TikTok Is Gaslighting Us Into Believing Frozen Popcorn Tastes Better
The best part of going to the movies isn’t the comfy chairs or the film itself—it’s the popcorn. A movie theater experience isn’t complete without buying a bag of buttery, salty, hot popcorn. But a growing TikTok trend asks a controversial question: what if the ideal popcorn was the exact opposite—as in, freezing?
Earlier this year, recipe developer Nicole McLaughlin took to TikTok and tested the theory that popcorn tastes better after it’s been frozen. Apparently, the idea is that both the taste and texture improve after spending some time in subzero temperatures.
McLaughlin confirmed that the freezer method does, in fact, work—but TikTok users were still very skeptical. One user asked, “but who wants to eat cold popcorn?” Several other commenters raised a critical concern: doesn’t it get soft once you pull it out of the freezer?
As a TikTok trend skeptic, I knew that the only way I could believe the method’s magic is if I saw it for myself. So I went down to the supermarket, grabbed a box of microwave popcorn, and put it to the test. I decided to compare two bags Orville Redenbacher (not sponsored, I promise) and try one of them frozen and one of them fresh.
McLaughlin put her popped popcorn in a resealable plastic bag. Instead, I opted for spreading the popcorn on a baking sheet and wrapping it in plastic (a solid surface is a lot easier to balance in our test kitchen’s packed freezers).
McLaughlin doesn’t mention exactly how long the popcorn should stay in the freezer in the TikTok, but other users clarify that it should hang out in there for at least an hour. To be extra cautious, I kept it in the freezer for nearly three hours.
For those who expressed concern about soggy popcorn: don’t worry. Popcorn is a naturally low-moisture snack. The kernels contain small amounts of water and, when heated, relies on the evaporation of that water for the pop to happen. As long as you give the popcorn enough time to cool before you put it in the freezer, you don’t have to worry about water eventually thawing and compromising the texture of your snack.
It also means that the difference between fresh and frozen popcorn is pretty minimal. They're both even similar in temperature. Thanks to the lack of water, the frozen popcorn never becomes rock solid, and the fresh popcorn's warmth dissipates pretty quickly. They look and feel the same, but how do they taste? McLaughlin describes this hack as "mind blowing." As much as I hate playing devil’s advocate, I have to admit that the ends do not justify the means here.
Frozen popcorn fans say that the drop in temperature makes the popcorn crunchier. Upon inspection, a piece of frozen popcorn may be marginally more crisp. But hear me out: isn’t popcorn already crunchy enough? Do we really need to wait several hours to improve the texture by an iota?
Proponents also argue that frozen popcorn is less likely to get stuck in your teeth. In my opinion, the operative word here is “less.” You may be spared from the phenomenon for a piece or two. But if you’re like me and you’re planning to eat more than a few handfuls, you’re still going to end up with kernels in your teeth. Will it be fewer kernels than you’d get from hot popcorn? Potentially, but you’re still going to have to break out your floss anyway.
There are also no surprises when it comes to the taste: if there is a difference, it's marginal at best. In fact, when my coworkers tasted fresh and frozen popcorn side by side, the version people preferred was a total toss-up.
If you want to try this method for yourself, all the power to you. But I can't honestly say that it's worth the extra time waiting for it to freeze.
You Might Also Like
