Recently I tried to make buckwheat pancakes, but failed miserably. I tried heating the stainless steel pan (about 12" in diameter) for a few seconds on medium heat, then I applied some safflower oil (about two teaspoons). When I poured the mixture on the heated pan, it immediately stuck...So I couldn't even get past the "flip the pancake" part of the instructions.
Is it possible to make pancakes still? If so, how?
"For a few seconds", if literal, is the problem. You want to make sure that the pan is well heated before adding your batter.
My mom's test was to sprinkle some water on the pan, and see if the droplets danced around. Leidenfrost effect.
As you're using quite a bit of oil, you can also look for the shimmering that will happen just before the oil starts to smoke as an indication of a well-heated pan.
Waiting until the pan is hot enough is definitely important. Use butter, not oil, then wipe off with a towel, leaving a thin layer. also, wait until the pancake has cooked significantly on one side before flipping. I think it has to do with the proteins being cooked well enough that it releases itself from the pan. The pan does not need to be re-oiled after that. In addition, from my experience, the quality of the stainless pan makes a difference. My cheap low end Calphalon stuck whereas my expensive All-Clad didn't. A well seasoned cast iron pan is also another option. Cooked as well as my Teflon coated pans.
