[saalweachter]

Yeah, if you've ever heard jokes about "the first pancake"[0] or burnt your pancakes when you get distracted by the rest of breakfast, do yourself a favor and set your griddle to 325F/160C.

Your pancakes can sit at 325F for a long time before they burn, and that alleviates the fear of burning that leads you to flip that first pancake too fast.

[0] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20First%...

[fortran77]

It’s just like the first kid often comes out a little wonky, subsequent offspring are better.

[klyrs]

I always make "test pancakes" until my griddle is just right, as I don't have a fancy temperature control. A drop of batter will behave just like a full-size pancake if you know what to watch for, a teaspoon if you don't.

[fsckboy]

I don't have a fancy temperature control, but I had just moved from gas stove to glass top electric* and and I got tired of waiting sooo long to hopefully get to a good cooking temp, only to ruin things by finding out the answer was no.

So a bought a hand-held laser-pointer-temperature gun at the hardware, wow, it's fantastic. Now I know what temps are for what (it's remarkably similar to the oven, 325 to 450) and I know how to find them and how quickly on my stove.

*what is with Miele appliances, they all suck, range, convection oven, microwave. the UIs are impossible.

[klyrs]

Great idea; I've used an electric hob my whole life and hate my glasstop electric for everything but cleaning it.

[fsckboy]

there is no first pancake problem if you only use your griddle for pancakes, that comes from having to use a pancake to get off whatever horrible things you've put on there in between uses. (and btw, your eggs will cook much easier if you dedicate an egg pan)

325's a good number but I prefer a 350 to 375 with a little urgency, it better gets that "deep fried crispy" around the outside, and stops the already flipped side from just getting steamed to death.

[twothamendment]

325 is great for plain pancakes, but around 360 works better for me if I load them with blueberries.

Also, if you've never tried a recipe with vinegar and baking soda you need to.