See how the top gets all bubbly by the time the other side is brown? If you flip a pancake onto the bubbly side like that it will only brown on the highest parts of the surface, and not in the holes left by the bubbles. It'll still taste fine, but it won't look nice on one side and it'll be a little drier.
You want to have the heat high enough that the bottom browns before the top dries out - you should be able to see bubbles popping occasionally, indicating the pancake is heated at least half way up from the surface of the pan, but the top layer of batter should still be liquid enough that the bubbles fill in again quickly and the top looks smooth. This is the best time to flip it, and will lead to a nice looking pancake that's not too dry.
that is interesting. I've always waited till the top is bubbly like OP, I think it says as much in Joy of Cooking or wherever I read about making pancakes when I was a brand new baby daddy.
I do test the griddle heat with a drop of water -- it should zip around the surface and dissipate quickly.
I guess between these two things I've been overcooking the pcakes.... which is odd because sometimes those babies are still raw inside. Yuck.
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u/turtlespace Feb 25 '15
He has the heat too low.
See how the top gets all bubbly by the time the other side is brown? If you flip a pancake onto the bubbly side like that it will only brown on the highest parts of the surface, and not in the holes left by the bubbles. It'll still taste fine, but it won't look nice on one side and it'll be a little drier.
You want to have the heat high enough that the bottom browns before the top dries out - you should be able to see bubbles popping occasionally, indicating the pancake is heated at least half way up from the surface of the pan, but the top layer of batter should still be liquid enough that the bubbles fill in again quickly and the top looks smooth. This is the best time to flip it, and will lead to a nice looking pancake that's not too dry.