How to fry pancakes so they don't stick. What to do to prevent the pancake from sticking to the pan: why they tear, what to add to the recipe and what is missing in the dough

For a long time now there has been an expression among people about the first pancake, which must turn out to be lumpy. But the truth of life is that not only the first one, but also all subsequent ones can become wrinkled or, worse, stick to the frying pan.

And here a reasonable question arises: why do pancakes stick to the pan and tear? And the main thing is how this can be fixed.

Why do pancakes stick to the pan? Not everything is as simple as it seems, but that shouldn't stop you. The reasons can be very different.

Why do pancakes stick to the pan?

Briefly about those guilty of excessive stickiness:

Dishes, or rather a frying pan.
Flour of inadequate quality.
There were errors in the proportions of ingredients.
The products included in the composition were added cold.
Insufficient salt and butter, too much sugar.

To understand why pancakes stick, let’s look at each point in more detail:

So, what can cause pancakes to stick to the pan? First, there may be a problem with the pan itself. The pan should be cast iron with low edges. If you don’t have a cast iron one at hand, you can take a regular one, but with a thick bottom. To make everything work, first heat the salt in it, then pour it out, wipe it with a napkin and grease it with vegetable oil.
The most delicious and non-sticky pancakes are made from first or highest grade wheat flour. It is better to buy flour in paper bags rather than cellophane bags. Please note that good quality flour creaks to the touch and does not stick to the skin of your fingers.
Recipe with optimal proportions: sift 300 grams of wheat flour and pour 1 liter of milk into it. Mix thoroughly to remove any lumps. Now add 2 slightly beaten eggs, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. The consistency of the dough should be similar to sour cream.
All ingredients must first be brought to room temperature. And then knead the dough for pancakes.
Salt also affects the frying of pancakes; at least 1 teaspoon of salt must be added to the dough.
Pancakes may stick to the pan and tear due to excess sugar.
Vegetable oil is an equally important ingredient, and among other things, the dough should be allowed to sit for 20 minutes.

How to solve sticking problem

Still, what to do if pancakes stick to the pan? Further actions are directly related to the above points. That is, it is very important to monitor the quality of flour and maintain proportions. If you feel that the pancake batter is too runny and that they are sticking to the pan, add more flour. If, on the contrary, the dough is too thick, then bring it to the desired consistency by gradually adding water or milk.

When choosing eggs, choose medium-sized ones, because pancakes tear if there is too much protein in the batter. And this, in turn, imparts fragility during frying.

While not enough vegetable oil can cause the pancakes to stick to the pan, too much oil will cause them to deep-fry. At the same time, the dough no longer breaks, but the taste is no longer the same. Therefore, if you encounter difficulties during frying due to the oil, add it to the dough. If there is an excess of it, you will have to add flour and milk (water) and knead everything again.

Often pancakes burst if there is fatty milk or kefir in the dough. How to solve a problem? Very simply, kefir (milk) should be diluted in a ratio of 2 to 1. That is, pour the required amount of water into the prepared mixture, while monitoring the consistency of the dough.

To pamper your family with delicious pancakes, be sure to follow all the recommendations outlined. If something doesn’t work out, don’t be afraid to experiment, because everything comes with experience.

Why do pancakes stick to the pan, despite all your efforts, and how to stop it? Change the pan? Find another recipe? Or maybe you should come to terms with the fact that pancakes are not your thing and, as in the joke, continue to bake lumps? Calmly! There is a solution for every problem, and even more so for culinary ones. You have on your side the centuries-old experience of housewives who have been making rosy round “suns” in Rus' since time immemorial. They really knew what to do!

The first damn is not lumpy

Why do pancakes stick? Most likely, you made a mistake in one of five points:

We didn’t make the right choice with the frying pan;
they didn’t warm it up well;
improperly lubricated;
got mixed up with the recipe;
We forgot to be patient. Also, by the way, an important thing when baking pancakes!

Let's start working on the mistakes?

Subtleties of choosing a pancake pan

In the old days, every self-respecting housewife kept an old great-great-great-grandmother's cast iron pan for pancakes. It was never washed, wiping it clean with a piece of paper or a cloth, and under no circumstances was it used for preparing other dishes. And there were reasons for this.

A pan for baking pancakes should heat up quickly and evenly, and also retain heat reliably. And cast iron meets these requirements 100%.
It is desirable that it be made of porous metal that can absorb and accumulate oil during the frying process, which reduces the likelihood of the dough burning. And again, cast iron has no competition here.
Over time, an invisible oil film forms on the bottom of the dish, which makes her work easier and prevents the cast iron from rusting. This is why frying pans, which have been in the family from generation to generation, are especially respected by true cooks, and for the same reason they try not to wash them too much. But pancakes are one thing, scrambled eggs and potatoes are another. Here you can’t do without Fairy and a hard brush, which means goodbye protective film.

What can you do to prevent pancakes from sticking to a new frying pan if your mother and grandmother did not save a cast-iron rarity for you? Thickly cover the bottom of your purchase with salt, bake it over medium heat until the grains acquire a dark creamy hue, carefully shake the salt into the sink with a napkin and start baking - the metal will be perfectly calcined and ready to show its best.

In addition to cast iron, which has no competitors in the baking business, the following are recognized by chefs:

titanium– in terms of properties, it is the “twin brother” of cast iron;
aluminum, the only disadvantage of which is fragility;
Teflon coated steel, comfortable, but requiring delicate handling;
ceramics, environmentally friendly, although poorly resistant to temperature changes;
marble- almost ideal material, if not for the sky-high cost.

Why do pancakes stick to the frying pan, although you took the choice of it very seriously and were not too lazy to heat the bowl with salt? Perhaps the problem is the high side, which prevents you from freely using the spatula. In a professional pancake pan it does not exceed 2, and sometimes even 0.5 cm.

Give it a spark

Why does the first pancake often come out lumpy? Because inexperienced housewives start baking it in a frying pan that is not warmed up, while true craftswomen determine with a sixth sense when it’s time to tip the first ladle of dough onto the hot bottom.

Place a couple of drops of water on the bottom and see how they behave. If they sizzle and evaporate, it’s time to move on to step two and grease the pan with oil. As soon as the characteristic transparent “smoke” begins to rise from it, it’s time to take the ladle. Well, if you use lard instead of butter, wait until the piece that touches the hot metal begins to heat up from the heat and get down to business.

A nuance: you should wait for smoke, not smoke, so don’t try to make the fire bigger. Medium flame is more than enough.

Oil oil

If, frightened by talk about carcinogens, you diligently save on oil, do not wonder why pancakes stick to the pan and tear.

Firstly, vegetable oil must be included in the recipe for good pancakes. And if it’s not included, without a shadow of a doubt, add it yourself - 1-2 tablespoons.
Secondly, you need to grease the frying pan with oil. At least before baking the first pancake, and more often before every 3-4. It is recommended to lubricate even the Teflon coating - for fidelity and a more pleasant taste of the finished food.
Thirdly, immediately forget about butter and margarine, they are not helpful to you. The only alternative to vegetable oil can only be lard.
Fourthly, don’t be lazy to coat the sides of the pan. They are often forgotten, and yet the dough can stick to the sides no worse than to the bottom, thereby ruining your entire baked goods.
Fifthly, know when to stop. Pancakes floating in a boiling oil puddle turn out little better than those tried to cook in a dry frying pan.

Rely on the recipe, but don’t make a mistake yourself

But what if the pancakes stick to the pan not because of its material or lack of oil - what to do in this case?

Check the thickness of the dough. It should resemble liquid sour cream or cream, otherwise burning cannot be avoided. And don’t look at the recipe, where the ratio of all products is written in black and white! You and its author could have used different types of flour, which is why there was a slight error. If the dough turns out thick and viscous, add water or milk to it; if it is too liquid, thicken with flour.
Don't overdo it with sugar. It will settle to the bottom, brown and firmly stick to the metal.
Measure the soda accurately. Its excess reduces the stickiness of the flour, which is why the pancakes begin to fall apart right on the spatula.
But don’t skimp on the eggs. They will serve as a connecting link and make the baked goods stronger.
If you knead the dough with kefir or milk, be prepared for additional difficulties, since such a delicacy turns out to be very tender and is difficult to turn over. You can help the cause by replacing some of the dairy products with water, adding another egg to the dough and armed with a thin and wide spatula. Plump silicone ones, of course, won’t scratch Teflon, but they’re more difficult to pry off a pancake with.

If you hurry, you will make people laugh

You will need patience at least three times. The first time you assemble ingredients for pancakes: you need to leave them on the table and let them warm up to room temperature. It is not advisable to knead dough from cold milk and eggs.

The second time you will have to lose 15-30 minutes to let the finished dough “rest” on the table under a towel. During this time, the gluten will swell, and the pancakes will become fluffier and will not tear during baking.

The third time you will need patience to wait for the pan to get hot. But we have already talked about this.

If all the rules are followed, the chances of enjoying rich and golden brown pancakes will increase significantly.

Video: 7 secrets of pancakes are not lumpy

It seems that we forgot to mention the main condition for baking the right pancakes: a good mood of the hostess. Get into a fighting mood and get down to business with a smile, without this both the cast iron frying pan and the oil will be powerless.

The first damn thing is lumpy. This saying very often turns out to be true. But what to do if the dough doesn’t want to come off the pan the second or third time? The first step is to find the cause of the problem. There may be several of them:

There are not enough eggs in the dough. When mixing pancake dough, strictly follow the recipe. The eggs bind all the ingredients together and prevent the baked goods from tearing and sticking to the pan. The lack of this ingredient disrupts the density and structure of the dough. To save the workpiece, add 1-2 eggs and a few tablespoons of flour. Mix everything thoroughly so that there are no lumps and start baking.
Lack of flour. During frying, almost all the moisture evaporates from the dough. If the dough is too liquid, the cake turns out to be very thin and it is almost impossible to turn it over without damaging it. You can easily correct the mistake by adding a little more flour and thoroughly stirring the dough until smooth.
Little fat in the dough. Because of this, pancakes may not release well from the pan. If you notice a problem, simply add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil to the dough.

When preparing pancakes, try to put as little spices and sugar into the dough as possible. To make baked goods sweeter and more flavorful, use fruit jams or caramel sauces.

Pancakes are torn - what to do?

So, now you already know why pancakes tear. Any of the above reasons can be easily corrected by adding the missing ingredients to the dough. To ensure perfect baking, follow the advice of experienced chefs.

Always strictly adhere to the recipe. To measure the exact amount of an ingredient, use a kitchen scale.
You can knead the pancake dough by hand or using a mixer. The main thing is that it becomes homogeneous and all the lumps disappear. A small amount of liquid is added to the dry ingredients, mixed thoroughly, and only after that the rest of the milk or kefir is poured in.
Before pouring a portion of the workpiece into a frying pan, heat it well on the stove and grease it with a small amount of animal fat.
While baking pancakes, the heat can be reduced slightly.

To prevent the pancakes from tearing, turn them over with a special spatula. First, lift the edges of the tortilla, and then flip it over in one swift motion. A massive cast iron frying pan is ideal for preparing such baked goods. If you don't have such cookware, use a non-stick fryer or a special pancake maker.

A popular proverb says: “The first pancake is always lumpy.” But as practice shows, subsequent pancakes do not always turn out as they should. Today we will find out why pancakes stick to the pan and tear, and what ways to fix it.

Why do pancakes stick to the pan?

Not every housewife knows how to skillfully bake pancakes. But this does not mean that you should give up all attempts. There are a lot of reasons why pancakes stick.

"Wrong" pancake batter

At least 70% of success in baking depends on pancake batter. Incorrect proportions, ingredients, etc. Let's look at what mistakes we make when preparing pancake base.

Flour

Flour is the basis for preparing any dough, especially pancake dough. First of all, you need to choose high-grade flour. Peeled flour is not suitable for preparing batter due to its low degree of purification and uneven grinding. Proportions are also important. If you add little flour, the dough will be liquid. Consequently, thin pancakes stick strongly to the pan, and it will be difficult to turn them over. Too much flour in the batter will turn the pancakes into pancakes.

Too much sugar

Even if you like sweet pancakes, you shouldn't get carried away with adding sugar to the dough. Sugar molasses thins the dough, disrupting its density. In addition, due to the copious amount of sugar, the pancakes burn and stick to the surface of the pan.

Chicken eggs

You can’t get the perfect pancake batter without chicken eggs, but it’s important not to overdo it with their quantity. Eggs give the dough elasticity and density, but the abundant protein content turns the finished pancake into a crispy waffle that tastes like an omelette.

Lack of oil

Lack of oil in the dough worsens the taste of pancakes. For the same reason, they begin to stick to the pan and turn over with difficulty. We recommend adding a few tablespoons of butter to the dough, as well as greasing the bottom of the pan with butter or any other cooking fat. But do not pour copious amounts of vegetable oil into the frying pan, as excess fat can fry and dry out the edge of the pancake.

if you use the right recipe and baking technique, the pancakes will turn out thin, tasty and will not stick to the pan

Why do pancakes stick to a frying pan with kefir?

Don't be surprised if the kefir-based pancakes stick to the pan and are very torn. The reason lies in the composition of the fermented milk product. When combined with sugar and protein, it reacts. The disadvantage of this recipe is that the pancakes, while turning out to be very soft and tender, easily stick to the dishes or even tear when you try to turn them over with a spatula. To reduce the risk of spoiled pancakes, it is recommended to dilute kefir with water in a 2/1 ratio.

Why do pancakes stick to a frying pan in milk?

High fat content of milk

Do you bake pancakes with milk, following all the rules and recipe, but they still stick to the pan? The reason may lie in the high fat content of milk. This problem can be solved by adding water and baking soda to the tip of a knife. After the manipulations, you should carefully knead the dough and let it stand for 10-20 minutes. Water will reduce the amount of fat, soda will add fluffiness to the pancakes.

Cold milk

Low milk temperature can also be a reason for failed pancakes. As a rule, dairy product from the refrigerator is not able to dissolve the remaining ingredients. For example, undissolved sugar and salt will melt directly in the pan, causing the pancakes to burn and stick. It is better to use milk at room temperature, or warm it up a little. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the egg whites will curdle at high temperatures.

Poor quality dishes

Cast-iron pan

The quality of the cookware plays a significant role when baking pancakes. In ancient times, people used exclusively cast iron pans for pancakes. The thick bottom ensured uniform heating of the pan, frying the product evenly. Cast iron does not release substances when heated and is absolutely safe for our body. But thin pancakes stick to a cast iron frying pan, so in general, pans made from this material are more suitable for pancakes and pancakes. Nowadays, modern technologies have made it easier for housewives to lift heavy and inconvenient frying pans by replacing cast iron with induction pancake makers.

Induction frying pan

Induction pans for pancakes are easy to use due to their light weight and non-stick Teflon coating. The absolute advantage of such cookware is that you can bake pancakes with minimal addition of oil. Important: a frying pan with a Teflon layer should be intended exclusively for baking pancakes; it is not recommended to cook on it constantly.

How to fry pancakes without them sticking?

There are little tricks for skillfully preparing pancake dough. Let's find out the secret of perfect pancakes that don't tear or stick to the pan.

Pancake batter

When kneading the pancake mixture, it is necessary to achieve a uniform consistency. We recommend that you first add flour to a small amount of liquid, gradually adding. This way you will avoid lumps and achieve the perfect texture. After kneading the dough, it is recommended to let it stand for 10-15 minutes so that the flour forms stickiness.

Ingredient temperature

It is better to take all ingredients for pancake dough at room temperature. When making pancakes with sour milk, the starter can be heated to 30 degrees to form golden bubbles under the influence of lactic acid and sugar. In addition, this dough is easier to knead, since the flour does not clump.

How to pour pancake batter into a frying pan?

First you need to heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Then, after greasing the bottom of the pan with oil, pour a small amount of dough in the center and quickly, using rotational movements, distribute it over the entire surface of the pan. In this way we will achieve uniform frying and thickness of the pancakes.

We found out how to prepare the dough correctly and what is missing if the pancakes stick to the pan. Remember that the speed and quality of any baking depends not only on following the recipe, but also on experience. And, as you know, it arises by trial and error.

Thin or thick, aromatic, rosy and delicious pancakes are an excellent original Russian dish that absolutely everyone likes!

Previously, a housewife was considered experienced if she knew how to bake delicious pancakes. The thinner the pancake, the higher the skill. After all, everyone knows that the art of baking pancakes requires not only knowledge, but also experience. Of course, everyone who wants to comprehend this science goes through a real test when pancakes burn, sticking to the frying pan.

Now I’ll tell you how to fry pancakes so that they turn out beautiful, don’t stick or tear, and most importantly, why this happens and how to avoid this in the future. There are several reasons for burning; let’s look at each one separately.

Unsuitable frying pan

The most common cause is an incorrect or unprepared pan. How to choose a frying pan is a separate topic for discussion. Modern ones with a good non-stick coating are best suited. It's a pleasure to fry with these: put it on the fire, warm it up, pour in the required amount of batter and fry the pancake on both sides. The main thing is that the dishes are of high quality, then there is no need to add oil.

Pancakes won’t burn in regular frying pans either, if you do this:

wash the pan;
put on fire and heat thoroughly;
pour in a couple of teaspoons of oil;
as soon as the oil starts to smoke, turn it off;
Cool the pan, pour out the oil - now you can fry the pancakes.

Cast iron is best. Aluminum or steel will also work, but then it is better to repeat the procedure twice.

Batter

Another reason is that the dough is too liquid. Everything is simple here - add flour and continue cooking. But don’t overdo it - the thicker the dough, the tougher the pancake. The optimal consistency is liquid sour cream. The dough should flow freely and be distributed over the surface using circular movements with the pan. This is how pancakes are fried, regardless of the filling. For example, both and appetizing ones are baked the same way.

Not enough butter or eggs

Often the problem lies in the recipe. Pancakes will stick if there are not enough eggs. You need to calculate it like this: 2 eggs per 500 ml of all liquid ingredients. But if the eggs are very small, take 3 pieces. You can, of course, do more, but this amount is quite enough.

Be sure to add butter to the dough! Even if someone praises you for a recipe without oil, pour in 2 tbsp. any vegetable. It’s very tasty to add melted butter – the aroma becomes more delicate and subtle. This is how wonderful people prepare.

During frying, you will also need oil - before every 3 or 4 pancakes, grease the pan with a drop of oil. It is convenient to do this with a silicone brush, raw cut potatoes, placed on a fork. A piece of regular lard without a slot also works great.

Remember: you don’t need to pour too much fat - just grease the pan a little, otherwise the pancake will come together. You can also add a little vegetable oil directly to the dough and stir, then you won’t have to grease the pan at all.

A lot of sugar

If there is too much sugar, the pancakes can also burn. 2-3 tbsp. 1 liter of dough is enough - it’s better to serve sweeter toppings later.

This can only be corrected by increasing the amount of dough. Dilute another portion without sugar and combine with the one that is too sweet. If you get a lot of pancakes, just freeze the rest. And such “reserves” can be stored for several months!

Big or small fire

Pancakes also stick when the fire on which they are fried is too strong or too weak. There is no way to do this without practice, because everyone’s stoves and hobs are different. The fire should be medium, if it is a gas stove, then a divider will not hurt. On an electric one you will have to adapt.

Experts advise not to bake on a large-diameter burner - the center does not have time to fry and the sides burn. It won’t work on the smallest one either - the middle will have time to burn, and the sides won’t even brown yet.

Secrets of experienced housewives

But it also happens that all reasons are excluded, but the pancakes still burn. Then you can’t do without the secrets of experienced chefs.

First of all, try to give the dough at least 30-40 minutes of rest, and preferably 2-3 hours. Just set it aside, covering the container with a clean towel. After that, fry as usual. The secret is in the chemical and physical properties of flour. In “union” with liquid ingredients, after some time it releases gluten, which will prevent the pancakes from sticking.

If pancakes made from dough made with kefir, whey or sour milk burn, then you need to do this:

add regular soda at the rate of 0.5 tsp. for 1.5 liters of dough, mix;
boil water and pour in half a glass of boiling water in a thin stream with constant stirring;
add a little flour.

After 5-7 minutes we try to fry the pancakes - they should no longer stick. The secret is in chemical reactions, the explanation of which is best left to professionals - the result is enough for me.

At the end, I suggest watching a video recipe for interesting openwork pancakes with liquid yeast dough: