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tabasco popcorn

Ingredients/Equipment:

• Tabasco^TM sauce
• Corn or other vegetable oil
• Popcorn (white or yellow, bigger kernel is better)
• Salt
• Plastic soda bottle, glass bottle, with screw on cap or other leak proof stopper
• Heavy stock pot, 10 quart size or so (with lid)
• Stove (gas or electric)
• Funnel
• Measuring cup (ounce to cup size, depending on how big a batch you want to make)
• Large serving bowl
• Disposable tissues
• Non-carbonated beverage

Pre-mix in old 20 oz. plastic soda bottle with screw on cap (clean) or glass bottle with similar top (mixture will stain container):

• 1 part Tabasco^TM sauce
• 6 parts corn or other vegetable oil (5 if you want it even spicier)

Shake mixture very well with cap on. In bottom of large, heavy, flat-bottomed stock pot (that also has a lid), pour in oil/sauce mixture to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Put one kernel of popcorn in the bottom and turn heat up to high/medium high (depending on your stove). Once the first kernel pops, shake in enough popcorn to fill up to the level of the mixture, shaking the stock pot back and forth to settle the kernels flat. There should be enough that the oil/sauce liquid barely just reaches the top layer of kernels. Shake well to mix and settle, and put the lid back on the stock pot. Wait until the corn starts to pop again, then lower the heat a bit (depends on your stove and the pot you're using), and shake the stock pot back and forth over the burner to prevent the kernels on the bottom burning. The less oil you use proportionately, the more likely the corn is to burn on the bottom, so you may want to take the pot off the burner before the corn has stopped popping completely, leaving some unpopped kernels (if you did a 5 to 1 mix). Check to see if there is burnt popcorn in the bottom. If not, add salt, replace cover, shake, flip over, shake, check to see if thoroughly covered, if not do salt/shake maneuver again. If there is, scoop out the good popcorn on the top and season that. (Not likely with the 6 to 1 ratio).

Best results with freshest popcorn (straight out of the freezer is OK). Good for reducing the intensity of a cold or when one is just coming on. You'll want a box of tissues and plenty to drink with this snack! Keep unused mixture in refrigerator for use with next batch.