Welcome to Crispy on the Outside, where we believe the only thing sticking to bland pancakes is regret. Today’s confession: if you pour batter into a dry pan, you might as well be serving circles of sadness. Bacon grease is not a garnish. It’s the main event.
The Great Grease Debate
Sure, butter works. But it’s like bringing a pocketknife to a gunfight. Bacon grease brings attitude—a golden, lacey shell on the outside and a soft, tender middle that begs you to question your life choices while you eat. If your pancake doesn’t crackle on contact, it’s not pancake—it’s a flaccid flatbread imposter.
Anatomy of a Bacon-Greased Pancake
- Exterior Crunch: Hot bacon fat leaps at the batter, sealing in moisture and creating those craggy edges that hum “eat me” in sizzling Morse code.
- Tender Interior: Trapped steam steams the inside to a fluffy cloud of cereal envy.
- Flavor Depth: Smoky-salty undertones woven through every bite. Without it, you’re just sweet dough with trust issues.
- In contrast to the Belgian waffle: a pancake should have a low egg to flour ratio. Eggs add structure, where as we want sag, except for the crunchy outside.
Pan Temperature: The Unsung Hero
If your pan is lukewarm, you’ll end up with pancakes as pale and sad as a failed New Year’s resolution. The pan must be hot enough to incinerate doubt: a drop of water should dance and sprint for its life. Only then is it ready to meet the grease and the batter.
How to Grease with Gravitas
- Cook your bacon until it’s past the point of return. Scoop out the strips, but leave a generous puddle of grease.
- Wipe off any charred bits (we’re not making bacon jerky-flavored pancakes).
- Heat the pan until it threatens to make smoke signals.
- Ladle batter and watch the edges bubble with delight.
Texture Report
- Edges: Shatteringly crisp—like a perfectly snapped twig underfoot.
- Center: Soft and pillowy—like swallowing a marshmallow that went to finishing school.
- Overall: A rollercoaster of sensation. If your teeth don’t get a workout, you’re doing brunch wrong.
Serving Suggestions
- Classic: Drizzle maple syrup in cruel, spiraling patterns to offset the bacon’s bravado.
- Luxury: Top with a pat of herbed goat butter—because you’re extra.
- Anarchist: Crumble extra bacon on top, then call it art.
Ingredients
- About 1 ½ cups buttermilk (or 1 1/4 whole milk with 1/4 cup vinegar)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons melted bacon grease
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
- In another bowl whisk together the egg, bacon grease, and buttermilk until blended.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and whisk until combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy and thick.
- Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes while you preheat a skillet to medium heat (about 350 degrees F).
- Scoop half a cup of batter and pour onto the bacon greased skillet. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side or until both sides are golden in color.
In Summary
The next time someone suggests “healthier pancakes,” point them to a celery stick and retreat to your sizzling pan. Bacon grease is life, and these pancakes prove it. If you don’t have bacon, try rethinking your life choices, pinpoint your decline, and seek professional help.