As everyone has chimed in - if you want it to be less soggy leave the doors open as much as possible and for as long as possible. I preheat 5-7 minutes, put the coconut oil (in which is in solid form) and after it's turned to liquid I throw the rest of the stuff in. After it's done popping you can pile it up under the heat lamp and let it dry out for a bit.

I’m still searching for that super butter flavor from the movie theaters, and not just at the top of the bucket when I put some squirts on top, I want that taste all the way down to the bottom. What butter product do most use?

It has that little metal vent below the glass. Maybe leave that cracked open a bit while popping? I’ve tried popping with the glass door open but of course they wind up on the floor.

With the tray angled out at the bottom and my doors ajar I don't find any hit the floor but maybe my model is different.

I use Ghee (clarified butter) as it's easy to find in my local supermarket. Layer the stuff on as you fill the bucket up.

100% here too!

I expect I’ll get crucified for this, but I double the coconut oil. I use the pre-made packs, but then add in extra oil from a bulk purchase of just that.

Also, re: soggy - my model has 2 doors that meet in the middle, I leave the one on the opposite side from the bucket open the entire time and actively “wave” out the excess steam with a paper plate, then paper towel all the inside walls as soon as it’s done to dry them off.

I bring a small container to the movies with me, they fill it if asked nicely.

When do you add the flavacol? And when should you turn on the kettle stirrer?

I add the Flavicol to the corn before I dump it into the kettle.

I add the oil to the kettle and turn it on.

When the oil smokes a bit then I add the corn/flavicol mix, then I turn on the stirrer.

I dump the kettle well before I hear the last few kernels pop.

WELL before.... I usually have 20 of 30 un-popped kernels.

I dont like the taste of scorched corn.

I add them to the next batch when I clean up or emplty the machine.

They actually pop just fine the second time thru.

Right now Im using 1/3 less oil than the recipe (1/4 cup or a 2oz ice cream scoop for my 8oz kettle) and about 1 1/8 teaspoons of flavicol (or about half the recommended).

Less oils pops bigger, flavicol is a matter of taste.

Tons of oil pops smaller corn.

You will see this with a bit of experimentation.

I measured out a Great Northern 8oz pre-pak.

1 cup corn
2oz of coconut oil
1tsp flavicol.

It comes out just about right.

Dump it all together it doesn’t matter. I’ve tested several options and no difference.

My stirrer is connected to the heater so it comes on with the heater, so just when you turn the heat on or before you add everything. But do get the kettle hot before you add everything.

How did you measure the oil? I’m pretty sure the 6oz has 3 tablespoons of oil. Can’t imagine the 8oz has less.

Thank you both! Making the first go at it tonight.

Its about 1oz per half a cup of corn.

So 1.5 oz per 6oz?

2 tbsp per oz

So 3 tbsp seems right.

Or get a 1.5oz scooper from restaurant supply

one of the happier days in my life - when I got rid of our popcorn machine. Total pain in the ass to clean them...

It takes me 7 mins to completely strip and clean my machine.

I make a lot of corn.

Cool. That makes sense.

I started doing 3 tablespoons of the orange coconut oil and 1-2 T of clarified butter per 1C of corn. Gives it a bit more buttery flavor..

I make a lot of corn too. 7 minutes? Not saying I don't believe you, but I'd like to see a YouTube video of you doing this. I'd like to see how you do it.

Turn off machine.

Put the Kettle, empty drawer and metal door in the sink.
For me its very near by.

Take a sopping wet blue scotch-brite that has a dime sized pool of Dawn mixed into it, over to the machine with 4 paper towels.

Work quickly,

Wipe down the roof then the sides then the floor.

Use the sponge to squeegee the glass down to the floor.
Use paper towels to wipe down the glass (before it dries) and floor until mostly clean.

Rinse the kettle and parts in hot running water. Do not immerse the kettle in water, its not sealed. Just fill it up and rinse from the top, Wipe off the sides and bottom.

Wipe mostly dry with paper towels.

Reinstall kettle, drawer and door.

If the glass is streaked wipe it down with sparkle glass cleaner.

Done.

Cleaning the glass might take an extra 3 mins but I only do it for show, every so often.

I clean my machine after every use, So one gets very fast at it.

The roof and metal parts should stay oily a bit, It keeps it from rusting.

If there are burned scorched marks on the floor from the heater they are cleaned off with bar keepers friend when wiping down the floor, but I only scrub them off every 10 uses or so.

I have 3 machines, So I dont want to spend a lot of time cleaning. Ive learned to be super efficient.

Wow that sounds like a big process.

I've been wanting one of these machines but maybe I'll skip it.

I make popcorn almost every night. I use a whirley pop on the stove and I never clean it. I do wipe it out with a dry paper towel about once a week, but I make sure not to really get it clean. Popcorn comes out exactly like the theater.

Its not a big process.

Its 4 paper towels and a sponge and 7 to 10 mins of time.

I agree that you dont want the kettle too clean, the corn tastes better.

Just wipe it down with a damp towel.

Rinsing is mostly just to disolve off the flavicol grains.

At my shop there isnt a sink near by, We just wipe the kettle down over the trash can with wet paper towels.

I wipe out the floor in mine between uses, that's about it. I give it a decent clean every few months.

Yep, thats all it really needs.
Wiping down the inside can take as little as 2 mins.

Its really easy to maintain.

Ok now you guys are talking my language

A quick wipe down of the floor I can handle.

You are not supposed to clean it.

It takes several batches to **season** the kettle. If you clean it, you remove the coating, and have to begin again.

(if this does not make sense, think of a Cast Iron pan - you never clean it)

I've had mine for 20 years now and never cleaned the kettle. I still have the cleaning kit I bought to clean it with. I do wipe the insides down of the plexiglass once in awhile but that's it.

I have been using 2 TBPS of oil and 1 cup of kernels, along with 2 tsp of flavacol and so far it's awesome. But, one thing I noticed is that only about 50-60% of the kernels are popping. I will wait until it completely stops popping, as in no kernels popping at all for 30 seconds or more and there's still like 40-50% of the kernels in the kettle that just don't want to pop. Am I not using enough oil? Checked kettle temp with my infrared and it shows almost 500F.

Make sure you have kernel less than a year old.

Pour in slowly, with the stirrer on. Make sure the kernels are all being poured into oil, not on top of other kernels

You don't say size of your kettle, it could be a 6oz and you don't have enough BTU

Add another spoon of oil, if all else fails

Use 4 tbsp of oil.
And maybe 1 1/4 tsp of flavicol

The best popcorn popper you can buy. I've been using it for years. No oil and just melted butter and salt. No flavacol.
https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Popcorn-Popper/dp/B00004W4UP/ref=asc_df_B00004W4UP/

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I second this. It’s possible that your corn is old/bad, but probably not enough oil.

8oz kettle.

Thanks all I’ll try more oil and a bit less flavacol.

That worked! 4 tbsp oil and 1 1/4 tsp flavacol. Popped 90% I’d wager. Now to find a restaurant supply store and buy a big bag of large popcorn kernels.

I don't like butter, too much water in it.

I love flavicol though!

Usually Costco, BJS, and Sam’s carry big bags.

Im having great success with mushroom popcorn.

Large pops and it picks up flavored powder exceptionally.

Unfortunately i have to order it online in my area so shipping costs way more than the corn.

There just arent any bulk distros in my area.

I buy corn in 50lb bags.

It lasts about 8 months.

$50 to ship $22 worth of corn...

I found the same thing with mushroom and flavour. They sell it here locally at the bulk barn. Maybe they have an equivalent store like that where you live? Everything is sold in bins and you scoop out want you want to buy and place it in a plastic bag.

We have Winco Foods here that has a great variety of bulk product, the quality is impressive.

Sadly they dont have any popcorn, let alone Mushroom kind.

The closest I could find was a distubutor in san fransisco 250 miles away and over the mountains.
Cheaper to order it.

Sounds like it. But if you mention exactly what you stated here to the manager at Winco, you may be able to buy it there next time. Probably not, but worth a shot.

I see that there's a Smart and Final in your area. Check there and see if They have Gold Medal Popcorn Monster Mushroom.

They sell it online, but it requires a $200 minimum purchase for deliveries, but yhey may have it in stock at the store near you.

Just joined the club. Been wanting one for year and recently found a used one for 50 bucks at an auction. Cleaned her up and makes amazing corn.

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Mushroom popcorn is grown for making coated popcorn (like Carmel corn)

It's chewier than normal corn so it's only sold in concession supply stores that also sell the candy coatings.

Obviously, it has to be tougher to survive the tumbling process while being coated

Movie theaters use Giant Yellow kernels

=

(google "concession supply near me" ) Some shops don't want the headache of dealing with the public, so just say you are from a church. Nobody says no to a church, lol.

Pinballgoddess LOVES her glaze-pop caramel corn on mushroom corn.

Im buying it at the webstaurant store for now, but the shipping is a bit high.
I also get the 50lb cans of yellow corn oil there.

It lasts us quite awhile and we use the yellow corn oil on everything.

It makes great cookies when used instead of, or added to butter 50%.

She uses the corn oil a LOT during her XMAS baking.

I leave the big metal can of oil in the sun during the hot summer and re-portion it into smaller white buckets with lids from home depot.

Its easily portioned with 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup ice cream scoops.

Here's my Manley Aristocrat Model 32 (mid-1950's)

I have some history with this popcorn machine. My parents owned & operated a single screen movie theater in a small town in upper Michigan from the late 70's through the early 90's. I made the popcorn and sold concessions from when I was in 7th - 11th grade, so roughly throughout mid to late 80's.

Fast-forward: my parents sold the theater, popcorn machine went into storage from about 1995 - 2020, and I ended up with it. In spring of 2020, I got it out of storage and cleaned it up. It was pretty dirty when I got it out of storage, but it cleaned up very nice.

Still working great and making delicious corn 70+ years later. We make popcorn every Friday or Saturday for movie night.

A link to a google album of my clean-up and getting it going again is here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YHYNFzBcQsN9iPF5A
Any questions about this particular model, please let me know...

Oh, and the manual for this popcorn machine, with many delightful selling tips ("Look neat in a starched uniform") and recipes... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M210DLU92h4MSp_1tbntoDWP21OVofih/view?usp=sharing
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That is one nice vintage popcorn machine. It has an amazing vintage look.

I really like the array of storage compartments on the front side of the popcorn machine. Congrats on the great job of cleaning this up.

Gord

Not trying to photobomb my dog. But a local place has probably the best popcorn I’ve had in awhile just based on the corn itself. Is this what you’re talking about with mushroom kernels? If not, what kind of kernels are these?

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Does this one still have the chain driven agitator?

No, it is shaft driven. If you open the manual I linked above, it shows a cut-away view that sort of explains it. The motor under the top hood has a worm gear that turns a shaft.

Mushroom Popcorn does not have the little wings on it, because those would break off during the tumbling to coat it with goop

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Mushroom popcorn pops round instead of the "butterfly" wings on regular corn.

Mushroom popcorn requires these "better" types of kettles that cook at 500 degrees

It can be chewy if you use too much oil when roasting, and it will not pop as big as it should. It likes about 10% less oil to pop the biggest. It should also be dumped out "slightly" sooner than the regular corn and not left to "scorch" in the hot kettle.

Cooked with reduced oil its light and has a crispy outer shell with a soft inside.

It has a less roasted corn flavor.

Its best suited for adding flavoring to the corn.

Common flavors include:

garlic parmesan

white cheddar powder

glaze-pop

yellow cheese powder

hot chili powder with citric acid crystals (chili-lime)

Ranch dressing powder.

Garum Masala with ginger spice and ranch

Ive made all of these and they are very good.

Its best to coat the corn while its still very hot.

I put it in a small bucket with a lid and shake it.

The regular butterfly corn tends to break apart into much smaller pieces during the shaking process.

I have made hundreds of batches of mushroom corn, your mileage may vary...