Discover buttermilk: the magic ingredient that will transform your recipes and how to substitute it

The buttermilk, also known as butter serum, is a fermented dairy ingredient that adds a tangy, creamy flavor to various culinary preparations. You’ve probably seen it listed as an ingredient in many baking recipes, or noticed it in supermarkets, because its use has become very popular. With good reason! Besides its flavor, buttermilk has properties that benefit your recipes for baking, pastry and cooking in general.

In this post you'll see:

• What buttermilk is,
• how it's prepared,
• which recipes use it, and
• how to substitute it if you don't have it on hand.

What is buttermilk?

Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink obtained as a byproduct of the butter-making process. Traditionally, it was made by letting cream rest after being churned to make butter. During this rest, the lactic bacteria present in the cream converted some of the lactose into lactic acid, fermenting the liquid and giving it its characteristic flavor.

Buttermilk has a slightly thicker consistency than milk and a tangy, creamy flavor. It’s a common ingredient in many baking, pastry and general cooking recipes. Its acidity helps activate baking soda in recipes, which helps baked goods rise and achieve a more tender texture. Additionally, it’s used to marinate meats and poultry, as it helps tenderize meat fibers and improve flavor.

How to make buttermilk (homemade butter serum preparation)

If you can’t find buttermilk in your supermarket (it’s already in most, in the refrigerated dairy section near the yogurts), you can easily make it at home*. To do so, you’ll only need:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of milk (about 250 - 300 ml of milk, preferably whole)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar (10 ml)

Preparation:

1. Pour the lemon juice or vinegar into the milk and stir.
2. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes.
3. After that time, the milk will have thickened slightly and acidified, creating that serum that will work wonders in your recipes.

*Important: this is the current quickest, easiest and most commonly used way to make buttermilk at home very fast. If you want to make it the traditional way, you should churn heavy cream until it becomes butter (first it becomes whipped cream, but if you keep beating it the molecules break and separate until butter forms), and at that point you obtain the butter serum (buttermilk) in the traditional way (you can see the recipe to make homemade butter here).

Uses of buttermilk in recipes

Buttermilk is a versatile ingredient used in a wide variety of recipes. Some common uses are:

1. Pancakes and waffles: Buttermilk adds fluffiness and flavor to your pancake and waffle preparations. Try replacing regular milk with buttermilk in your favorite recipe and be surprised by the result.

2. Cakes, loaves and muffins: Adding buttermilk to your cake and muffin batters yields lighter, moister baked goods. The acidity of buttermilk also helps activate baking soda and baking powder, achieving better rise in the batter.

3. Brines and marinades: Buttermilk is excellent for marinating meats and poultry, as its acidity helps tenderize meat fibers, resulting in more tender and flavorful dishes. You can add spices and herbs to your buttermilk to create a delicious marinade.

4. Sauces and dressings: Buttermilk is used to make creamy sauces and dressings, like ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. As a base for salad dressings, you can mix it with herbs, spices and other ingredients to create creamy, refreshing dressings (such as Swiss- or Greek-style sauces).

5. Soups and creams: Buttermilk can add creaminess and a tangy note to soups and creams, such as pumpkin soup or broccoli cream.

6. Shakes and smoothies: Add buttermilk to your shakes or smoothies to give them a creamy taste and mild acidity, which pairs well with fruits and other ingredients.

7. Homemade ice cream: If you have an ice cream maker, you can use buttermilk as a base for homemade ice cream. Add your favorite flavors and enjoy a creamy, delicious ice cream.

Remember that buttermilk is a very versatile ingredient, so you can experiment and find new ways to incorporate it into your favorite recipes. Have fun exploring its different uses!