When I planned the meals for our camping trip I took into account that the grill had a cook-top burner. One single cook-top burner. I know that I am capable of cooking with one burner, it's not easy, but camping isn't about ease it's about doing with out and being together.
I planned on having pancakes for breakfast. I filled a gallon sized bag with enough Krusteaz mix to feed us (too much as it turned out). We like Krusteaz because it has the right balance of fluffiness and sturdiness. We never measure the water, just add enough water to make it look like thin yogurt. Plus, since all you have to do is add water, Jason can make perfect tasting pancakes while I sleep in.
The first morning when Jason went to cook eggs he looked at me and said: "How were you planning on cooking these?"
"In a fry pan on the burner."
"The burner is broken."
"Oh."
Undaunted he fired up the grill and put the cast iron pan directly on the grill and cooked the eggs. Pancakes though take a little more finesse.
When it was my turn to cook breakfast I pondered how to get the pan to the right temp with out burning the pancakes or leaving them raw. It didn't take long for me to figure out a few tricks and I was able to produce fluffly pancakes just the way we like them.
Pancakes Without a Burner
Ingredients:
- Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix
- Water
- Cast Iron Pan
- Butter
- Maple Syrup (we of course like to use our own)
- 1/4 Cup measuring cup to scoop out batter, or ice cream scoop
- Grill with three or more elements/burners
2. Mix pancake batter according to directions. We like ours a little on the runny side. You can always add mix or water if your pancakes are too thin or thick.
3. Put a tablespoon (or so) of butter in the cast iron pan and coat pan.
4. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Adjust heat by turning third burner up, down, or off. Keep the two burners on the right (or left) on high. Straddle pan between two burners You want the grill to be about medium heat (my grill's gauge has three options low, medium, and hot yours may have actual temps. Somewhere in the middle should be about right). Close the lid while the pancakes are cooking (I peeked at mine every minute or so to see how they were cooking).
5. When the pancake has "holes" in most of it (if the middle doesn't have any don't fret) and the edges are becoming firm, flip them over. The second side only takes a few moments.
6. Put pancake on plate and close grill lid. Repeat step 1, 4-6, and stop 3 as needed (if the pancakes start to stick) until everyone is full!
Posts
