Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or griddle
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Whisk
• •Wooden spoon or spatula
• •Thin metal spatula for flipping
• •1/4-cup measure or ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk dry ingredients

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Create a well in the center. This only takes thirty seconds but distributes the leavening agents throughout, preventing those bitter pockets of baking soda that ruin otherwise good pancakes.

   Measure flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling with a knife. Scooping compacts the flour and throws off the ratio.
2. 2

   Combine wet ingredients

   In a separate bowl or large measuring pitcher, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs until the yolks are fully broken and incorporated. Add the melted butter in a steady stream while whisking. The butter may form small clumps when it hits the cold buttermilk. This is fine. Stir in the vanilla extract.

3. 3

   Make the batter

   Pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir gently in circular motions, working from the center outward. Stop the moment the flour disappears. The batter will be thick and lumpy, with visible streaks. This is correct. Walk away from the bowl. The urge to smooth those lumps will betray you.

   Count your strokes if you must. Fifteen to twenty is plenty. The batter should look rough and unfinished. Trust the process.
4. 4

   Rest the batter

   Let the batter rest for five minutes while you heat your griddle. During this time, the flour hydrates, the gluten relaxes, and the baking soda begins its slow reaction with the acidic buttermilk. You'll notice the batter becoming slightly puffy. This rest transforms good pancakes into magnificent ones.

5. 5

   Heat the griddle

   Set a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Give it a full five minutes to heat evenly. Test the temperature by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface. They should dance and evaporate within two seconds. Too fast and your pan is screaming hot; too slow and you'll have pale, steamed pancakes.

   An electric griddle set to 375°F removes the guesswork entirely. I keep one just for pancake mornings.
6. 6

   Butter the cooking surface

   Rub a thin film of butter across the hot griddle using a folded paper towel. You want a whisper of fat, not a pool. Too much butter and your pancakes fry rather than griddle, developing an unpleasant crust. Repeat this light buttering before each batch.

7. 7

   Pour and cook first side

   Using a quarter-cup measure or ladle, pour batter onto the griddle, leaving three inches between pancakes. The batter should spread into thick rounds about four inches across. Do not press or spread the batter. Watch the edges. Within ninety seconds, small bubbles will form across the surface. When the bubbles near the center begin to pop and hold their shape, leaving small craters, the bottom is set.

8. 8

   Flip with confidence

   Slide a thin spatula under each pancake in one decisive motion. Flip quickly and cleanly. The second side cooks faster, about sixty to ninety seconds. The pancake is done when it feels springy to gentle pressure and the second side has developed golden-brown spots. Transfer to a warm plate.

   Never press down on a pancake after flipping. You'll crush the air pockets that make it light and force out the moisture that keeps it tender.
9. 9

   Keep warm and serve

   Hold finished pancakes in a 200°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet while you cook remaining batter. Do not stack them or cover with foil; they'll steam and turn gummy. Serve immediately with a generous pat of butter on each stack and warm maple syrup passed separately. The butter should begin melting the moment it touches the surface.

Chef Tips

• •Real buttermilk, the kind you find in the dairy case, contains live cultures that tenderize gluten and create tang. The powdered substitute is a pale imitation. Seek out the real thing.
• •If you lack buttermilk, place two tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add milk to reach two cups. Let it sit five minutes until it curdles. This works in an emergency but lacks the complexity of true buttermilk.
• •The first pancake is always a sacrifice to the griddle gods. It tests your temperature and seasons your surface. Accept this and move on.
• •Leftover pancakes freeze beautifully. Cool completely, separate with parchment, seal in freezer bags. Toast straight from frozen for Tuesday morning redemption.

Advance Preparation

• •Dry ingredients can be whisked together the night before and stored covered at room temperature.
• •Wet ingredients can be combined and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature for twenty minutes before mixing with dry ingredients.
• •Completed batter should be cooked within thirty minutes. The leavening power fades quickly once the acid and base meet.
• •Cooked pancakes freeze for up to two months. Reheat in a toaster or 350°F oven until warmed through, about five minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 160g)