When Jiffy Pop first launched in 1959, popcorn lovers often made it over an open fire or on a grill. But today, the best way to make Jiffy Pop is on the stove.
Jiffy Pop comes in unique packaging which is used to cook the popcorn. The kernels come in a ready-made pan that is covered with aluminum foil and a cardboard topper.
Making Jiffy Pop isn’t as easy as making popcorn in a microwave, but it’s certainly a lot more fun and fascinating to watch!
Let’s find out how to make Jiffy Pop and discover what makes this popcorn so interesting.
How is Jiffy Pop Made?
It’s important that you keep Jiffy Pop in its original packaging. This will keep the kernels fresh and ensure that your popcorn is as big and fluffy as possible.
You’ve probably now wondering how this packaging cooks Jiffy Pop. Let us explain how it works below:
- Remove the cardboard lid from your Jiffy Pop.
- Preheat the stove to medium heat. You can use a gas or electric stove. If you’re using an electric stove, wait a few minutes for it to fully heat up.
- Put the Jiffy Pop pan onto the heat. Wait for the oil in the pan to heat up and make a sizzling sound.
- Now the hard work begins! You need to shake the pan in a circular motion until the end of the popping process.
- The popping process ends when the aluminum foil on the pan expands into a large ball.
- Take the pan off the heat.
- Carefully cut open the foil and pour the popcorn into a serving bowl.
What are the Ingredients in Jiffy Pop?
Jiffy Pop contains the following ingredients:
- Popping corn
- Palm oil
- Salt
- Food coloring (Annatto)
- Natural Flavor (including milk)
- TBHQ
- Citric acid
Can You Put Jiffy Pop in the Microwave?
No, making Jiffy Pop in a microwave is not recommended. Jiffy Pop pans are made from aluminum foil.
This aluminum is thin and may catch fire when it’s put in a microwave as it will heat up too quickly. Sharp edges may also appear in the aluminum as it expands in the microwave. These edges are also a fire hazard.
Is Jiffy Pop Healthy?
A recommended serving of Jiffy Pop popcorn is 2 tablespoons of unpopped kernels (34 g). This amount of Jiffy Pop contains 140 calories. This is around the same number of calories in 34 g of air-popped popcorn.
For more information about the calories in popcorn, check our popcorn calorie calculator.
It’s hard to say that Jiffy Pop popcorn is healthy, though, due to it containing TBHQ. TBHQ is a food additive that helps to extend the shelf-life of foods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed it safe for use in food as long as the amount used is restricted to 0.02%.
Some studies have raised concerns that TBHQ can cause behavioral issues, tumors, and visual disturbances. If you decide to eat Jiffy pop, you may want to limit how often you consume it because of these findings.
How Long Do You Cook Jiffy Pop?
It takes between 2 and 5 minutes to make Jiffy Pop. Any longer than this and the popcorn will burn.
How to Make Jiffy Pop Without Burning it?
One of the biggest complaints people make about Jiffy Pop is that it burns. Burnt popcorn leaves a nasty lingering smell in your home and tastes horrible.
Follow these tips to make Jiffy Pop without burning it:
- Check the packaging – if your Jiffy Pop packaging is damaged, the popcorn is likely to burn when it’s popped. The best advice we can give is to carefully choose Jiffy Pop in the store, keep it away from bulky items, and store it away safely.
- Remove the cardboard cover with care – the cardboard cover sits on top of the foil. Remove it with care so that the foil doesn’t get damaged. A small hole or rip will cause the popcorn to burn.
- Keep shaking the pan – if you don’t shake the pan for the entire time the Jiffy Pop is cooking, it will stick to the pan and burn.
- Don’t try to pop every kernel – we know unpopped popcorn kernels are annoying, but if you try to pop every Jiffy Pop kernel, the rest of your popcorn is likely to burn. Sometimes it’s best to cut your losses and compost unpopped popcorn instead.
Why Did Jiffy Pop Disappear?
Jiffy Pop was popular for more than 20 years. But in 1982, microwave popcorn was invented and Jiffy Pop sales slowly declined. People liked the convenience of microwave popcorn. Plus, microwave popcorn was trendy.
It was still a much-loved treat for campers, though, as it was easy to make out in the wild.
Why is Jiffy Pop Popular Again?
Jiffy Pop has grown in popularity recently. There are two reasons for this:
- It’s ‘retro’
- Microwave popcorn has a bad reputation
Retro food is nostalgic and makes people remember good times. Adults thinking back to making Jiffy Pop as a child will remember how fun it was to make. It’s these memories that have helped to make Jiffy Pop popular again.
Then there’s the fact that microwave popcorn bags contain chemicals known as perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS). Researchers have found that people who eat microwave popcorn have PFAS in their bloodstream. PFAS have been linked to many worrying health issues, including:
- Liver damage
- Birth defects
- Immune system damage
- Obesity
- Cancer
- Thyroid disease
- High cholesterol
- Preeclampsia in pregnancy
Understandably, these concerns have put people off from eating microwave popcorn.
Can you Add Flavorings to Jiffy Pop?
Absolutely! Unfortunately, the only Jiffy Pop flavoring option currently available is butter. But you can add any of your favorite popcorn flavorings to Jiffy Pop after it’s been cooked. A few of our favorites are:
- Garlic
- Cheese
- Salt
- Mixed spice
- Mixed herbs
Popcorn fans will be pleased to hear that Jiffy Pop popcorn is back. This popcorn is thrilling to make and is a tasty treat for all. If you haven’t tried Jiffy Pop before, why not give it a try today?
Read about the amazing Double Good Popcorn company next.
Sources
https://www.jiffypoppopcorn.com/
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/14/health/what-are-pfas-chemicals/index.html
