Buffalo Wing Popcorn
Buffalo style popcorn with a twist. Add pretzels and nuts or liven it up with some chaat masala.
Servings 8 cups
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 8 cups popped microwave popcorn
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne or Indian red chile pepper (use less for less heat)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- ¼ cup Frank's Original Red Hot Cayenne
Optional Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon Chaat Masala or more to taste
- 1 cup broken pretzels
- ⅓ cup peanuts, cashews or any other nut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray. This popcorn is sticky! Also, don't use your best roasting pan. Burnt on candy will come off easily once you soak the pan, but I still recommend using an old pan. A large sheet rimmed pan will also work.
- Spread the popped popcorn in the roasting pan along with additional things like pretzels and nuts (if using).
- Mix the baking soda, salt, and pepper (be sure to use less for less heat/spice) in a small cup and set it next to the stove.
- In a small (around 1 ½ quart) stainless steel saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir well to combine. Set over medium heat and bring just to a simmer. Reduce heat to a good simmer.
- Set a timer for about 12 minutes and cook without stirring, until the mixture is smooth, clear, and just barely beginning to turn amber. You’re not making full caramel here. The longer oven bake will finish the job. Avoid simmering too long or too vigorously, though, as the water can boil off and cause the sugar to crystallize.
- While the sugar mixture is simmering, gently melt the butter in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup or in a another small saucepan. Add the Buffalo sauce to the melted butter and keep nearby.
- After the 12 minute simmer, add the Buffalo mixture to the sugar mixture. Be prepared for it to bubble up a bit. Return to the stove and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. I usually do 2.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Add the baking soda mixture and stir with a heat proof scraper until it all foams up. Pour it over the popcorn and stir to coat as evenly as possible.
- Put the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, stopping to stir after the first 10 and 20 minutes. if using chat masala, sprinkle with chat masala while sticky. As the popcorn cools it will become very crisp. It may also stick to the roasting pan, so have a metal spatula, bench scraper or cake lifter handy to loosen.
- Note: It's possible to underbake and overbake this mixture even at 300F, so check it when you stir. After the first 30 minutes, take out a couple of pieces of popcorn. Put the rest of it back in the oven and give the popcorn 3 minutes to cool. If it doesn't crisp up then keep the popcorn in the oven for another 20 minutes, checking after