Go Back
–+ servings
A woman pouring a glass of raw milk into a Mason jar.

Cultured Buttermilk

Did you know that you can make cultured buttermilk with just two ingredients? You will be amazed at the difference it makes in your recipes.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Course: Ingredient
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 minute
Culturing Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 1 minute
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 151kcal
Author: Carolyn Thomas
Cost: Varies

Equipment

  • Quart Jar w/Lid
  • Spoon

Ingredients

  • ¼ Cup Buttermilk
  • 1 Quart Whole Milk

Instructions

  • Pour milk and buttermilk into a clean quart jar.
  • Stir with a clean spoon.
  • Place the lid on top, but do not seal it.
  • Allow the mixture to culture at room temperature for about 24 hours.
  • Seal the lid and store the buttermilk in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Notes

Storing Cultured Buttermilk:
To store extra or prolong the shelf life, pour the buttermilk into ice cube trays, freeze, and then transfer them to a zip-top bag to store in the freezer for about six months. Furthermore, you can follow this tutorial for freeze drying milk to freeze dry buttermilk so it's shelf-stable!
Ways to Use Cultured Buttermilk:
The lactic acid content in buttermilk is the key component to why buttermilk improves so many recipes. 
The reaction of buttermilk’s acid with the leavening agents in baked goods creates carbon dioxide, resulting in a light and fluffy feel. You can swap buttermilk for the milk in any cake, muffin, sweet bread, pancake, or biscuit recipe, such as…
 
As mentioned in our post on cooking tips for organ meats, soaking the meat in buttermilk can help neutralize unpleasant cooking odors. You can also use buttermilk to neutralize the “gamey” flavor in wild game meat. 
Additionally, buttermilk’s acid is a great tenderizer, so soaking tough cuts in buttermilk for 6-8 hours before cooking helps. 
Finally, the bacteria in cultured buttermilk provide a nutritional boost to recipes that are not cooked. Try buttermilk in your favorite green smoothie recipe, ranch salad dressing, or even swap the milk for buttermilk in this homemade ice cream recipe!

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 375mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 0.01mg
Tried this recipe?We want to see! Tag @homesteadingfamily on Instagram.