What Temperature Do You Cook Pancakes on a Griddle

A sweet English breakfast. That is precisely what you crave on those perfectly sunny days. And what better option for it than pancakes topped with maple syrup or whipped cream to satiate your sweet tooth.

Making pancakes is no kid’s job though. You may follow the recipe and be able to cook a version of the pancake but to get that perfectly golden pancake, there are some tricks that you might not be aware of.

This article will lead you step by step on the path of perfecting pancakes using a griddle.

Table of Contents

Heating the Griddle

Most recipes or cookbooks will direct you to heat the griddle but will not make you familiar with the method of it. Yes, you have to follow a specific method to heat your griddle so that the heat is evenly spread and there are no hot burns.

To make it convenient they have been given in the steps below:

Put the griddle on the stovetop and turn on the heat.
Put the heat to a low flame and leave it for about 20-25 minutes.
Turn the heat up 10 minutes after whipping up the batter to let it rest.
To ensure that the griddle has been heated, sprinkle a few droplets of water on the griddle and they will jump. That is your indication to start cooking.

Note:

If the water simply sits on the griddle, then the temperature of the griddle is low and you need to let it heat up for a few minutes.
If the water evaporates almost immediately, then the temperature is too high and you need to let the griddle cool down for some time.
Some water droplets sizzle but ‘dance’ around the griddle. That is the perfect temperature.

Eventually, you will learn these small tricks, becoming common practice for you. While you are in the initial stages, you will have to look out for these things and observe carefully.
Varying Pan Sizes

Different sizes of griddles take different times and temperatures to heat up to the right temperature depending on their surface area, thickness, and material. Be it copper or iron griddle, every griddle takes a different time to heat up uniformly.

We prepared a list of the pros and cons of types of griddles to make the job of choosing a griddle easy for you:

Steel

Pros:

Cheap to buy.
Every household has at least one steel griddle.
Heats up quickly.
If you have a stainless steel griddle, then it has the added advantage of being resistant to oxidation.

Cons:

Food will stick if the griddle is not seasoned.
May give rise to hot spots if you do not heat up the griddle slowly and evenly.

Copper

Pros:

Heats up quickly.
Food will not stick to the griddle.
Hot spots do not usually occur as heat is evenly spread.

Cons:

Can get too hot too easily.
Has to be maintained meticulously.

Cast Iron

Pros:

It will heat up evenly and cook evenly too.
Provides a crisp exterior to the pancake.

Cons:

It is not intended for typical stove-type use.

Pancake making Tips

You have gotten your griddle to the perfect temperature and just need to pour the batter to get sizzling hot tasty pancakes. But do not make haste yet and take note of these few tips to get perfect results.

If you are using a cast iron griddle, then heat it in the oven at 375 degrees before putting it on your stovetop.
Flipping may look attractive and cool but it is not a wise way to go about making your pancakes. Flip the pancake only once while cooking to prevent it from getting dry.
You will know when to flip the pancake when the batter on top is covered in small bubbles. Given the right temperature, this should take around 3 minutes.
Pour the batter less than the size you want them to be so that you can allow the batter to expand over the griddle.
Let the griddle reheat and give it a rest of 30 seconds in between the batches.
If the pancakes are getting brown, turn down the heat as it may have overheated during the cooking process.

Conclusion

You know everything you need to know to enjoy perfectly golden pancakes but do not forget to maintain the right temperature of the griddle throughout.

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