Jalapeno Infused Kettle Corn

The other day I sampled some store-bought jalapeno-flavored sweet and salty popcorn and it was so delicious and such a great combination of flavors that it inspired me to make my own jalapeno infused kettle corn!  This recipe is really old-school, made on the stovetop, but the resulting flavor is fabulous.  The spice of the jalapeno is subtle, adding a little kick to every bite.

To make jalapeno infused kettle corn, you’ll need

1/4 cup olive oil

2 fresh, large jalapenos, seeded and chopped into large pieces

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

salt.

Pour the oil into a large pot over low heat and add the pieces of jalapeno.  Let them cook over low heat for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  The oil should only heat, not boil, and should not reduce.  You simply want to heat it up to allow the jalapeno flavors to infuse into the oil.

After ten minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the jalapeno pieces and any seeds, leaving all the oil in the pot.

Add four popcorn kernels to the pot and turn the heat to medium.  When the kernels pop, the oil is hot enough to add the rest of the popcorn kernels.

Pour the sugar over top, place a lid on the pot, and carefully shake the pot back and forth over the burner {you’ll likely want to use oven mitts and hold the lid down as you’re shaking}.  Continue to gently shake the pot so the sugar doesn’t burn.  The kernels will begin to pop.  Continue shaking the pot side to side until the popping subsides and remove from the heat.

Sprinkle generously with salt and serve warm.

The sweet, salty, spicy flavors are so delicious and this popcorn is a new favorite for the whole family!

For more delicious popcorn recipes, check out the original kettle corn recipe …

… a simple recipe for homemade microwave popcorn …

… and a recipe for a delicious sweet and salty snack mix.