Buttermilk is a type of fermented milk that is used in the kitchen for baking and drinking. Buttermilk is healthy, has a long shelf life, and some people consider it tasty. It can last up to several weeks in the refrigerator. Not every grocery store sells buttermilk and therefore it is more practical to make your own at home.

Whether you want to make buttermilk to drink or for your baking needs, you can learn how to make buttermilk at home with these instructions.

1. Use whole milk. Skim milk might work, but it will not have the same taste or consistency as using whole milk.

2. Do not use metal container, it will kill the bacteria culture

3. Clean the containers thoroughly before you make the buttermilk.

4. If the buttermilk smells bad or taste bad, then it is contaminated and is not safe to eat. Throw it away and make another batch.

5. You can make as many or as little cultured buttermilk as you want as long as you keep the 1 part buttermilk to 3 parts milk ratio.

6. Buttermilk can last for weeks.

7. There might be mold forming on the glass rim or on top of the buttermilk if you let is stand for some time. The mold is harmless, just remove it and you can use your buttermilk again.

8. Do not boil the milk or buttermilk in the process as it will kill the active culture.

Traditionally, buttermilk is the leftover liquid in the butter making process. Today, to make buttermilk, people use bacteria culture to ferment and thicken the milk.

You can easily make cultured buttermilk at home with milk and an active culture buttermilk as the base. You can buy cultured buttermilk from the grocery store and use it as a starter. Choose the cultured buttermilk that is less than four weeks old with “active culture” symbol on the package to ensure the bacteria are still alive.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cultured buttermilk

  3 cups of whole milk, store bought milk is fine

Equipments:

• 1 quart glass jar with lid.

Ensure the ingredients and equipment are clean and sterile.

1. Pour the buttermilk to the jar, and then add the milk.
2. Close the jar tightly. Shake the jar several times until the buttermilk and the milk is thoroughly mixed.
3. Let is stand in warm room temperature for about 24 hours. The finished buttermilk should be thick and coat the glass like the original buttermilk starter. If it is not thick enough, leave it again for 12 hours. If the buttermilk isn’t formed within 36 hours, it means the bacteria in the starter have died and it is no longer usable to make cultured buttermilk.

You can also make your own buttermilk starter from the scratch, but it takes several days and you need raw fresh milk to do it.

Instructions:

1. Allow 1 cup of raw fresh milk to stand in room temperature for several days until it is clabbered.
2. Put 1/4 of the clabbered milk into the jar. Add a cup of fresh milk. Close the lid tightly and shake it up. Let it stand in a room temperature for several days until clabbered.
3. Repeat the transfer process several more times until the milk is able to clabber in 24 hours. Check if it is thickened and taste tart.
4. Use the cultured buttermilk as the starter for larger quantity of buttermilk as described above.

You can make instant non-cultured buttermilk as the alternative for cultured buttermilk. Mix 1 tbsp cream of tartar, OR 1 tbsp of lemon juice, OR 1 tbsp of vinegar with a cup of whole milk in a glass. Let it stand for 15 minutes until the milk starts to curdle. Stir the milk again to mix it properly and serve with ice to taste.

You cannot use this type of buttermilk as the base for larger quantity of cultured buttermilk and it is not as thick and rich as cultured buttermilk. It still makes a tasty and refreshing drink, and you can also use it in baking.