Buttermilk - the old fashioned way

buttermilk

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.