Stovetop Popcorn Popper Roasting

Roasting Coffee Beans in a stovetop popcorn popper is another method you can do use at home. There are advantages and disadvantages you need to be aware of.

The Advantages with Stovetop Popcorn Poppers

If you enjoy doing thing the old-fashioned way or want to learn how your grandparents or great-grandparents did things, this is an education!

With the stovetop method you can roast batches in size from 1/2 to 1 pound. Depending on your daily coffee intake this size batch may meet your needs for a week.

You control the roasting time which can give you the results you prefer. If you prefer your coffee roasts light or dark you can achieve this.

Lighter roasts are the hardest to accomplish but are doable.

The Disadvantages with Stovetop Popcorn Poppers

You'll need an outside vented hood range over your stoved or roast on an outdoor camp stove because the Stovetop method produces a lot of smoke.

With the stovetop method you will have to manage the heat source in order not to scorch or burn the beans.

This will take you back to the old days as you will be cranking the popper throughout the roasting process. This process can take up to 15 minutes.

I decided to try this method myself and I followed the instructions from www.sweetmarias.com. I timed the stovetop popcorn popper roasting method as I did it and following are my results.

Preparation and Instructions

I purchased a Whirley-Pop 6 Quart Stovetop Popper to use. Because it was brand new I used it a half a dozen times to make popcorn in order to season the pan.

  -  Set up your venting either via exhaust fan or opening a window.

  -  I set up my supplies which included my scale, thermometer, air-tight glass jar, and colander.

  -  I used my scale and measured out 9 ounces of coffee.

  -  Note: Use a low flame on a gas stove and no more than a medium setting on an electric stove or you can melt the popper. Heat the popper until the air temperature reaches approximately 400 degrees.

  -  Now it's time to put the beans in the chamber and do some manual work! At a medium pace you'll start cranking the stovetop popcorn popper. The thermometer will drop to approximately 350 degrees (mine went to 340 degrees), but keep it above 300 degrees and don't let it exceed 400 degrees at the high end.

  -  Although you want to watch the air temperature, the stovetop popcorn popper roasting method requires watching the beans as well. You don't want them to roast too slow or too fast.

  -  In approximately 5 to 6 minutes you will hear the first crack and see the smoke from roasting. Reduce the heat slightly after one minute. Flip the lid back and start checking the roasting process every 45 to 60 seconds. I heard the second crack 11 minutes into the process.

  -  I then poured the beans into the colander (you judge the color by removing the beans when they are slightly lighter than the actual roast color you want).

  -  You stir the beans using a big wooden spoon (my preference is a wood spoon) until they are just warm to the touch. The chaff should fall off during the stirring process.

Once cool enough you can put your roasts into the air-tight glass jar but don't seal it for about 12 hours. Keep your coffee stored in a dark area out of the light. With the stovetop popcorn popper roasting method your coffee should peak between 4 and 24 hours. It's delicious!

I removed my beans at 12 and 1/2 minutes and had a nice light roast. This was a great experiment and I enjoyed it.

It will take practice to perfect the stovetop popcorn popper roasting method unless you are familiar with roasting already! Enjoy!