I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble with
this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain the
right temperature.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Jan 24, 7:34*pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
> I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
> electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble with
> this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain the
> right temperature.
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On my West Bend grill (about 40 years old), for French toast or
pancakes either one, I turn the dial all the way up as high as it will
go and leave it there. It works fine. (I think it's about 425 deg.
F.)

I can't imagine cooking either and ever turning the dial down. Why
would you?

N.

On Jan 24, 5:34*pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
> I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
> electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble with
> this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain the
> right temperature.
>
Ideal cooking temp varies with the kind of batter you like. For
ours, which tends to be slightly thin buttermilk, I put the skillet at
350°F and leave it there. Works fine. A thicker batter probably
would do better at a slightly lower temp in order to cook the center
while not over-browning the outside. -aem

"aem" > wrote in message
...
On Jan 24, 5:34 pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
>> I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
>> electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble
>> with
>> this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain
>> the
>> right temperature.
>>
>Ideal cooking temp varies with the kind of batter you like. For
>ours, which tends to be slightly thin buttermilk, I put the skillet at
>350°F and leave it there. Works fine. A thicker batter probably
>would do better at a slightly lower temp in order to cook the center
>while not over-browning the outside. -aem

Thanks. I've had that problem with the center not cooking enough.

But one time I made some awesome pancakes. They were the Williams Sonoma
buttermilk pancakes.

But I've had problems since them. Sometimes the temerature is too low and
they don't rise. Somtimes the buttermilk separated (I didn't realize that
buttermilk made with a bacteria culture could separate). Sometimes I used
cheap vanilla. It seems that there are many things that can go wrong with
buttermilk pancakes. But one time I made them and they were incredible.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

"Nancy2" > wrote in message
...
On Jan 24, 7:34 pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
>> I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
>> electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble
>> with
>> this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain
>> the
>> right temperature.
>>
>> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>
>On my West Bend grill (about 40 years old), for French toast or
>pancakes either one, I turn the dial all the way up as high as it will
>go and leave it there. It works fine. (I think it's about 425 deg.
>F.)
>
>I can't imagine cooking either and ever turning the dial down. Why
>would you?

I guess you don't cook with butter. Gee might work. But your oil must smoke.
Isn't it bad when the oil smokes?


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:34:40 GMT, "Christopher M."
> wrote:

>
>"Nancy2" > wrote in message
...
>On Jan 24, 7:34 pm, "Christopher M." >
>wrote:
>>> I recently bought a cheap electric skillet for cooking panakes. I've used
>>> electric skillets in the past but I seem to be having a lot of trouble
>>> with
>>> this one. I seem to be constantly changing the dial in order to maintain
>>> the
>>> right temperature.
>>>
>>> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>>
>>On my West Bend grill (about 40 years old), for French toast or
>>pancakes either one, I turn the dial all the way up as high as it will
>>go and leave it there. It works fine. (I think it's about 425 deg.
>>F.)
>>
>>I can't imagine cooking either and ever turning the dial down. Why
>>would you?
>
>I guess you don't cook with butter. Gee might work. But your oil must smoke.
>Isn't it bad when the oil smokes?
>

only if it doesn't go outside and stand five hundred feet from the
door.

your pal,
blake

On Jan 25, 4:29*pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
> [snip[
> But I've had problems since them. Sometimes the temerature is too low and
> they don't rise. Somtimes the buttermilk separated (I didn't realize that
> buttermilk made with a bacteria culture could separate). Sometimes I used
> cheap vanilla. It seems that there are many things that can go wrong with
> buttermilk pancakes. But one time I made them and they were incredible.
>
Have you ever tried a dry/powdered buttermilk? Saco brand "cultured
buttermilk blend" has a pancake recipe on the box that works well,
especially if you mix it in advance and let it sit for a while. It's
not fresh buttermilk but it's a handy substitute with a long storage
life (refrigerated) which can be used for pancakes, biscuits and for
soaking chicken pieces before frying. -aem

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:26:07 -0800 (PST), aem >
wrote:

>On Jan 25, 4:29*pm, "Christopher M." >
>wrote:
>> [snip[
>> But I've had problems since them. Sometimes the temerature is too low and
>> they don't rise. Somtimes the buttermilk separated (I didn't realize that
>> buttermilk made with a bacteria culture could separate). Sometimes I used
>> cheap vanilla. It seems that there are many things that can go wrong with
>> buttermilk pancakes. But one time I made them and they were incredible.
>>
>Have you ever tried a dry/powdered buttermilk? Saco brand "cultured
>buttermilk blend" has a pancake recipe on the box that works well,
>especially if you mix it in advance and let it sit for a while. It's
>not fresh buttermilk but it's a handy substitute with a long storage
>life (refrigerated) which can be used for pancakes, biscuits and for
>soaking chicken pieces before frying. -aem

it works fairly well for chicken? i've wondered about that. is the
dried stuff by necessity low-fat?

your pal,
blake

blake murphy > wrote:

:it works fairly well for chicken? i've wondered about that. is the
:dried stuff by necessity low-fat?

Buttermilk is all low fat. Historically, it's what's left after you
skim the milk fat to make butter or cream. It's soured because it sat
for some period of time, to let the cream rise, and it's spoiled. Now,
it's all made with centrifugally defatted milk, and it's soured with
cultured bacteria.

On Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:39:53 +0000 (UTC), David Scheidt
> wrote:

>blake murphy > wrote:
>
>:it works fairly well for chicken? i've wondered about that. is the
>:dried stuff by necessity low-fat?
>
>Buttermilk is all low fat. Historically, it's what's left after you
>skim the milk fat to make butter or cream. It's soured because it sat
>for some period of time, to let the cream rise, and it's spoiled. Now,
>it's all made with centrifugally defatted milk, and it's soured with
>cultured bacteria.

jeez, of course you are right. brain fart.

your pal,
blake

On Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:39:53 +0000 (UTC), David Scheidt
> wrote:

>blake murphy > wrote:
>
>:it works fairly well for chicken? i've wondered about that. is the
>:dried stuff by necessity low-fat?
>
>Buttermilk is all low fat. Historically, it's what's left after you
>skim the milk fat to make butter or cream. It's soured because it sat
>for some period of time, to let the cream rise, and it's spoiled. Now,
>it's all made with centrifugally defatted milk, and it's soured with
>cultured bacteria.

I can get full fat buttermilk.

I am aware of the origins of buttermilk. And it is soured, not
spoiled. There is a difference.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

The Cook > wrote:

:I can get full fat buttermilk.

I've never seen such a thing. I sort of don't see the point. but I'm
willing to believe it exists.

: I am aware of the origins of buttermilk. And it is soured, not
:spoiled. There is a difference.

Not really. It's just different bacteria. Real buttermilk is
soured by leaving it sit until it goes sour. That means you hope that
you get the right things growing in it, and not listeria. Cultured
buttermilk takes all the fun out of it.