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I don't know if this would help, but have you tried making them on the stove in on a skillet? I could never master my mom's electric griddle, but I'm fine using my skillet on an electric stove.
Maybe the problem isn't you but your equipment?
I always used mixes until one day I tried the recipe out of the Test Kitchen's cookbook . . . good Lord! I have never had better pancakes in my life. I was so proud of me!
How dare you question the abilities of my equipment.
I'm a single guy in my 40's, cook lots of things, but can't seem to get pancakes right more than 1 in 10 times. I use the 'add water only' premix, figuring that if millions of people can use them so can I. I have a flat electric griddle, nonstick, that I use only for pancakes. On a given day, the pancakes are underdone, overdone, tough (most often), mealy, and even crispy. I've tried different temps, different mixing methods, different everything I can think of. I don't understand why I can't get this simple thing right, consistently.
Dammit.
Try a different mix where you add eggs, milk and oil. Make sure the measurements are EXACT.
Premix the egg, oil and milk in a separate bowl until they are very, very well mixed. Then dump that into the dry mixture and stir in ONLY ENOUGH TO MOISTEN THE DRY INGREDIENTS. Do not over mix. This makes your pancake batter tough.
Put your griddle on 380 degrees and put a big glob of butter on it. Once the butter is melted and just starting to turn brown put on the batter.
Do not touch the batter again until the top of each pancake has lost its shiny appearance and is filled with little holes from popped bubbles. Once the top of the pancake has a dull appearance, turn it over.
Leave it on for a few minutes more until the bottom is lightly browned.
It should be magical...
PS. Do not use anything less than REAL MAPLE SYRUP.
Its not that I think my advice above gets any better by repeating it, but I make perfect pancakes every time and yet I've never made a decent pancake in a cheap teflon pan or griddle. I'm happy for those who can, but I'd start with a stainless pan and follow my instructions above before I spent time fine tuning the details of the ingredients. I use everything ice cold from the frig, sometimes I beat it sometimes just stir them together. I'll leave out the oil or put it in. And yet, perfect pancakes every time. Sometimes whole milk, sometimes 2%. I'll cut up bananas or drop blueberries in them. I don't think it has anything to do with the details. Just sayin.
Its not that I think my advice above gets any better by repeating it, but I make perfect pancakes every time and yet I've never made a decent pancake in a cheap teflon pan or griddle. I'm happy for those who can, but I'd start with a stainless pan and follow my instructions above before I spent time fine tuning the details of the ingredients. I use everything ice cold from the frig, sometimes I beat it sometimes just stir them together. I'll leave out the oil or put it in. And yet, perfect pancakes every time. Sometimes whole milk, sometimes 2%. I'll cut up bananas or drop blueberries in them. I don't think it has anything to do with the details. Just sayin.
I guess some of us are lucky and other aren't....My kudos to anyone that can make great pancakes and not get frustrated, but I always do my waffles different and they turn out, pancakes...not so good. I still like those little indents to catch the syrup, berries, whipped cream or whatever goes on them...also cornmeal waffles and chili are good...oops repeating me-self too
OK, maybe 'right' wasn't the best word. How about 'edible'? Yeah, that's it. Let me put it this way-if I ordered pancakes at any restaurant, and they came out like mine usually do at home, I'd send them back.
I may try one of the recipes posted; thanks for those. But I'm not optimistic. I doubt that adding more variables into the pancake equation will make for a better result. Somehow I'm unable to master 1. add mix to water 2. pour onto griddle.
Maybe I am diner bound for pancakes.
I love pancakes; I love to cook. I can't make edible pancakes
Noshville Deli on Broadway in Nashville--best pancakes ever!
The recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook:
"2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk
1 to 2 tsp vegetable oil
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, and then the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the buttermilk mixture into the well, and whisk very gently until the buttermilk mixture is just incorporated (a few lumps should remain). Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Brush the pan bottom with 1 tsp oil. Using 1/4 cup of batter per pancake, add the batter to the skillet (2 or 3 pancakes at a time) and cook until large bubbles begin to appear, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cooks until golden brown on the second side, about 1.5 minutes longer."
(I recommend this cookbook in general. The America's Test Kitchen is great, and this is my favorite of their cookbooks.)
Personally, I'm anal and scared of messing up pancakes, so I usually flip my pancakes again to make sure the 2nd side is properly browned. If I'm worried they are undercooked, I press down on them with a spatula. If there is still batten in the center, it will goosh out.
Lots of good info for the OP here. I want to add one thing. Grain based foods like bread and pasta come with instructions on the package. Don't just follow them like a robot. Every crop of grain is different and elevation affects cooking such as baking, boiling, and griddle cooking pancakes. I peek at the underside of the flapjacks when the top bubbles and check often after flipping. The second side cooks faster than the first side and you don't get the bubbles as a clue.
Pasta is the same way. As the pasta gets close to being done, taste test every 15 seconds.
Water boils at at lower temps at higher elevations. Water can boil at 212 deg or 600 deg if you let it.
Practice makes perfect. I like thin slices of apple and huckleberries in my flapjacks with any syrup that does not have corn syrup as a sweetener.
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