What to use instead of Buttermilk?
I have a new concept for Mondays on the Foodie-file. I get asked questions by readers on a regular basis and have decided to share the answers with other foodie people who might be interested. To kick off; a question I get asked at least once a month:
Is there anything that can be substituted for buttermilk? Recipes usually call for a small amount and you can’t buy less than a litre so I end up either not making the recipe or throwing out the unused portion.
Sour milk is the best substitute for buttermilk. To every one cup of milk add, either, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon white vinegar or 1 tsp cream of tartar. Allow the mixture to stand for 5 or 10 minutes and substitute in equal quantities for buttermilk.
However, if you enjoy baking and eating baked goods, I would like to strongly recommend that you spurge on the litre of buttermilk. Buttermilk gives baked goods an incredibly soft and light texture that cannot completely be replicated. People have asked me why my biscuits taste so good (ok, I’m sounding like Loretta Lynn, but it’s true) and the answer is buttermilk; same goes for pancakes and quick breads. If you have a lot left over after making a recipe, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Take out a few cubes the next time you are baking your muffins. Also buttermilk is low in fat so it’s great to make a salad dressing, smoothie or add to mashed potatoes if it’s left in the fridge.
Finally, If the buttermilk is a major ingredient in the recipe, like a buttermilk pie or fried chicken – then do not substitute, go for the real thing.
Disagree with my advice? Want to write in and try to stump me? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you next Monday.
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I try to keep buttermilk in the frig all the time. You’re right, biscuits, muffins, pancakes … everything is better when baked with buttermilk! It also makes a great marinade for boneless skinless chicken breasts: add lots of herbs and some garlic, marinate several hours and then BBQ … moist and delicious!
Aha…”Allow the mixture to stand for 5 or 10 minutes…” That part I didn’t know. I normally “sour” my milk and dump it in immediately. No wonder!
You can also used dried buttermilk powder and water. When baking, put the powder in with other dry ingredients, and add the water with your other liquids. I haven’t checked it for chemicals, and I prefer fresh too when I know ahead that I am going to use it, but the powder is a great standby and keeps well. I buy a container when I am in a U.S. grocery store (haven’t really looked for it here), but you can order it online.
I keep powdered buttermilk in the fridge in a small ziplock container. It keeps for a long time and is easy to make just the amt you want by adding water.
Ah! It would be nice if pasteurized milk was available, since it is difficult to have REAL sour milk nowadays for a recipe! I think the taste was better and it was better for us.
I have purchased dried buttermilk in the Southern U.S. but have not found it in the North. Thanks for the tip about keeping the buttermilk powder in the refrigerator!
I have used powdered buttermilk for baking devil’s food cake for many years. It is readily available in the “nature (i.e.organic) foods” dept. of my supermarket in Northern US. When I first bought it, I failed to read the label – it said to refrigerate. On the pantry shelf, the powder caked and hardened. Refrigerator storage took care of that problem.
can you use sour milk ( when it is out dated ) when a recipes calls for sour milk?