Apparently the main problem was that the batter I made according to the instructions on the bag of pancake mix was way too viscous. A friend told me to add more water and showed me the consistency it’s supposed to have. Now my pancakes are round and thin instead of being two-inch thick lumps. I still need to work on finding the right temperature. I used to burn the outsides without cooking the inside and I’ve gotten better but I think I still had the heat up just a little too high today.
If you’re willing to use a non-stick frying pan, they’re dirt simple. The only variables are temp and time. Lower temp (medium or medium-low) for thicker pancake batter, and longer time (till the edges are dull and bubbles form), if you like thick pancakes. Or, you can make the batter thinner, then it’s hotter (medium or medium-high) and faster (they’re ready to flip faster). Either way works.
No matter what, the first one is a dud, I don’t know why, but the rest are perfect.
I like my pancakes greasy, so I make them in a cast iron skillet with what most people would call “too much butter”. I don’t know what that means.