# making buttermilk



## gran (Jan 24, 2009)

I made buttermilk by using 3 parts whole pasteurized milk & 1 part cultured whole buttermilk that I bought. After 24 hours it was thick but I let it sit for approx 30 hours. I'm not sure what it supposed to look like. It smells sour but not exactly like bought buttermilk. Would it be safe to use it in baking? Can I use this as a starter for another batch of buttermilk? 

This is a lot different than the buttermilk we made when I was growing up. It's a lot easier than churning but not as good. thanks for your help.


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## MountainMaraude (Apr 18, 2012)

You my friend, have made Creme Fraiche! Think of it as somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese when baking. It's wonderful for those cake recipes that call for sour cream by the by. Mix a bit of honey in with it and it makes a wonderful topping to pies. Love the stuff! has a nice tang to it. 

To make a buttermilk approximation, just add vinegar to milk. It won't have the same taste but it will have the same chemical effect on the thing you are baking because of the acid.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

MountainMaraude said:


> You my friend, have made Creme Fraiche! Think of it as somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese when baking. It's wonderful for those cake recipes that call for sour cream by the by. Mix a bit of honey in with it and it makes a wonderful topping to pies. Love the stuff! has a nice tang to it.
> 
> To make a buttermilk approximation, just add vinegar to milk. It won't have the same taste but it will have the same chemical effect on the thing you are baking because of the acid.


Not quite creme fraiche....that is made with cream and culture ( yes buttermilk is a culture )
I used to make buttermilk that way with my fresh milk but it always tended to be too thick....I make it now with aroma culture and milk...( I use Flora Danica )
It can also be used to make sour cream...


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

Start out with milk slightly warmer than room temperature, I try to have mine around 80 degrees. I use one cup of buttermilk to half a gallon of milk. Blend it well and let it sit on the counter for about 6-8 hours. It might not seem quite thick enough, but once it is cooled it will be just right- slightly thickened and of drinkable consistency. The longer you leave it sit out the thicker it will get- which is ok if you want to bake with it, but you will have to thin it to drink it.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

Ewwww...you guys drink it !?!!?!?!

I simply cook with it.


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## ilovetodig (Apr 15, 2007)

Melissa said:


> Start out with milk slightly warmer than room temperature, I try to have mine around 80 degrees. I use one cup of buttermilk to half a gallon of milk. Blend it well and let it sit on the counter for about 6-8 hours. It might not seem quite thick enough, but once it is cooled it will be just right- slightly thickened and of drinkable consistency. The longer you leave it sit out the thicker it will get- which is ok if you want to bake with it, but you will have to thin it to drink it.


Do you use whole raw milk? I think this is what my mother called clabber. she said they would let it sit out long enough to get so thick it could be eaten with a spoon. Would goat milk be good this way?


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

I originally started my buttermilk with a dried culture then renewed it using 1 cup of buttermilk to three cups fresh milk. I used to leave it for 24 hrs but find now that 12 hrs gives it the consistency I like and there is still a nice tang to it. I never cared for buttermilk from the store but this is a whole different product.
Here is a blog briefly discussing the different cultures.
http://tcuppminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-about-clabber-cultured-buttermilk.html


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

The slightly soured milk left over after you churn cream to make butter is not the same as "cultured" buttermilk like you buy in the store, even though people used to call it buttermilk. It was soured cream, which had the majority of the butterfat (butter) removed, leaving a sour whey with little chunks of butter in it.


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