Why did my pancake stick to my pan?

Question

I'm not experienced in cooking. I bought pancake mix and followed the instructions (added the required amount of egg, vegetable oil, and milk; and mixed them). The instructions said to fry it on a pan with mild heat and not to add any frying oil to the pan. I took the top pan (with the smooth surface) from our double pan (see the example picture I found on the Internet) and fried it.

As the surface of the pan is relatively large in relation to the amount of pancake dough, a thin layer of pancake covered the surface of the pan and I fried it at moderate heat. After about a minute, I saw bubbles on the surface of the dough and according to the instructions, I tried to flip the pancake, but it was still doughy and not hard. In the end, there was pancake all over the pan. I was able to clean it with hot water, but the color of the pan turned a little brown. I wonder what I did wrong to make this happen. Was it the pan or did I need to add frying oil or something else?

Answer 1

and not to add any frying oil to the pan

The author of the recipe doesn't know anything about your pan. Even many "nonstick" pans will yield a better result with a thin layer of oil. For pancakes, I usually use butter, but you can use oil or cooking spray if you prefer, or even some kind of animal fat (for example, if the meal also includes bacon or some other meat, leave a bit of the fat in the pan). As the pan does indeed appear to have a nonstick coating, you will most likely want a very thin layer of oil or fat, as thin as possible, just enough to lubricate it.

If you have the manufacturer's instructions for the pan, have a look at them. I recently bought a pan that looks nonstick but the instructions say not to have it without a thin layer of oil.

After about a minute, I saw bubbles on the surface of the dough and according to the instructions, I tried to flip the pancake

The instructions I remember from my childhood, when I started cooking pancakes from a mix, said to wait until some of the bubbles were no longer popping -- in other words until the top surface of the batter has just started to set. It may well be that you didn't wait long enough.

the color of the pan turned a little brown

This suggests that the pan was indeed too hot, as discussed in Joe's answer.

Answer 2

It's typical for the first batch of pancakes to be less than ideal as you 'dial in' the temperature of the pan.

As you said the bottom was browned, I would turn down the heat... this may seem counter-productive, but you need time for the inside to cook more completely before the outside gets too dark.

The perfect pan temperature is a function of the pan and thickness of the pancake, and most stoves only control heat input (not temperature), so it takes a couple rounds to get everything perfect unless you do this often enough that you know what works for your pans & recipe. (and even then, a preheated pan cooks differently than one that hasn't been fully heated or even one that just had a bunch of pancakes on it)

And if you have another similar failure, you can lower the heat from the burner but put a lid on top to trap in the heat (to make sure irregular thicknesses too cook through) and then tell whoever you're serving that you're making "scrambled pancakes"

(or if you have raisins, rum, and powdered sugar, you can change your plans and make Kaiserschmarrn)

Answer 3

I don't consider myself much of a cook, and started out making pancakes from mix (American style), but switched to scratch-made, eventually with mostly successful results. FWIW, here's my recipe/method/what I've learned:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp sugar (approximate)
• 1 tsp baking powder (approximate)
• 1/2 cup milk (approximate)
• pinch of salt

This will yield four 5-6 inch pancakes.

I use a cast-iron stove-top griddle which becomes non-stick once "seasoned".

1. Coat cooking surface very lightly with cooking spray, and preheat
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar; add a small amount of milk
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients; add additional milk to adjust consistency; this is what will get you nice round pancakes on a flat griddle. When it goes on the cooking surface, it should spread out to the desired size disk and stop.

I will sometimes test the temperature of the cooking surface with a drop of water; it should sizzle. If it snaps or pops, it's too hot.

My guide to "when to flip" includes a couple of factors. One is bubbles on the top. Another is that the wet batter has a shine that goes dull as it dries and cooks; this change typically works its way from the edges to the center. I'll also sometimes lift an edge and peek underneath so see how brown it is on the bottom.

It will probably take a few tries, adjusting the amount of milk, to get a feel for the correct consistency. If the batter sits for a while it will start to thicken; I will add a little more milk to thin it back again.

Adjusting the baking powder up or down will make the pancakes more or less fluffy; just don't add too much.

Adjusting the sugar will affect browning; they will brown faster and darker with more sugar.

If the temperature is too high, they may start to burn on the outside before cooking through on the inside. Too low and they will start to dry out without browning at all.