweet vs. Savory
One of the most noticeable differences between air-popped and oil-popped is the character of the corn. Popcorn is often considered a salty snack, popularly flavored with cheese or cinnamon, among other flavor profiles. The neutral taste of popcorn is always there, modified slightly by choice of seasoning.
Kettlecorn has a dominantly sweet flavor, with just a hint of salt noticeable to the palate. Adding sugar to your mix during the cooking process is essential to crafting that perfect blend of sweet and savory taste. It’s the flavor that has become a hallmark of kettle corn. Kettlecorn is a sweet treat in general, and you can find it in numerous delicious flavors based on your preferences.
Preparation Process
How you prepare popcorn is profoundly different from the method of making kettlecorn. The only similarity is that both approaches use corn that puffs up and expands when exposed to heat. Each preferred method provides cooks with unique flavor options and profiles that change how people enjoy the snack.
Oil-Popped vs. Air-Popped
The standard cooking techniques for regular popcorn haven’t changed much over the years. Popcorn often comes pre-packaged and can be prepared in pretty much any microwave oven. Although popcorn is healthy, it mostly requires oil as part of the cooking process. The popcorn machines that you see in movie theaters use a combination of steam and oil to create your movie-time snacks.
Along with the steam and oil, you can add as much butter as you want with the butter stations in and around the movie theater lobby.
Kettle corn recipes always call for the homemade kettle corn to be prepared in a cast-iron kettle, but you can also utilize Dutch ovens. To cook using a cast-iron kettle, you must place the sugar, oil, salt, and corn kernels together in the kettle, heating it based on your acquired instructions. Sugar burns quickly, so you need to stir frequently to avoid the acrid aftertaste.
Nutritional Value
Comparing popcorn and kettle corn to determine their nutritional values can become a complicated process. The comparison depends on how much sugar, salt, butter, and artificial flavorings you added during the cooking process. Checking the nutritional facts on your packages of popcorn and kettle corn will go a long way towards determining which individual brand holds the most nutritional value.
How Do Cooking Methods Affect Nutritional Value?
If you use an ‘air popping’ method to cook the corn and use minimal salt for flavoring, you can create a very healthy snack. The two most common air popping techniques include utilizing a specialty hot air popper appliance and popping it on the stovetop.
Popcorn kernels are whole grains, meaning that they are packed with fibers and antioxidants. They also have naturally low levels of sugar, which makes them low in calories. However, if you prepare popcorn with loads of oil and butter, it can contain up to 29 grams of saturated fat, or 50% of the recommended daily allowance. Being deliberate with your choices in seasonings and cooking oils will go a long way towards striking the right balance between deliciousness and a healthy snack.
Do you think you know all the differences between popcorn and kettlecorn now? Take our quiz to test your knowledge now!
If you’ve never tried any of the delicious varieties here at Best Darn Kettlecorn, you don’t know what you’re missing. Our online store has plenty of options for all popcorn lovers, allowing you to find chocolate kettle corn, buy caramel corn, and so much more. Browse our selection and discover the difference for yourself!