Here are 10 easy ways to use buttermilk and sour milk in response to your buttermilk questions! More of what you wanted to know about homemade buttermilk!
Readers’ Homemade Buttermilk Questions Answered
We get many questions about buttermilk and our homemade buttermilk recipe like, “How do I use homemade buttermilk?” “What if I don’t have any buttermilk to start it?” and so on, so I thought I would try to clear up some of the confusion about making your own buttermilk today.
- Yes you can freeze buttermilk. It is like milk though you must shake it well after freezing because it separates. You may not want to use it for drinking though because texture is different.
- Dried buttermilk in the can works great. I use it all the time. It has an almost forever shelf life if unopened and it lasts almost as long when opened.
- You can use buttermilk in place of milk in recipes but you must be careful if those recipes have baking powder in them. It messes up the leavening in the recipe. If you want, you can still use it. You just need to replace each 2 tsp. of baking powder with 1/2 tsp. of baking soda.
- You can interchange yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk in most recipes. If you need your recipe to be looser, you can use 1/4 cup milk plus 3/4 cup yogurt or sour cream in place of buttermilk.
- Let 2-3 tsp. of lemon juice or vinegar set in a cup of milk for 10 minutes to make sour milk. Be sure to put the vinegar or juice in the cup first and then add enough milk to make a cup.
- Buttermilk and sour milk really shouldn’t be interchanged if you can help it. You can do it but it will sometimes change the texture of what you are making.
-Jill
Today I made some homemade buttermilk. Homemade buttermilk is the simplest thing to make! I had some milk that was left out and became sour. Mike in his ever efficient manner made sure that we all knew it was sour. (see picture :-)
At the grocery store today, I found some buttermilkmarked down for .39 so I grabbed it up and made some buttermilk. It will be done in the morning, just in time for pancakes. Here’s the buttermilk recipe if you would like to try it. It works best with whole milk but it will work with skim. It will just be runnier. This time I just dumped the buttermilk into the milk container because I had already used some of the milk for biscuits.
-Tawra
One of our readers asked why it is okay to set out buttermilk and let it sour but the sour milk in her child’s sippy is bad for her child.
Here is Jill’s answer:
Many people think sour milk and buttermilk are the same but they are different.
Buttermilk used to be the watery stuff leftover from making butter. These days, it is made by adding a lactic acid bacteria to regular pasteurized milk.
Sour milk is made by adding vinegar and lemon juice to regular milk to make it sour.
Spoiled milk is milk that has just been left out and has gone bad, like the milk in a child’s sippy cup.
To make homemade buttermilk, the recipe says to add 1-2 cups of buttermilk you already have to regular milk and let it sit out. The acid bacteria in the original buttermilk is what makes the difference. This isn’t a perfect example but it is kind of like the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in your stomach. You need the good bacteria to kill off the bad and to keep you healthy. It is the same type of thing. The bacteria in the buttermilk that you add to the milk keeps the bad bacteria at bay. Regular milk gone sour doesn’t have that acid in it, so you get nothing but bad bacteria in spoiled milk.
The same is true with sour milk. Vinegar or acid kills bad bacteria in the milk. That is why canned pickles last so long– because the acid in them keep the bacteria away longer.
You can interchange buttermilk and sour milk in a recipe but there is a difference between the two. Often, the difference is in the texture so when a recipe calls for buttermilk I usually try to use buttermilk and not just make my own sour milk with vinegar (although I do use sour milk in some recipes).
Buttermilk pancakes or biscuits come out slightly fluffier using buttermilk than when you substitute sour milk. That’s why they’re not called Sour Milk Pancakes. ;-)
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FAQs
Buttermilk is a versatile ingredient that can add lift to baked goods for the fluffiest pancakes, waffles, and biscuits, tenderize chicken and other proteins, give rich texture and tangy flavor to dressings, and shine in delicate desserts like buttermilk panna cotta.
What can I use sour milk for? ›
Spoiled milk can replace buttermilk or sour cream in baked goods. It can also be used to tenderize meats or added to soups, casseroles, or salad dressings. You can likewise use it in certain cosmetic applications to soften your skin.
Can you freeze buttermilk? ›
Freezing buttermilk is a simple and effective way to preserve it. The texture can become slightly grainy after thawing, but stir it up and it's suitable for use in most types of recipes. It's best used in cooked and baked recipes like pancakes and biscuits, but it can even work in dressings like ranch dressing.
Can you drink sour buttermilk? ›
Though these are general signs to look out for, if you're concerned that your buttermilk has gone bad, it's best to discard it to prevent getting sick. If your buttermilk has any changes, such as smell, texture, color, or mold growth, it's time to throw it out.
Can I freeze buttermilk for later use? ›
You can freeze buttermilk, and you absolutely should if you don't think you'll use it up before it expires. It should stay good in the freezer for about three months — about two and a half months longer than refrigerated buttermilk.
What not to mix with buttermilk? ›
Mix black salt or common salt. Doing this can attack the good bacteria and cause great harm to our stomachs. That is why it is said that buttermilk mixed with salt should not be used even by mistake.
Can anything be made with sour milk? ›
You can make a range of dishes with it to avoid throwing it out before it goes completely rancid. Paneer and cottage cheese can be made; the remaining liquid (whey) can be used in pancakes, chapatis, bread, and scones. You can use sour milk in replacement of buttermilk.
Is sour milk drinkable? ›
If the milk does not have any off-putting smell or taste, you can still use it. If milk has gone a little sour, it is still safe for consumption. However, you need to ask yourself whether you find it appetizing enough to use it. Sour milk is not to be used for pouring over breakfast cereal but, instead, for baking.
Can you make cheese from sour milk? ›
Turns out, you probably have everything you need to make cheese in your kitchen right this minute. When faced with a carton of old milk and a few tablespoons of vinegar you can actually repurpose the liquids into a snack: in this case, a crumbly or creamy cheese.
Does buttermilk ever go bad? ›
Guidelines from agricultural programs at various universities recommend consuming buttermilk within three weeks of the date stamped on the package. In the test kitchen, we've found that buttermilk won't turn truly bad (signified by mold growth) until at least three weeks after opening.
If stored properly, unopened store-bought buttermilk can last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks past its "sell by" date. To maximize its shelf life, it's important to store buttermilk in the main compartment of the refrigerator, as opposed to the door, where the temperature can fluctuate more frequently.
Can you freeze eggs? ›
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), you can freeze eggs for up to one year. When you're ready to use frozen eggs, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use egg yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed.
When should you not drink buttermilk? ›
Although buttermilk appears to be more easily digested by some people with lactose intolerance, many may still be sensitive to its lactose content. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include upset stomach, diarrhea, and gas. People who are allergic to milk — rather than intolerant — should not consume buttermilk at all.
Can I bake with expired buttermilk? ›
It's safe to use unopened buttermilk within 1 week of the expiration date. Some packages of buttermilk will even tell you that it's good to use a certain number of days after the sell-by or use-by date, so check the side of the container. As long as the buttermilk doesn't show signs of spoilage, it's safe to use.
Is buttermilk good for your liver? ›
(4) It is also a good source of phosphorus, vitamin B-12, potassium, and riboflavin (aka vitamin B, important for energy production, secretion of hormones, and liver function). As buttermilk is 90% water, it also assists in maintaining the water balance of your body.
How long does buttermilk last in the fridge? ›
Guidelines from agricultural programs at various universities recommend consuming buttermilk within three weeks of the date stamped on the package. In the test kitchen, we've found that buttermilk won't turn truly bad (signified by mold growth) until at least three weeks after opening.
What does drinking buttermilk taste like? ›
Potential Health Benefits of Buttermilk
Vitamin A also boosts your immune system and keeps your lungs, heart, and kidneys healthy. Buttermilk provides some other significant health benefits: It can give you more energy. The riboflavin in buttermilk is a B vitamin that is vital for your body's energy production systems.
Can I put buttermilk in coffee? ›
Despite the way it sounds, buttermilk is neither sweet nor creamy — it actually tends to be quite bitter. It has a slightly thick consistency, similar to eggnog, and we do not recommend adding it to coffee of any sort. Buttermilk is much better for baking rather than drinking.
Why use buttermilk instead of milk? ›
Thanks to its acidity, buttermilk helps break down long strands of gluten and proteins in baked goods. That means every recipe that uses a splash of buttermilk is just a bit more tender than those that call for regular milk or water.
