The Basics / Cultured Buttermilk
“...What we call old-fashioned, or churned, buttermilk is very different from cultured buttermilk. It is the thin, slightly acidic liquid left over after churning butter from full-cream milk. It is drunk or used in soups and sauces in northern Europe and South Asia but is not available commercially in the United States.
The buttermilk sold in supermarkets here is cultured, created by fermenting pasteurized low-fat or nonfat milk so the milk sugars turn into lactic acid. It is thick and tart, a result of its increased acidity, which keeps the milk protein casein from being soluble and results in clabbering or curdling. (That is why you can make a stand-in for buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk, increasing the acidity and curdling the milk.)
Old-fashioned and cultured buttermilk cannot be used interchangeably. Cultured buttermilk is used in pancakes, scones, biscuits, and other baked products because of the tangy flavor and tender texture it imparts.”
Cary Frye - The Difference Between Cultured and Old-Fashioned Buttermilk
What will I need?
- a mesh strainer
- A ceramic -or- glass bowl -or- glass jar
- 1 cup raw milk
- Juice of one lemon
Step One
Pour milk into a non-reactive container, a glass jar works fine. Over a strainer, juice the lemon into the milk. Stir, and let sit for 10 minutes. Mixture should separate and curdle.
Step Two
Refrigerate to thicken. You can use at this point as regular buttermilk, or you can continue to culture it.
to culture your buttermilk
Cover jar with a towel to keep out pests and place in a cool dark cabinet to culture - about 10 hours.
I use cultured buttermilk to make crème fraîche, to soak poultry and organ meat, and in the base of salad dressings - such as the cultured buttermilk green goddess.
This recipe can easily be scaled up, just keep the ratio of milk to lemon.
