Let's Talk Buttermilk

 

A couple of days ago I asked on a Facebook post, who, like myself, actually still drinks buttermilk.  The responses are roughly 1 out of 10 drink it.  Those who cook, know the value of having and using it in the kitchen.  One response got my attention, and thus, this follow-up article.  A friend from college days said she still likes the old fashioned buttermilk with the little bits of butter in it.  WHAT?  I grew up on a farm. We always had a milk cow. I have churned lots of butter and drank tons of whole milk, but have never had such a thing as she described…the bits of butter.  So I checked it out.

·         First:  She was exactly correct.  What we call buttermilk is really not buttermilk at all.  It is a cultured, soured milk product that has allowed the good bacteria to flourish and turn the sweet milk into a soured milk that has many wonderful uses.  That’s why the container calls it “cultured” buttermilk. 

·         Real buttermilk is rarely ever used and nearly impossible to find (except perhaps on an Amish farm, or something similar). When you do find it, it is typically an artisan product and is super expensive.  Real buttermilk is the non-fat milk that is left after the butter has been churned, and it has the same bacteria found in cultured buttermilk.  It can have flecks of butter in it.  It is what is left after the fat (cream) has become butter and the non-fat watery, milky product is left.  That is TRUE buttermilk.

 

A few facts that you may not know…and can use to your advantage.

·         Cultured buttermilk is already “soured” so the expiration date is meaningless.  Unless you open the container and see mold, which can be a harmful  bacteria, it is good to go.  The good bacteria in buttermilk does not allow the bad stuff to grow…generally speaking. Pay no attention to that date…it is a requirement from the FDA  (even if it is a couple of months past the date…it is OK).  There are scientific names for the bacteria, etc. Look them up if you want to. So don’t throw out that unused, outdated buttermilk. As you will see in the next bullet point…it can be very useful.

·         You can make your own buttermilk.  It is very simple. You keep a portion (usually ½ to 1 cup) of buttermilk and use it as the starter to replenish.  This way, you can make buttermilk out of the milk you choose:  grass fed, free range, whole to skim, Jersey, Holstein, etc….you choose.  It is very similar to sourdough bread starter.  Just keep in going and you will never have to be without it when it comes time to make cornbread, biscuits, pancakes, cakes, etc. There are some very helpful videos on making buttermilk on You Tube. Here is one I think was particularly helpful.
Making Your Own Buttermilk

·         Putting a tablespoon or two of distilled vinegar or lemon juice in a quart of milk is NOT THE SAME as real cultured buttermilk.  It doesn’t pass the science test, the taste test or the texture test.  Sure, it will activate your baking soda, but it is not the same product.  And since it is so easy to make your own, there is no need to resort to such a weak substitute (and yes, I have done it too in a pinch). 

 

My thanks to Lynene Sandbloom for the tip.  She and her husband, Rich, are longtime college friends.

 

The Gatekeeper