Why do my pancakes look like this?

[jed]

 

[Dawgluver]

I don't know. What's your recipe, and how do you cook them? We have some awesome pancake folks here, they should be able to help.

 

[forty_caliber]

Looks like uneven heat distribution on the cooking surface to me.

.40

 

[GLC]

I'm going to venture a guess that, if we could see the other side of these, they would be evenly browned. If so, it's nothing more than the fact that when the batter is poured, it lies flat in the pan. But when the first side is done and it's turned, the second side is partially cooked and has bubbles and uneven spots, so different parts contact the surface better than others. The dark outer rim makes me suspect one pancake occupies most of the pan, and the edges of the pan are hotter, when you use a smallish pan on a gas burner. I imagine the problem is aggravated by a pan that doesn't distribute heat as well as an iron griddle or heavy iron pan.

Further, the pan is fully heated when you pour the batter. After cooking one side, you flip the pancake onto a pan that is still reheating and doing so unevenly.

 

[Andy M.]

Does the other side look the same? Usually when you cook pancakes, the first side down cooks evenly to a nice light brown. The second side usually looks more like what you have.

Pancake batter is loose and spreads when you put it on the hot griddle. As a result, a uniformly flat surface is presented to the griddle and you get that nice even color. When you flip them to the second side, the batter has set somewhat and doesn't flatten out onto the surface so you get uneven browning.

 

[Steve Kroll]

My theory is that the griddle is too hot, and this is causing you to have to flip them too early. I would try dialing back just a notch so they brown more evenly and get done on the inside.

I also wonder if you are using too much shortening on the cooking surface.

 

[bakechef]

Also the fat in the pan, especially with a non-stick pan, will puddle or bead up, so when you pour the batter over it, it creates this interesting pattern. The batter pushes the fat to the edges of the pancake and makes them browner and crispier on the edge. I actually like when this happens especially with hoecakes.

I always have one side that looks similar to this and one side that is evenly brown and more smooth looking.

 

[jed]

alright so a little more detail:

firstly, this side is the first side down, which is why I find this so weird but it happens every time. as for the way I make them: I use pancake mix because that's what my mother keeps in the house; I cook them in a pan (I have no sort of griddle); I use butter as my non-sticking agent; I cook them one at a time.

I'm not very experienced in the cooking field so feel free to state things that may seem obvious.

Thanks!

 

[bakechef]

alright so a little more detail:

firstly, this side is the first side down, which is why I find this so weird but it happens every time. as for the way I make them: I use pancake mix because that's what my mother keeps in the house; I cook them in a pan (I have no sort of griddle); I use butter as my non-sticking agent.

I'm not very experienced in the cooking field so feel free to state things that may seem obvious.

Thanks!

When you put down the batter on the butter, it creates this pattern and the brown crispy edges. The batter soaks up the butter, so after flipping there is no butter on the pan so it will come out smoother, unless you put it on a spot with more butter. You could try melting the butter in the pan and wiping out the excess, almost wiping it clean. This should solve the issue. By looking at the edges, they look fried so that tells me that there is a decent amount of butter on the surface of the pan. You can also try thinning the batter a bit and turning down the heat a bit. If you are using a nonstick pan, you really need no fat at all in the pan.

I like pancakes cooked this way with crispy edges.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Your pan is too hot.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Why do my pancakes look like this?

Welcome jed! I'll give the silly answer and say to make pretty pictures, like the clouds do on a summer day. The bottom pancake has two cocker spaniel puppies with their heads together, the top one looks a little like a sea turtle swimming off to the "northeast".

Give yourself credit for them turning out round. I know someone who always seems to have them shaped like one of the states. With time and practice you'll gain more skills. At least you're trying and asking questions. Lots of people would give up and hit a diner.

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

When you put down the batter on the butter, it creates this pattern and the brown crispy edges. The batter soaks up the butter, so after flipping there is no butter on the pan so it will come out smoother, unless you put it on a spot with more butter. You could try melting the butter in the pan and wiping out the excess, almost wiping it clean. This should solve the issue. By looking at the edges, they look fried so that tells me that there is a decent amount of butter on the surface of the pan. You can also try thinning the batter a bit and turning down the heat a bit. If you are using a nonstick pan, you really need no fat at all in the pan.

I like pancakes cooked this way with crispy edges.

This is what I was going to say after looking at the pic. I purposely cook them this way sometimes. They are tastey.

 

[buckytom]

could be not enough fat (butter), not enough heat (so the fat absorbs into the pancake), or too hot of a pan which cooks them too quickly.

are they raw inside after flipping and cooking the second side? if not, you can rule out too hot of a pan. look towards the first two.

where's the chief when we need him? king of the pancakes, he is.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Also the fat in the pan, especially with a non-stick pan, will puddle or bead up, so when you pour the batter over it, it creates this interesting pattern. The batter pushes the fat to the edges of the pancake and makes them browner and crispier on the edge. I actually like when this happens especially with hoecakes.

I always have one side that looks similar to this and one side that is evenly brown and more smooth looking.

From your description, I have to agree with bakechef. I've been cooking pancakes all my life (or at least since I was tall enough to reach the stove top). When you have enough fat in the pan to pool (more than a light sheen), the moisture in the batter steams as it reacts with the hot fat. This lifts part of the batter, and the portion that contacts the pan heats faster due to the hot fat touching it, than the rest of the batter. And bakechef's description is perfectly accurate. And like him, I like that little bit of crunch on the edges.

If you want perfectly even colored pancakes on both sides, type in Chief Longwind's Pancakes, in the search engine. If you follow the directions, the pancakes will be super light, moist, and evenly colored, and smooth on both sides. I give you my word on that.

Hint: If you use bacon, or sausage grease as your fat, instead of butter, not only will you have less cholesterol in your diet, but they will add another great flavor to your "crispy-edge" pancakes.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[bakechef]

From your description, I have to agree with bakechef. I've been cooking pancakes all my life (or at least since I was tall enough to reach the stove top). When you have enough fat in the pan to pool (more than a light sheen), the moisture in the batter steams as it reacts with the hot fat. This lifts part of the batter, and the portion that contacts the pan heats faster due to the hot fat touching it, than the rest of the batter. And bakechef's description is perfectly accurate. And like him, I like that little bit of crunch on the edges.

If you want perfectly even colored pancakes on both sides, type in Chief Longwind's Pancakes, in the search engine. If you follow the directions, the pancakes will be super light, moist, and evenly colored, and smooth on both sides. I give you my word on that.

Hint: If you use bacon, or sausage grease as your fat, instead of butter, not only will you have less cholesterol in your diet, but they will add another great flavor to your "crispy-edge" pancakes.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

My post got the approval of King Pancake of the North! (kinda has a good ring to it, yeah!) I'm honored!

If you use chief's pancake recipe you'll be rewarded with pancakes better than any mix out there. I know that you are just starting out, but this is a really good introduction to a scratch made batter, as it is really easy to do. You already have a bowl and measuring cup out, it's only a few more steps!

 

[jed]

so I tried without butter on a non-stick pan and dialed back the heat a bit and they came out much more normal looking. I'll try to make the batter from scratch next time. Thanks!

 

[Dawgluver]

so I tried without butter on a non-stick pan and dialed back the heat a bit and they came out much more normal looking. I'll try to make the batter from scratch next time. Thanks!

Yay!!

 

[Steve Kroll]

so I tried without butter on a non-stick pan and dialed back the heat a bit and they came out much more normal looking. I'll try to make the batter from scratch next time. Thanks!

Excellent news! I thought that might be your problem. There's a simple test you can use to check the surface temperature. I'll admit it's not very scientific, but it works. Simply take a few drops of water and sprinkle it in your preheated pan. If your pan is the right temperature, the drops will sizzle and jump around for a few seconds before evaporating. If the water immediately turns to steam, the pan is too hot. If it sits there in the pan for too long, it's not hot enough.

Also, regarding fat... I use a non-stick electric griddle to make pancakes. Even though it's non-stick and technically no fat is required, I nevertheless take a little butter on a paper towel and rub it very lightly over the surface before pouring out batter for the first cakes. That little bit of fat seems to help create a nice golden brown pancake. Just don't use too much, or it will puddle on the surface and create uneven browning.

 

[Oldvine]

I say too much oil/fat and the surface is too hot.

 

[CharlieD]

The question I have, is how do they taste? How's the texture? That is really what more important than the look itself.


As far as kingship goes, there is a debate about that.