Homemade Buttermilk or The Never-Ending Milk Pail

Growing up in the country, you tend to learn things, whether intentionally taught or simply
 because you happened to be in the right place at the right time. Buttermilk is one of those 
lessons you learn by watching. To clarify, buttermilk is not the same thing as "sour milk". I get
a little irritated when ever I see a recipe that calls for buttermilk, but then says you may 
substitute sour milk. I can tell you now that you will not get the same result in your baking. 
First of all, sour milk is thin and runny, while cultured buttermilk is rich, thick, and creamy. 
 The textural difference will translate through whatever you are cooking.
 Sour milk is nothing more than milk that has had an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, 
added to curdle the milk. And while the original buttermilk is the thin liquid leftover from 
churning butter, this is not the buttermilk of which I speak. I am talking about cultured milk.
 The buttermilk that is purchased from the grocery store is a fine example. Our modern 
buttermilk is a cultured product that is far superior to the curdled drool of sour milk, both
 in texture and taste. 

Homemade Cultured Buttermilk and my Never-Ending milk pail.

  Making a supply of cultured buttermilk is really very easy, and once you have begun the practice, it will be easy to continue. I would be willing to bet that you will never want to go back to  vinegar soured milk. You may even decide to give up store-bought buttermilk.This home-made recipe makes a thick,creamy, and tangy alternative that makes store-bought buttermilk ashamed to be seen in public. You will need a small amount of store-bought cultured buttermilk to get the starter culture, but after that, you will never need to buy it again.

1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
1 quart milk (whole, skim, non-fat, raw, etc.)
1/8t. salt
 a 2 quart container with a lid


Pour milk into your clean container; allow the milk to come to room temperature (70-80 degree F,). Stir the buttermilk and salt into the milk, mixing very well to incorporate. Put a lid on it. Place in a warm (but not hot) area out of direct sunlight. Let it sit there for 24 hours, until thickened. Refrigerate when thick. Use within two weeks.


Never Ending Milk Pail:

Re-batching your buttermilk is easy. When you see that you have almost used up your buttermilk, measure out 1/2 cup to make the next batch. Clean your container to prevent bacterial growth, (I don't know if this is a real concern, but that is what I was taught, so I do it.) Then restart the batch from your old buttermilk culture.

*Notes About the Container:
Do not use a metal container, unless it is stainless steal. The acids in milk can and often do react with metals, creating a poisonous concoction. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use a glass or enameled container for storing dairy. Canning jars work great for this purpose and come in a one quart size, so you could actually half the recipe if you want. I personally use an adorable little enameled cream pail that I picked up from the flea market. If you are using an enameled container, be sure there are no chips on the inside. Again, the metal beneath the enamel coating will react with the lactic acid and can be dangerous to use.

Traveling at the speed of life.