buttermilk

A fresh batch of English Buttermilk Scones

Buttermilk is a term used to describe two types of fermented milk products: traditional buttermilk and cultured buttermilk. Both types of buttermilk are made from cow's milk. The final product has no alcoholic content.^{[citation needed]}

Traditionally, buttermilk has been the liquid left over after producing butter from cream during the churning process.^[1] It has a slightly sour taste since the liquid has been fermented by naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria found in raw milk.

In more modern times, commercially available buttermilk sold in supermarkets is instead cultured buttermilk, that is, milk to which lactic acid bacteria have been added to simulate the traditional product. During the 1910s, this product was called artificial buttermilk, to differentiate the product from natural/ordinary/traditional buttermilk.^[2] The sour taste, or tartness of cultured buttermilk is a result of a fermentation process in which the bacteria turn lactose into lactic acid. As the pH drops in this reaction the milk becomes tart. At this point, casein, a milk protein, precipitates as it is no longer soluble under acidic conditions, causing what is called clabbering or curdling. The acidity of buttermilk inhibits bacterial growth, and this gives it a long refrigeration life. Sour cream is made using a similar process but uses cream instead of milk.

Traditional buttermilk is quite different from cultured buttermilk: it is thin and slightly acidic, while cultured buttermilk is thick and tart.^[1]

In baking, regular milk can be substituted for buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar or 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar per cup of regular milk. Allow the soured milk to stand for ten minutes before adding to recipes.^[3] This method can be used with soy milk or rice milk for vegan/vegetarian consumption.

See also

• Whey, the liquid left over after producing cheese.

References

External links

• Making Buttermilk

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