Buttermilk - the old fashioned way

Activating Buttermilk Starter Culture

• 1-quart whole milk
• 1 packet buttermilk starter culture

Place milk into a mixing bowl. Add in 1 packet of buttermilk starter culture; mix well.  Place into pint-sized jars and into a prepared incubator or yogurt maker set to 42.3° C.  Ferment for 18-48 hours until buttermilk has reached a pH level of 4.6 or less.  Must ferment within 48 hours, otherwise discard.

Re-culturing Buttermilk

• 1-quart whole milk
• ¼ cup activated buttermilk

Combine milk and activated buttermilk into a mixing bowl. Place into pint-sized jars and incubate at 42.3° C for 8-12 hours until buttermilk has reached a pH level of 4.6 or less.

Use buttermilk in pancakes, biscuits, dressings, pies, ice-cream, cornbread, vinaigrettes, or with your favorite meat or cooked vegetable dish. 

Buttermilk Pancakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.  In another bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.  Let batter rest for 10 minutes.  Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with non-cooking spray.  Place ½ cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake.  Flip the pancake when small bubbles appear and the opposite side is a nice golden brown.  Serve immediately with butter and syrup. 

Authors

Kelsie Maw, RD, CD; Brian Nummer, Ph.D.; Callie Ward; Melanie Jewkes

Brian Nummer

Callie Ward

Melanie Jewkes