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Home » What is Buttermilk?

What is Buttermilk?

By Marybeth Feutz Leave a Comment

Buttermilk is great for baking and cooking. But what is buttermilk? And where does it come from? How can you tell when it’s bad (not just smelly)? And what do I do when I need some, but don’t have any? Get the answers to all your buttermilk questions here!

half gallon of buttermilk with buttermilk in a mason jar

What is Buttermilk?

{Referral links are used in this post.}

Buttermilk is milk that has been slightly fermented and thickened. It has a much thicker consistency than regular milk. The cultured bacteria that are added to the milk ferment it a little bit, and give the buttermilk a slightly tangy flavor.

How is Buttermilk Made?

Buttermilk gets its name because it was originally the milk that was “left over” after butter was made. In this unpasteurized milk, naturally-occurring bacteria fermented some of the milk sugars and gave buttermilk its trademark slightly sour taste.

buttermilk and whole milk in cartons and in clear mason jars

Now, buttermilk is made much differently. Thanks to pasteurization and refrigeration our milk doesn’t go bad as quickly, but it also doesn’t ferment in the way it needs to in order to become buttermilk. So now buttermilk is made by adding cultured bacteria to low fat milk. (Similar to how yogurt is made.) These bacteria still ferment the natural sugars in milk and form lactic acid, which is what makes buttermilk taste tart or tangy.

What is Buttermilk Used For?

Buttermilk is often used in baking. It’s consistency and tangy flavor can add texture and flavor to many baked goods, like pancakes, biscuits, or cornbread. It is also used frequently in batters or coatings, like on fried chicken.

What Can I Substitute for Buttermilk?

You can easily substitute soured milk for buttermilk. Make your own soured milk buttermilk substitute with a little bit of lemon juice and regular milk. Get the steps in this post.

How Do I Know When Buttermilk Goes Bad?

It already smells funny, so how can you tell when buttermilk goes bad?

Watch the dates on your milk cartons to know when buttermilk is past its sell-by date or best by date. Like other kinds of milk, buttermilk can still be safely used past the sell-by date. If you see any blue-green mold on the surface of the buttermilk, it’s time to toss it. Although buttermilk won’t truly “go bad” (with mold growth) for 2-3 weeks after the sell-by date, it will start to lose some of its flavor as time goes on.

If you have leftover buttermilk after making that batch of buttermilk pancakes, you can always freeze the rest of your buttermilk so you have some handy the next time you need it!

buttermilk in a mason jar next to a half-gallon container of buttermilk

What’s your favorite way to use buttermilk?

Enjoy!

3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen

  • How to Substitute for Buttermilk
  • Can I Freeze Milk?
  • How Long to Keep Foods in the Refrigerator

3 Recipes to Try

  • Mini Pancake Muffins
  • Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
  • Easy Cinnamon Bread

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Filed Under: Dairy, Holiday Tool Box, Kitchen Tips, Tricks, & More, Where is My Food From? Tagged With: baking, buttermilk, dairy, food label, kitchen tips, milk, substitute, tips

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Hi! I'm Marybeth, the blogger behind My Fearless Kitchen! Jump in, and let me share what I'm learning about food, farming, quick kitchen tips, and easy recipes to chase the fear out of YOUR kitchen! Read more.
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