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OT...Buttermilk substitute

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Photo Egg
Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
in Forum List
I'm not a big Milk fan and the taste of Buttermilk, even thinking about it, makes me cringe a little.
So many recipes are calling for Buttermilk. I guess it's one of the "in" things right now.
I normally substitute, in equal amounts, Heavy Cream.
I just don't like the sour twang of the Buttermilk.
Anyone else?
Thank you,
Darian

Galveston Texas
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Comments

  • Sandtree
    Sandtree Posts: 41
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    Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine vinegar per cup of double (heavy) cream. Alternatively natural or Greek yoghurt can be used instead of cream 
    London, UK

    New LBGE Owner
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    One of the purposes of using buttermilk in recipes is to adjust the acidity.  Plain cream will not reproduce the acidity levels correctly.  Drinking straight buttermilk is quite different than using in a recipe.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I just add a tablespoon of white vinegar and top off to 1 cup with whole milk. I rarely have heavy cream on hand and never cultured buttermilk.

    BTW, real buttermilk, the liquid formed in the process of churning butter, tastes NOTHING like the cultured stuff they sell as buttermilk in stores today. It's like milk with a hint of sweet. Quite tasty. As is homemade butter for that matter.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmin9PBXP_g

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Buttermilk is often called for in recipes for chemistry, i.e. an acid (buttermilk) and a base (baking powder) meet up to produce gas (for leavening).

    If you don't care as much about the leavening aspect (or just use yeast or even sourdough starter instead), you may be able to replace the buttermilk.

    Another option to consider is kefir. HEB sells it, lasts longer than buttermilk, and tastes maybe more like yogurt than buttermilk. I've used it in recipes that called for buttermilk, without noticing much of a difference.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    Several questions I guess are in order. Is the recipe a baking recipe? If so the previous comments are accurate in the need to produce a rise in biscuits or pancakes etc.. baking is the only scientific reason to use it. You can use any acid. If not for baking, then for battering chicken etc? This is for taste. Many people like the twang of acidity for things like fried chicken or onion rings. It is subtle but you can tell if you try it side by side with milk as the wetting agent. Mashed Potatoes? Again, just taste. I like cream in mine rather than buttermilk. 
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    I recall from my very young years, my grandparents having buttermilk as a primary milk in their refrigerator. I use to drink it (in small amounts) and grew to tolerate it. These days I have three uses for buttermilk...my wife makes a caramel cake to die for, Original hidden valley Ranch dressing.....and thirdly, soaking okra before breading and frying. I don’t keep it on hand as a general rule...but use with no taste issues in these items. Bottom line, i’m Not with you on this one, but I certainly get where you are coming from.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    FYI - Buttermilk is 1-2% fat.  Heavy cream is 16-36% fat.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    nolaegghead said:
    FYI - Buttermilk is 1-2% fat.  Heavy cream is 16-36% fat.
    Explains why heavy cream and ice cream is soooooo good.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    Carolina Q said:
    I just add a tablespoon of white vinegar and top off to 1 cup with whole milk. I rarely have heavy cream on hand and never cultured buttermilk.....
    Another option is to keep powdered buttermilk in your pantry with your baking supplies.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited January 2019
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    Here's a good breakdown of traditional buttermilk substitutes. 

    https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/04/how-to-substitute-buttermilk.html


    Google around and it's not hard to see why buttermilk seems so frivolous—experts everywhere act like getting rid of it is no big deal. Just use milk and lemon juice! Milk and vinegar! Milk and cream of tartar! Plain yogurt! Buttermilk powder! Anything but the real deal.     


    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    The buttermilk that I buy has an expiration date of 2 weeks, so I'll buy it I know I'll use 2 quarts by then. Otherwise, I buy kefir,  which lasts over a month, if I just want to keep it on hand for weekend waffles, biscuits, etc. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
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    caliking said:
    The buttermilk that I buy has an expiration date of 2 weeks, so I'll buy it I know I'll use 2 quarts by then. Otherwise, I buy kefir,  which lasts over a month, if I just want to keep it on hand for weekend waffles, biscuits, etc. 

    Honestly, I don't think buttermilk ever truly "expires". I've used it 3 months later without it going rancid. Stella Parks, the baker for Serious Eats seems to agree - 


    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    I might disagree @SonVolt. I've had buttermilk smell pretty foul some time after the expiration date, so pitched it. It may have been fine for baking,  but I didn't use it. May not apply to all brands though. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • The_Stache
    The_Stache Posts: 1,153
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    living with a lactose intolerant spousal unit has allowed me to find goat yogurt also makes a good substitute for buttermilk!
    Kirkland, TN
    2 LBGE, 1 MM


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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
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    Could be. I typically pay a little extra for the real stuff. The store brands (etc) have thickeners and all sorts of other artificial junk in them. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    Buttermilk is a generic term.  For this discussion we should distinguish between the different products: traditional buttermilk, cultured buttermilk, and acidified buttermilk.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    jtcBoynton said:
    Buttermilk is a generic term.  For this discussion we should distinguish between the different products: traditional buttermilk, cultured buttermilk, and acidified buttermilk.
    For me, you guys have provided enough information.
    When added for taste it's cool to sub in Heavy Cream but it adds a higher fat content. For Baking be careful it's not there for a leavening agent.
    All good...Thank you everyone. 
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    jtcBoynton said:
    Buttermilk is a generic term.  For this discussion we should distinguish between the different products: traditional buttermilk, cultured buttermilk, and acidified buttermilk.
    Buttermilk is the milk left over after making butter, then cultured for preservation.  It is low in fat because the fat just went into the butter.

    What you mostly buy is an approximation of that.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    Most of the cultured buttermilk found in the supermarkets is made from fermented milk and not associated with butter production.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    jtcBoynton said:
    Most of the cultured buttermilk found in the supermarkets is made from fermented milk and not associated with butter production.
    Yep.  It tastes close enough to the real thing.

    If you like ranch dressing, you should like buttermilk.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,746
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    I've heard buttermilk works well as an emollient, so there's that.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    Whole milk with either lemon juice or white vinegar works as a perfect substitute in most recipes.  Troof.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    tried the keifer yesterday, like it, gassing off today though =) beans got nothing on this kefir
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    fishlessman said:
    tried the keifer yesterday, like it, gassing off today though =) beans got nothing on this kefir
    Pretty cheap humor. 
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,346
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    fishlessman said:
    tried the keifer yesterday, like it, gassing off today though =) beans got nothing on this kefir
    Now that you tried kefir, your next step is kombucha.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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