You wouldn’t think that there would be a skill involved in flipping pancakes, but apparently there is. Perhaps you’ve been flipping your flapjacks wrong your whole life. It turns out, it’s more about the power behind your flip than whether you’re using the correct part of your arm. A gentle flip from the right height is all you need for the perfect non-splattered pancake. It doesn’t matter what recipe you use, we’re all searching for the same thing — fluffy, light, round pancakes. If you didn’t know it already, the little bubbles that form while cooking are essential for your success. Most pancakes are leavened with chemical leaveners (baking powder or baking soda), or whipped egg whites, and while the bubbles they create are abundant for a while, they’re also delicate. With most recipes, the right time to flip is after the outer edges dry up and the center is still gooey with plenty of bubbles present. A too-hard flip will obliterate those fluff-building air pockets, resulting in a jagged, sideways splash of uncooked (and now unleavened) batter. The video below will show you the proper flip technique.
