Homemade microwave popcorn! And a warning.

A few years ago, I had a smack-your-forehead moment when a friend told me about making homemade microwave popcorn (Read that blog here). I can't stand store-bought microwave popcorn because it has a chemical aftertaste*, but I rarely want to hover over the stove and cook my own, nor do I enjoy cleaning out those fancy popcorn makers. For years now I've just been tossing a few kernels in a paper bag and hitting the "popcorn" button.

Sometime this winter, when I was frantically searching for a paper bag to no avail, I had another smack-your-forehead moment and realized I could just use a glass bowl and eliminate ALL waste.

Pyrex bowls are microwavable, right?

Look what happened!

FYI, the lid was not sealed, just resting on top, with a slight gap for air.



 I did a bunch of googling to see if this was a thing that happens with Pyrex, but no. Pyrex is supposedly microwaveable -- it even said so on the box. Any engineer friends out there want to comment on that? I did have some butter in with the popcorn, so all I can guess is that it has something to do with the liquid butter. I don't know, but it was scary. So, yeah, I'm going back to paper bags, if I can ever remember to buy some.


* A friend & food writer pointed out on my last popcorn-related blog that most microwave popcorn actually contains a poison that is banned in Europe. So gross!

7 comments

  1. The only thing I know about Pyrex is that it used to be made of Borocilicate glass and now it's made of soda-lime glass, which has raised a massive internet furor to which you are now an unwitting part: http://stats.org/stories/2009/exploding_pyrex_oct14_09.html

    But mine has never exploded in the microwave, so who knows. Glad it didn't destroy the neighborhood. Hope the popcorn turned out OK.

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    1. David told me I couldn't eat it for fear of eating glass. It smelled sooooo good though!

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    2. I ate pesto once after I dropped the glass container. I later emailed Gabe and a friend to find out if the crunchiness in my pesto would kill me.

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  2. I'm guessing temperature differential due to steam.

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  3. Perhaps air pressure if the lid was sealed. I can't tell, but never cook anything in the microwave with a sealed lid.

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    1. Alas, the lid was not sealed -- just resting on there with a little crack left open even.
      Consensus seems to be that it was the butter I put in the bowl. Something about the heat and liquid and different temperatures? Either way: scary!

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