Buttermilk best before 9/3 would you use it?

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korbo, Mar 14, 7:03pm
is there a substitute for buttermilk. i dont buy it unless planning ahead, and so many recipes call for it. can you use ordinary milk.
I read somewhere you can make your own.

cookessentials, Mar 14, 8:21pm
You can make your own using milk and either lemon juice or vinegar.
Basically
1 cup buttermilk, add 1 tbsp white vinegar or leon juice(strained) if you dont have the vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes before using

uli, Mar 14, 10:38pm
So to make buttermilk you use buttermilk plus vinegar?
Doesn't make sense to me.

And if you think you can make buttermilk out of normal milk and add either lemon juice or vinegar then you are mistaken. You end up with a curdled mess of milk and vinegar.

Buttermilk is what is left over from making butter - basically the whey - which is then cultured. Your milk/vinegar mix is not cultured and will taste nowhere near like butter milk.

And yes - of course you can use your concoction too for baking - however it is NOT buttermilk - homemade or otherwise!

P.S.: I find it amazing that this myth comes back on these boards several times every year. And every time cooks and ellie - and some others - will give the same recipe.

cookessentials, Mar 14, 11:16pm
Oh go away uli, you never have anything constructive to give here, only insults and frankly it is getting more than tiresome.

davidt4, Mar 14, 11:49pm
You may find it tiresome, however uli is correct.Buttermilk is a partcicular cultured product, and while a mixture of milk and acid (or yoghurt fro that matter) will serve as the acidic component of a batter or dough, it does not contribute the same flavour and texture as buttermilk.It is a substitute only and cannot be called buttermilk.

cookessentials, Mar 15, 12:38am
I do realise the fact helen. however, if you do not have buttermilk,l it is perfectly fine to use it this way. Have either of you read "The Home Creamery" by kathy Ferrell-Kinglsey? I would suggest you do. There are two recipes there korbo. The first gives you two options, one of which is above, the second uses whole milk and you can use either 2 tbsp cream of tartar or 1 tbsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp lemon juice. This one will give you a rich, thick buttermilk because you are using whole milk ( full cream) This may be refrigerated in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The second uses non fat milk and some cultured buttermilk, this will keep for up to two weeks. if you want the recipe for that one korbo, just let me know. For what you want both of these are just perfect and Kathy Farrell Kingsly does know what she is talking about. She also mentions that the commercially made buttermilk is not the by product of butter making ( which I am aware of as i make my own butter) it is made by adding bacterial culture to milk.
Korbo, the book is well worth having if you want to make other things apart from buttermilk such as yoghurt,butter, creme fraiche, cream cheese, ricotta etc. it is around $39.95 from mostbook stores.
and quoting uli "Buttermilk is what is left over from making butter - basically the whey - which is then cultured. Your milk/vinegar mix is not cultured and will taste nowhere near like butter milk" it is YOU that are incorrect actually. Commercial buttermilk is not made this way at all, it is made by adding culture to milk.

cookessentials, Mar 15, 12:42am
Quote Uli: P.S.: I find it amazing that this myth comes back on these boards several times every year. And every time cooks and ellie - and some others - will give the same recipe.

And I find it not so amazing that any time someone asks something on these boards, you and your obnoxious comments are to the fore again and again. You would have to be the most impolite person I have ever had the bad fortune to come across.

supercook, Mar 15, 1:37am
It has been opened. would you use it!

ant_sonja, Mar 15, 1:40am
That would be nothing like buttermilk which is a cultured whey product and also quite nice to drink. We grew up on this stuff as well as using it in the odd recipe for baking etc but mainly had it as a drink. It is nothing like adding vinegar to milk tho which may be a reasonable substitute for some recipes but not at all like the real thing and I can't imagine drinking it..

And for the thread starter, if you are unsure if your buttermilk is still ok then trying a little bit is your best bet (if you don't quite trust your nose) - nothing wrong with drinking buttermilk if that is what you are worried about - it's not just for baking :-)

cookessentials, Mar 15, 1:54am
I did not say it was buttermilk, it is a substitute which is whaty korbo asked for. She did not ask for one to drink if you read her post. The recipes above are quite adequate as a substitute for baking though.

uli, Mar 15, 4:00am
I would use it IF it doesn't taste bitter.

supercook, Mar 15, 4:25am
I am not going to taste it, it;'s buttermilk

uli, Mar 15, 5:29am
What are you trying to convey with that sentence! Makes no sense to me.

Why won't you want to ensure that the buttermilk is indeed not spoilt before you mix it with other stuff!

jessie981, Mar 15, 5:33am
Fine to use. What flavour scones! Yum love date or cheese.

duckmoon, Mar 15, 5:42am
I would use my eyes and my nose, and then make a decision.

We often use yoghurt which is passed it best before date.
I figure that yoghurt, cheese etc are one way of preserving milk to use later, so if refridgerated well, I use the date on the box at a guide, along with my nose and eyes

supercook, Mar 15, 6:38am
Cheese and chive

nfh1, Mar 15, 6:52am
Wouldn't you need to know how long it had been open before you could say it will be ok to use!

supercook, Mar 15, 7:00am
Been open for 1 week.

supercook, Mar 15, 7:02am
Thank you so much for recipe I could remove sugar and use to make cheese scones !

julie_, Mar 15, 7:22am
I'd definitely use it.Especially if it's in baking!

kuaka, Mar 15, 7:29am
My gran always said that the best scones were made with sour milk or milk that had gone off and curdled.She lived to a ripe old age only to be killed in a road accident.I would use it as long as it wasn't green and hairy.

supercook, Mar 15, 8:34am
Sounds like it's a yes to using the buttermilk for scones. I'm sure the temperature of the oven hot for scones will kill any bugs.

uli, Mar 15, 10:38pm
So to make buttermilk you use buttermilk plus vinegar!
Doesn't make sense to me.

And if you think you can make buttermilk out of normal milk and add either lemon juice or vinegar then you are mistaken. You end up with a curdled mess of milk and vinegar.

Buttermilk is what is left over from making butter - basically the whey - which is then cultured. Your milk/vinegar mix is not cultured and will taste nowhere near like butter milk.

And yes - of course you can use your concoction too for baking - however it is NOT buttermilk - homemade or otherwise!

P.S.: I find it amazing that this myth comes back on these boards several times every year. And every time cooks and ellie - and some others - will give the same recipe.

cookessentials, Mar 16, 12:38am
I do realise the fact helen. however, if you do not have buttermilk,l it is perfectly fine to use it this way. Have either of you read "The Home Creamery" by kathy Ferrell-Kinglsey! I would suggest you do. There are two recipes there korbo. The first gives you two options, one of which is above, the second uses whole milk and you can use either 2 tbsp cream of tartar or 1 tbsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp lemon juice. This one will give you a rich, thick buttermilk because you are using whole milk ( full cream) This may be refrigerated in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The second uses non fat milk and some cultured buttermilk, this will keep for up to two weeks. if you want the recipe for that one korbo, just let me know. For what you want both of these are just perfect and Kathy Farrell Kingsly does know what she is talking about. She also mentions that the commercially made buttermilk is not the by product of butter making ( which I am aware of as i make my own butter) it is made by adding bacterial culture to milk.
Korbo, the book is well worth having if you want to make other things apart from buttermilk such as yoghurt,butter, creme fraiche, cream cheese, ricotta etc. it is around $39.95 from mostbook stores.
and quoting uli "Buttermilk is what is left over from making butter - basically the whey - which is then cultured. Your milk/vinegar mix is not cultured and will taste nowhere near like butter milk"
it is YOU that are incorrect actually. Commercial buttermilk is not made this way at all, it is made by adding culture to milk.

ant_sonja, Mar 16, 1:40am
That would be nothing like buttermilk which is a cultured whey product and also quite nice to drink. We grew up on this stuff as well as using it in the odd recipe for baking etc but mainly had it as a drink. It is nothing like adding vinegar to milk tho which may be a reasonable substitute for some recipes but not at all like the real thing and I can't imagine drinking it.

And for the thread starter, if you are unsure if your buttermilk is still ok then trying a little bit is your best bet (if you don't quite trust your nose) - nothing wrong with drinking buttermilk if that is what you are worried about - it's not just for baking :-)