Wednesday, March 3, 2010

How To Make Cultured Buttermilk

So after making butter, what do you do with all the liquid left over? Well, before you dump it down the sink, you may be interested to learn that the liquid is true buttermilk. Now this buttermilk recipe can be made with either raw or pasturized buttermilk or even milk, however, if you use raw buttermilk it will last a very long time in your fridge and it is healthier for you. If you are into soaking your grains before cooking with them, you can use cultured buttermilk for soaking. What I love about this recipe is that I bought a packet of five buttermilk cultures from New England Cheesemakers 2 years ago and I still have only used one packet because once I made my intitial culture, I don't have to make it again. Better yet, if you've got a friend who has a live buttermilk culture, get some from her and then you don't have to buy the initial culture. The other neat thing about this culture is that you can make raw sour cream from it, too. I'll post more on that later.

How to Make Cultured Buttermilk:
Heat 1 quart of milk, or uncultured buttermilk (I prefer raw), to 72 degrees F in a pan. Add 1 packet starter culture and stir. Cover and let set at approximately 72 degrees F (you can use a yogurt maker) for 12 to 24 hours or until it thickens to your satisfaction. Refrigerate and use in baking or even drinking (this stuff is too strong for me to drink). The longer it stays in the fridge, the stronger it will be. I find that when I use it in baking, it tends to make things taste like sour dough, which we love!

Always save a 1/4 cup of cultured buttermilk and add it to a clean glass jar with more raw milk or raw uncultured buttermilk. Use a plastic lid, not a metal one! Simply set the new jar out on the counter overnight or until it looks thick or smells sour . This way you can keep using the same culture over and over. (Note: you can only set raw diary products on the counter overnight! If you try doing this with pasturized milk, it will putrify). True raw buttermilk, when cultured, is still very thin, but you will notice the sour smell when it has been sitting out long enough. That is a good thing! Sour is what you want. If it should mold for some reason, toss it and start a new batch.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment. I will answer the questions in the comment section. So check back if you leave a question. Next week, I'll be posting on how to use this culture to make sour cream.

Have a blessed day!

Jackie

20 comments:

Sarah said...

Wow Jackie...another brilliant 'how-to' post! Is there anything you don't know how to make? Lol!

Buttermilk is a wonderful product...we use it alot here for pancakes, muffins and baked oatmeal...yum!

Thank you for sharing you wonderful homemaking tips with everyone!

Hope you have a great day!

Mich said...

Not a big buttermilk fan here...but I do have a few recipes I use it in.

I am still in awe of all your "from scratch" makings!

Anonymous said...

Are you concerned at all about the the 'raw milk police'? In some areas of the country,(I've read newspaper horror stories about folks buy/selling raw milk) it's illegal to buy & sell, OK if you use it from your own cow though. And, I just saw at one of our local grocery stores, they have pasturized non-homogenized milk, in glass jugs. Is non-homogenized milk healthier?

Cheesemakin' Mamma said...

Great questions, Kimberly! In some states, I understand that is a concern. It is absolutely ridiculous to ban such a wonderful product! As long as you know where your milk is coming from, the cleanliness habits of farmers and that the cows have been tested for TB, I don't get the problem. I truly believe that the dairy industry had these laws made to benefit their pocket books, because pasturized, homogenized milk is certainly not in the best interests of the public. Luckily, in Oregon, you can buy raw milk, but you have to go to the farm to get it (a farmer can't deliver). Farmers are limited to only three milking cows at once. I can't sell my raw dairy products, but I can trade for other services or products. For example, I trade my cheese for the milk I use to make the cheese.

As far as homogenization is concerned. Yes, get non-homogenized milk if you can! Homogenination is worse than pasturization in my opinion. It makes the fat and cholesterol more susceptible to ransicidity and oxidation, and some research indicates that homogenized fats may contribute to heart disease.

Hope that answers your questions!

LizyBeth said...

Jackie, I love seeing your from scratch recipes. My hubby absolutely will not go for raw milk, so I'm thankful that you added instructions for regular milk. Thank you for sharing!

Bernice said...

I can't wait till we start having goat milk again. We just had kids born so it will be a bit before we get to use any. I want to make buttermilk and sour cream. Thanks for sharing these. I will return when the time comes to start "cooking".

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

Here's what I want. I want you to be my neighbor and SHOW me how to do this! LOL!
I'm going to have to keep this in mind for something in the future!
Hugs
Kim

RaD said...

If my mom had the internet, she might really like your blog. They currently have a milk cow out at their place and she'd probably like some of these tips. I'll have to ask her if she'd like me to print them out sometime.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Jackie, for answering my questions, great answers, we may give a jug of the non-homogenized milk a try, living in the city raw would be harder to find and I'm not sure of the WA state laws anyway- I remember having milk SFTC (straight from the cow!) at my grandfathers ranch, I though it tasted weird, I think that was because it actually had flavor!

jo said...

You have a great blog with lots of good tips!
I am following you.

Jo

Connie said...

The best!

He & Me + 3 said...

girl you go above and beyond in the kitchen. I wish I had your know hows. You are one resourceful lady. Did you learn this through generations or from a book.

Patty said...

Interesting. I think I'll have to try the butter first.

Cheesemakin' Mamma said...

HeampMe Plus 3,
Great question, in fact I should answer it in a post sometime. I started this journey only 3 years ago. There was a nutritionist speaking at the first MOPS meeting I ever went to and I was astounded to understand that eating refined sugar and white flour was bad for you. I started changing that aspect of our life, and just educated myself through various books, but mostly people I know who have done a lot of research. I moved from cooking with unrefined sugar and whole grains to raw dairy to natural cleaning, natural remedies. It built on itself rather quickly, probably because I'm super passionate about it. Thanks for asking! I'm always afraid I'll overwhelm people by all this, but I just can't help myself. I wish I would have known there was a better way to live sooner.

Anonymous said...

I would love to start making this stuff. Can't wait to find some starter 'round here. Love, Rosemi

Stacie, A Firefighter's Wife said...

You are so good at this kind of stuff, Jack!

His bondservant said...

Jackie,

Thanks so much for this. Since we have started making some of our own milk...this will be a great addition for us. I am beginning to work on soaking grains, so I like not wasting anything! Thanks for all the great health recipes!

God bless,
Jackie

Sonja said...

Wow... It's a great blessing to live where you have raw milk available!

This sounds very similar to the kefir my father makes. He puts some from his last batch into a jar with some milk and lets it culture in the refrigerator. He likes drinking it plain!

Thanks for the recipe and God bless you and your family!

Sonja said...

Wow... It's a great blessing to live where you have raw milk available!

This sounds very similar to the kefir my father makes. He puts some from his last batch into a jar with some milk and lets it culture in the refrigerator. He likes drinking it plain!

Thanks for the recipe and God bless you and your family!

Cheesemakin' Mamma said...

Sonja,
Kefir is wonderful stuff! I've tried to drink it plain, but no can do. Gotta have it in with other stuff. In fact, I stopped making kefir because this cultured buttermilk tasted the same to me. If you guys are interested in raw milk, I think my grandpa's wife might have just got a cow. Stacie can hook you up if you are interested :)

God Bless you all, too!

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