Perfect popcorn in a frying pan

I used to make popcorn in an old Revereware pan and then groan when I had to remove all the sticky residue from the hot oil. Microwave popcorn certainly bypasses the pan cleaning, but it always seems so greasy or strange tasting. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the package? Ewwww.

Today I took out the old cast iron frying pan, put some peanut oil and three corn kernels in, turned the gas on high, and put on a lid. When the three kernels popped, I tossed in 1/4 cup of corn, lowered the flame to medium high, and popped the corn. (The little pouring spout on the pan was perfect for letting the air escape; I didn't need to try to angle the lid.)

The batch popped very quickly (all that frying pan surface area!) and, to my shock, when I poured it into a bowl, there were no unpopped kernels. (This in spite of the fact the corn had been in a jar in the fridge for three years.)

I wiped down the pan with a paper towel. Now I had a perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet and some of the most delicious popcorn ever -- all it needed with a tiny bit of salt.