Kitchen Tips: Buttermilk

I thought I would share some of the tips/tricks I’ve learned in the kitchen – many through trial and error, but even more through panicked phone calls to my momma. The “Help! NOW what do I do?” type of calls.

One of my favorite tricks is making my own “buttermilk” to use in recipes. I love the tang and the brightness that buttermilk brings to recipes, but I don’t use enough of it to keep it perpetually stocked in my refrigerator. I buy those little pint bottles from time to time, but I always feel guilty when I have to toss it because it’s gone bad and I’ve not used it all up. And “bad” buttermilk is a bad thing, my friend. Good buttermilk smells nasty. “Bad” buttermilk? Gulp. It’s awful.

So, what’s a girl to do when she has a craving for some scones or biscuits – and there is no buttermilk around?

Well, I can tell you this much ~ THIS girl isn’t going to get in the car and drive to the market just for buttermilk. Especially since these cravings usually occur when I’m still bed-headed and pajama-clad. No way, Jose.

In lieu of buttermilk, I fall back on my favorite pseudo-buttermilk tricks – and I thought I’d share those with you here.

Pour/squeeze 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice in a measuring cup. Fill the cup to the 1 Cup mark with milk. Stir and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. The milk will curdle and you’ll have “buttermilk.”
The same works with white vinegar if you don’t have any lemon juice around.
Martha Stewart recommends substituting 1/2 cup plain yogurt mixed with 2 Tablespoons of milk (for 1/2 cup of “buttermilk”)
I’ve also heard of people thinning sour cream with milk to substitute for buttermilk, but I’ve not tried that (yet)

There are a few other ideas over on the GoodLife Eats blog.

I hope this helps the next time you decide to try out my blueberry-lemon scones for breakfast one day.