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Posted: 8/22/2010 5:39:18 PM EDT
Made pancakes and (again) the first pancake just wouldn't cook right. But the rest were perfect. I waited longer this time for the griddle to heat up evenly to the right temperature and all. But still, no matter what it seems like the first pancake of the batch is always the worst. It always happens that way no matter what. |
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Becaue we usually don't let the pan get hot enough before we pour.
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Muslim curse.
And mohamed said. "I shall take your first poured pancake, and your socks. |
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I think the amount of time that the pan cake batter has been mixed has something to do with it too.
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Seems like the pan needs to "seasoned." Got something to do with the butter/grease and the liquid in the batter reacting with the cooking surface. Ever notice the same thing with deep frying? The first batch of whatever doesn't brown as nicely as later additions. Seem like it takes one or two loads to get the oil working right. Some cooks save a little old oil to add to fresh batches so it browns better. Alton Brown talks about both subjects on his cooking show.
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The first pancake is properly regarded as a burnt offering to the pancake gods. Do not begrudge the pancake gods their due, lest they strike you with a shortage of maple syrup.
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It's kinda like casting bullets!
The first couple are sacrificial to to gods so the rest turn out OK...... |
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Quoted: Cook the first one last. Then they'll all be perfect. Oh yeah! Good idea man! |
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I was thinking of this the other day, honestly.
1. the pan was probably not hot enough 2. there was too much oil in the pan |
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Because if there wasn't one that was obviously inferior, which one would we have to feed the women/children?
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Cook the first one last. Then they'll all be perfect. This is the kind of outside the box thinking that will save the economy! Hail Obama! |
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Quoted: Seems like the pan needs to "seasoned." Got something to do with the butter/grease and the liquid in the batter reacting with the cooking surface. Ever notice the same thing with deep frying? The first batch of whatever doesn't brown as nicely as later additions. Seem like it takes one or two loads to get the oil working right. Some cooks save a little old oil to add to fresh batches so it browns better. Alton Brown talks about both subjects on his cooking show. I vaguely remember Alton Brown talking about this too. Something about the oil having to burn in, drive off the residual moisture in the oil or something. |
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Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow.
Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. |
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It is because of the lack of something in the oil. I want to say water(maybe hydrocarbons?) but it might be something else. I heard a really good explanation the other day but cannot remember where. Probably Alton Brown? Basically if you reuse or add some old oil to new oil you do not have that issue. I am sure one of our chefs can explain it properly.
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Quoted:
Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow. Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. Ha Ha - You have a way of screwing up a quote in such an eloquent way that it still makes sense.... |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow. Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. Ha Ha - You have a way of screwing up a quote in such an eloquent way that it still makes sense.... I know it is supposed to be 'The mind is willing, but the ox is slow/ Several years ago I wrote a little parody of a Zen Shooting team match with that quote and the team took it as a slogan for quite a whils. |
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Quoted:
Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow. Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. Then check the temperature of the pan with a few drops of water. |
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Then check the temperature of the pan with a few drops of water. You check the pan with a few drops of water THEN skin out for a few minutes. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow. Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. Ha Ha - You have a way of screwing up a quote in such an eloquent way that it still makes sense.... I know it is supposed to be 'The mind is willing, but the ox is slow/ Several years ago I wrote a little parody of a Zen Shooting team match with that quote and the team took it as a slogan for quite a whils. There ya go again.... |
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The pan is hot enough when a splash of water sizzles. Get your fingers wet, flip a few drops in. Sizzle => cook, no sizzle => crank the heat up.
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Mom always made waffles instead of pancakes. The first one was always "The dog waffle", a tradition that continues to this day.
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Quoted:
Ah, Grasshopper! You must remember that the ox is willing but the mind is slow. Meaning that your mind plays tricks on you regarding when the pan is hot enough. Ben Franklin was right when he said 'a watched pot never boils'. I had the same problem for years until I was interrupted before I put the first one on the pan. It gave the pan enough time to REALLY heat up properly. What you do is wait until you are absolutely sure the pan is hot enough and then go do something for 5 minutes or so. When you get back, try it. Betcha the first one comes out just fine. +1 I do this anytime I am frying something. If you stand over it you will over estimate the temperature. |
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Quoted:
Made pancakes and (again) the first pancake just wouldn't cook right. But the rest were perfect. I waited longer this time for the griddle to heat up evenly to the right temperature and all. But still, no matter what it seems like the first pancake of the batch is always the worst. It always happens that way no matter what. I changed to an electric teflon griddle, no more throw aways. |
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Quoted: The pan is hot enough when a splash of water sizzles. Get your fingers wet, flip a few drops in. Sizzle => cook, no sizzle => crank the heat up. That's exactly how I do it. |
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The first pancake is properly regarded as a burnt offering to the pancake gods. Do not begrudge the pancake gods their due, lest they strike you with a shortage of maple syrup. This. The elder gods must be appeased. |
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I cook pancakes for the family every sunday after church. All of mine come out perfect, every time.
I second the notion that your griddle is not hot enough, or your batter is too thin |
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Becaue we usually don't let the pan get hot enough before we pour. For most this is the answer, but mine always turn out great from the first one. |
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I thought this was universal so many of the replies are confusing me.
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Quoted: I thought this was universal so many of the replies are confusing me. Ditto. It happens every time. Same thing when frying eggs. I have been told that cooking the first pancake evenly distribute the heat.. It is just a fact of life!
Amos1909 |
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I never had that problem
I would suspect you are not letting the pan get to the right temp (to hot or cold at first) also Gas stoves give better control |
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Quoted: Becaue we usually don't let the pan get hot enough before we pour. THIS. From many years in the past as a SOC this was the reason. |
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Cook the first one last. Then they'll all be perfect. But the last one is always too small. I always cook my pancakes third. |
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I think the amount of time that the pan cake batter has been mixed has something to do with it too. ^ ^ ^ ^ That. |
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If you would have said crepes, then I'd agree with you.
Pancakes, on the other hand, are ridiculously easy to get right. |
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You have to wait for the light on the griddle to go off.
Also, have you tried the WalMart brand blueberry pancake mix yet? It rocks. |
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Wait is that why my mom always made sure I got the first one? I thought I was special.
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THE trick (I use exclusively cast iron) is a HOT pan and THEN cold oil. You can't put your oil in the pan before it is cooking hot, meaning the water dances.
Be sure to only use a couple drops of water or you've just cooled the pan off. Very little oil. Be willing to eat a less than perfect pancake. I was camping with my friends and our boys (one each for three of us). I asked the boys if they wanted pancakes. Sure!! Cooked the bacon first. Reserved the grease and put in enough for each pancake as necessary. Pancakes were loaded with bacon grease and little bits of bacon. The other two boys wouldn't touch 'em cause they didn't look like Bob Evans pancakes. My boy Jake was plowin' through them as were the two boy's dads. By the time they got up the gumtion to try one, and realized that they were heaven on earth when it comes to camp food, there weren't many left. Snooze and loose, fellas. |
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You have to wait until the frying pan is up to temperature. It's not hot enough when you are making your first one. By the time you are done with it, the next one is getting the proper heat.
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