Why is the first pancake always bad?
The short answer
The first pancake often turns out bad because the pan hasn't heated evenly or excess grease has pooled, causing a greasy texture or uneven browning.
The long answer
The first pancake has been dubbed the "throwaway", the "dud", or even the "sacrifice to the pancake gods" because of how often it results in a less than ideal flapjack. It raises the question: why is the first pancake always bad?
It's such a widely experienced phenomenon that when I started researching this question, I came across a multitude of borderline philosophical articles applying the "first pancake rule" to life's challenges, in areas like parenting, business, and even dating.
I'm here to tell you the first pancake problem (as least in the realm of actual pancakes) can be avoided. Here are the top two first pancake problems and how to fix them.
Pancake Problem #1: The first pancake browns unevenly.
A common complaint is that parts of the first pancake brown while other spots remain less cooked. This often leads to frustration, especially when trying to achieve that perfect fluffy pancake recipe.
Cause: The pan's heat is not evenly distributed.
Uneven browning is a sign of uneven heating. In other words, the pan hasn't been given enough time to fully heat up.
On a stovetop, the middle of the pan heats up first, followed by the edges. If you don't give your pan enough time to heat up, it can lead to hotter and cooler spots, which is why pancakes tend stick to the pan during the first attempt.
Solution: Warm up the pan for several minutes before cooking.
While there's variation in types of cookware (e.g. stainless vs. cast iron), generally speaking you need to heat your pan for several minutes on medium to medium-high heat. This makes sure there is even heat distribution, which helps prevents pancakes from sticking to the pan.
If you happen to have an infrared cooking thermometer lying around or are using a griddle, the ideal pancake-cooking temperature is 350-360°F (177-182°C), according to IHOP. Maintaining this temperature can help make sure your pancakes cook evenly and reduce the chances of them stickign.
Pancake Problem #2: The first pancake is too greasy or sticks to the pan.
Another common complaint is that the first pancake has a greasy texture or sticks to the pan, often breaking when flipped.
Cause: The pan isn't greased properly.
People often warm the pan, add grease (oil, butter, etc.), and then pour in the pancake batter. The problem is that the grease pools up instead of coating the entire surface.
As the pan heats, its metal expands, creating pores. You need the grease to fill in any pores to create a barrier between the metal and the pancake batter. Otherwise, the pancake batter will fill in those pores and stick to the surface when you try to flip it.
But more grease is not the answer. Visible grease spots will be absorbed by the batter during cooking. The pools of grease could also be trapping steam released from the hot batter. These steam bubbles lift the batter from the pan surface, preventing browning.
Solution: Wipe away the excess grease with a towel.
After adding grease to the pan, wipe away all but a thin layer with a towel. You will be spreading the grease to fill in all the pores of your hot pan without allowing pools of grease to get soaked up by your flapjack. This helps prevent the first pancake from sticking and ensures an even browning.
🥞 Putting these theories to the test...
After researching these theories, I felt I had to test them. And not just because reading and writing about pancakes makes you crave pancakes.
But for science. 🫡
To recreate first pancake conditions and control variables, here's how I ran the test:
Pan: 12-in stainless steel, washed and cooled after each "first" pancake
Grease: Avocado oil spray
Batter amount: 1/3 cup
I tested the impact of waiting for the pan to heat up (3 minutes) vs. not waiting (1 minute), and wiping away excess oil vs. not. I flipped the pancakes when bubbles appeared (~3 minutes).
Here are the visual results:
Honestly, there wasn't too much variation, but you can see some differences. Pancakes without the oil wiped away had more air pockets where the batter didn't brown.
Interestingly, the pancake that didn't have excess oil wiped away but had time to warm up had the most uneven browning. I'm not sure what to make of that.
But the pancake that followed the advice from this first pancake research did turn out the best, with a lovely, evenly browned surface. Don't worry, no pancake was wasted during testing.
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Sources
Almanac Publishing Co. (2023, November 20). 15 Cooking Mysteries Solved!. Farmers’ Almanac. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/cooking-mysteries-solved
Braun Davison, C. (2017, January 20). Here’s Why Your First Pancake Always Looks Awful. Delish. https://www.delish.com/kitchen-tools/a51181/heres-why-your-first-pancake-always-looks-awful/
Eat Dessert First. (2022, February 25). What temperature to cook pancakes on stove and other key pancake questions & tips. Eat Dessert First. https://cookspacebrooklyn.com/what-temperature-to-cook-pancakes-on-stove/
Farrimond, S. (2022, March 23). Cooking pancakes, why does the first one look and taste the worst?. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg25333791-100-cooking-pancakes-why-does-the-first-one-look-and-taste-the-worst/
Granleese, B. (2020, February 4). Flip flop: why is the first pancake always a dud?. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/feb/04/flip-flop-why-is-the-first-pancake-always-a-dud-kitchen-aide
McGee, H. (1997, October 15). Curious Cook; That First-Flapjack Slip-Up: Case Solved. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/15/dining/curious-cook-that-firstflapjack-slipup-case-solved.html
It’s like an American accent but with calendars.