Make homemade buttermilk substitute in less than 5 minutes using just 2 ingredients. Use fresh homemade buttermilk in any recipe preparation such as pancakes, biscuits or to marinate/brine meat or as a batter for fried foods!
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What is buttermilk?
Traditional buttermilk is a non-fat, thin liquid that is left after churning butter from cream. Buttermilk is rich in taste and has helpful cultures that develop when cream is left at room temperature for few hours.
Buttermilk today is simply curdled milk. Usually not a by-product of churning butter from whole milk, but adding lactic-acid producing bacteria cultures to pasteurized milk. The lactic-acid producing bacteria make buttermilk slightly sour and prevents unwanted bacteria growth.
Ingredients needed
All you need is
- 1 cup milk, any milk whole diary milk or use coconut milk or soy milk (for vegan option)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
How to make homemade buttermilk
Start by squeezing 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into a bottle or jar.
Pour 1 cup whole milk or low fat milk into the jar.
Stir it together.
Let it sit for minimum 5 minutes to maximum 30 minutes on the counter.
Milk will curdle from acidic lemon juice and the buttermilk substitute can be used in recipes that call for buttermilk.
Give it a stir before using in any recipe.
FAQ’S
You can use any kind of milk. Skim milk, 2% milk. For diary-free option use coconut milk or soy milk or even almond milk.
Buttermilk gives baked good light, moist and tender texture. As buttermilk is acidic it activates baking soda in recipes and helps baked goods raise.
Buttermilk substitutes are acidified buttermilk. There are many ways to make buttermilk substitute-
Using freshly squeezed lemon juice
Using vinegar
With cream of tartar
Or simply substitute buttermilk with plain yogurt. Plain yogurt is fermented diary product.
If you want to make vegan or diary free homemade buttermilk substitution simply substitute regular diary milk with diary free milk such as coconut milk or soy milk.
For 1 cup coconut milk or soy milk add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1 tablespoon vinegar. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before using it in recipe.
There are so many uses of homemade buttermilk substitute. Use it in-
Buttermilk biscuits
Buttermilk pancakes
Cornbread
Brine for chicken or any meat
Batter for fried food
Soaking to tenderize food before frying
Pound cake
Soda bread
Chocolate cake
Or make buttermilk ranch dressing for salads
“Churned buttermilk” is safe from drinking. i.e buttermilk got from churning butter from cream and the left over liquid (buttermilk) is safe. Traditional made buttermilk is potent source of probiotics and active cultures that aids in digestion, soothes tummy.
Whereas buttermilk substitute made by stirring acid to milk may not be used for drinking. It’ll work for cooking/baking though.
Homemade buttermilk will stay good for 3 days refrigerated.
Buttermilk freezes well. Freeze in air-tight containers or pour into ice cube trays and freeze it. Store frozen buttermilk cubes in zip lock bag.
Take the amount of buttermilk you need from freezer, thaw it in refrigerator before use.
USE BUTTERMILK IN THESE RECIPES:
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2 Ingredients Homemade Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk any milk whole diary milk or use coconut milk or soy milk (for vegan option)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
Instructions
- Start by squeezing 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into a bottle or jar. Pour 1 cup whole milk or low fat milk into the jar.
- Stir it together.
- Let it sit for minimum 5 minutes to maximum 30 minutes on the counter.
- Basically milk will curdle with lemon juice and this buttermilk substitute can be used in recipes that call for buttermilk.
- Stir it before you use in recipe.
Comments & Reviews
Nathalie says
Very easy to do & very convenient👌
Jyothi Rajesh says
So glad to know you liked the recipe Nathalie. Thank you!