# Can you freeze sour cream culture to extend its life?



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I hate it when the carton of sour cream goes bad, but I really like it in small amounts. So I rarely have it, because even if I buy it I have to throw 3/4 of it away.

It occurred to me that if I MADE it in small amounts, I would always have some that was in good shape. But I would be using the culture in tiny amounts and I do not know that culture will stay alive, either.

I was thinking I could put a pinch of culture in a small amount of milk, and keep it warm like I would yogurt. Might this work?


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

I realize this is an old thread.

I had frozen sour cream starter packages that where about 8 years old. I just used them the other day and they made some terrific sour cream.

As I understand it you'd be freezing an open pkg of starter? I'd keep the open pkg in a ziplock bag in the freezer and try it. 

You can also use a small amount of your last batch of sour cream to start a new batch. It worked well for me.

Or you could make sour cream the "old way" which is leaving a jar of cream out in a warm place. I haven't tried it that way.


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