You see it in recipes and at the store, but what really is buttermilk?
Years ago, when a farmer milked the cows, the milk would be allowed to sit so that the milk and cream would separate. In the process, bacteria would ferment the milk. This was a benefit to the farmer, because the cream would churn easier into butter. The liquid left over from the process of making butter would be called buttermilk, and often would have flecks of sweet butter left behind in it. If you can find buttermilk like this, it’s the best kind of all. This is called traditional buttermilk.
Cultured buttermilk is what’s available in stores, and is generally regular pasteurized homogenized milk that has had lactic acid producing bacteria added to it. In BC, you can buy 1% buttermilk, which is a little lower in fat. Buttermilk often has salt added, which you may want to check if you are on a low sodium diet.
What can you make with buttermilk?
Generally, buttermilk adds a wonderful tangy flavor to lots of dishes and goes well with sweet fruits. I personally like it in baked goods such as biscuits and pancakes, but you can also use it as a salad dressing base or in a marinade for chicken. You can even try dipping fish or chicken into buttermilk before coating in bread crumbs or panko. If you are adventurous, try making crème fraiche! Just stir two tablespoons of buttermilk into 1 cup of whipping cream and let it stand on the counter in a covered jar for about 24 hours. The mixture will thicken up. Give it a good stir and refrigerate for about a week.
No more running to the store for crème fraiche!
Tips for Cooking with Buttermilk from Twitter and beyond :
@momstowncalgary: “Great activity for kids: make butter with them, then use the buttermilk for scones, and spread the fresh butter on them warm.”
@canadiancindyb “Make your own for recipes. One cup normal milk plus one tablespoon lemon juice, let sit at room temp a few minutes”
You can freeze buttermilk to use it for cooking later, but it might separate on you. This is really easy to fix-just shake it back up again and then go ahead and put it in your biscuits or muffins. Also, if you want to use buttermilk in your mashed potatoes, let the milk stand on the counter until it comes to room temperature before you add it to the potatoes, because heating it will cause it to separate.
Grab a carton and give it a go-there really is nothing better than fresh buttermilk biscuits straight out of the oven!
Buttermilk Recipes:
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