Buttermilk 101: The MOST Important Ingredient that's not in your fridge right now

Are you one of those awful people who never have buttermilk in your fridge? STOP IT! Buttermilk is literally the most important ingredient in my refrigerator, I use it almost daily.
Flour sack towels: amzn.to/37Ry5fQ (I use these all the time in my kitchen for straining cheese or cold brew, or lining my rising bowls for sourdough bread.)
Grain/jelly bag: amzn.to/49GaLyU (Also superior to cheesecloth for straining, I also use it for infusing large batches of tea, making jelly, beer, etc.)
This video will explain how diverse buttermilk is for everything from baking to marinating, as well as the laughably simple method for making MORE buttermilk when you start to get low:
Refill your buttermilk container with any type of dairy milk (skim, 2%, whole, cow or goat), and you can use quality organic grass-fed milks to create a "premium" buttermilk that can be impossible to find in most area. Shake well to distribute the old buttermilk into the new milk, and leave on the countertop at room temperature until it thickens. (The cooler your kitchen, the longer it will take to ferment, from a minimum of a day, to potentially 3 or 4 days.) Once you can tell it has thickened, shake it and put it back in the fridge.
The more old buttermilk is in the container, the faster the milk will ferment. So if your container was empty, with only a little buttermilk clinging to the sides, it will also take longer for the new milk to ferment.
This method works best when you start with standard low-fat cultured buttermilk, rather than the "Bulgarian buttermilk" which uses a yogurt culture that prefers to ferment at temperatures warmer than room temp.
Both storebought and homemade buttermilk last FAR beyond the expiration date. It is only bad if mold is growing on the surface of the buttermilk, smells terrible, or it has separated into large, heavy clumps. (Some graininess or gentle separation is completely normal, just shake it to smooth it out. Buttermilk is, in fact, soured milk, so it should smell like sour milk...this doesn't mean it is BAD...technically it has already "gone bad" with an intentionally-selected strain of lactobacillus bacteria.)
If your buttermilk over-thickens, simply give it a good shake to loosen it up. If it's still too thick for your liking, add a little milk and shake it well, then put it back in the fridge.
To turn buttermilk into cheese, place in a covered, non-reactive, oven-safe pot and bake in the center of a 375F/190C oven for 20 minutes. Check for a clean separation between a fairly firm curd (the solid white part) and the greenish, clear liquid whey. If the separation isn't clear, bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the curd has fully separated. Strain through a flour sack towel ( amzn.to/37Ry5fQ ) or jelly/grain bag ( amzn.to/3hikPEf ), or cheesecloth or even an old, clean t-shirt, to separate the whey.
Refrigerate or freeze the whey, and use it in place of water, cup for cup or ounce for ounce, in ANY baking recipe, particularly bread and sourdough.
Hang the bag and allow the curds to drain for a minimum of 4 hours (for a creamy cheese), or up to 12 hours (for a drier, firmer, sharper cheese). Mix salt (at least 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, more to taste) and any desired additions into your cheese.
(NOTE: As an Amazon associate, if you buy something from one of my links, I may get a few cents. Thankya!)

[@VagabondAnne]

Buttermilk tip: inoculate a jar of cream or half and half with buttermilk (like a tablespoon per pint), and whoa nelly you have a nice CHEAP substitute for crème fraîche.

[@smokinJoe682]

This does work and taste great.

[@maryharker5088]

So great to know the expiration date means nothing, that I can substitute buttermilk for milk in recipes and even cooler that I can renew it instead of buying more! You are such a fountain of knowledge and I really appreciate you!

[@FVWhimsy2010]

exactly! This is exactly the most useful buttermilk video with tons of engaging information. Most other videos are so sloooow...with exactly the same basic information being regurgitated over and over.

[@tlfarmgirl]

Organic Valley farmer here... thanks for the support! Here because of your simple sourdough. Love it... thank you!!!

[@evajankowski4055]

I am 77 years old and cannot believe all the information you are providing. So informative. I plan on watching all your videos. Please keep up the great work

[@lindagordon2955]

Ben!!!! My life has opened up to a whole new world! I'm 69 years old and I can't believe how you have encouraged me to try all these amazing new recipes! Thank you!

[@jamiejackson3206]

I'm absolutely fascinated with your videos. I'd been stressing over my sourdough starter and a FB sourdough group comment led me to you. I have since gone down every rabbit hole your videos provide. The way you interject the science into your recipes gives the why. And I'm a why girl who learns thru rationale. Thank you so much for taking so much of your time and efforts to teach. I've learned so much and will likely binge the heck out of your channel until I've seen everything you've put out. 🙏🏻

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I'm SO glad to hear this! I get so many comments from people saying, "You talk too much." But those people will never learn to understand what they're doing...they will follow directions, and then be frustrated when it doesn't turn out how they expect.

[@jamiejackson3206]

And btw...once I trouble shot my starter issues with your sourdough starter instructions and learned what Flora needed (after four weeks of acetone smelling starter that just wouldn't thrive), she took off like a bat out of hell! Within three days after feeding her MORE than a 1:1:1 ratio I had an active and mature starter. She was not getting enough to eat. This is why people need to hear you talk 😉 Btw btw...currently watching season 2, episode 4 of Master Chef. I won't look for spoilers...I HOPE YOU WON!!!!

[@susieflorian5978]

My sentiments exactly!!

[@kakcooperrencooper3732]

Love your easy sourdough recipes and the buttermilk hints here. Awesome!!!Thank you so much! Cinnamon rolls are waiting to be made later today for tomorrow morning bake. 🥰

[@cherylbryant3125]

I always have buttermilk, whole milk gourmet. Thank you so much for this video. 71 years old, grew up on a farm and never knew I could make buttermilk. I am headed to the kitchen to make it with store bought. I make everything I can with BM. our favorite is pancakes, biscuits, chocolate cake, sour cream big soft sugar or molasses cookies and always fried chicken and fish. You have made my day/year!

[@kennydavis2276]

A lady at our church used to make buttermilk chocolate cake. That was one of the finest cakes I've eaten. Haven't had it since the late 1970's. Thanks for reminding me !!

[@ritaroach3491]

I love to make biscuits with buttermilk. Big difference from anything else.

[@WayneJohn-fq6cn]

How about kefir?

[@TURTLEORIGINAL]

I cannot believe how easy it was to make a gallon of buttermilk with only 1/4 cup leftover buttermilk, and almost a full gallon of whole milk! Ben Start, thank you, sir! I love how you give all the pertinent details to your tutorials. God bless!

[@faronsteele8754]

Everyone I know think I'm sick for loving butter milk... That just leaves more for me...I love it

[@isabelleblain9657]

Thank you for the explanations. I am a microbiologist by training, and I love that you inject the food science in your videos.

[@rolandjackson5356]

SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL. WHO DOESN'T LIKE A RECIPET THAT THRIVES ON NEGLECT!

[@Richardofdanbury]

I make my own butter from 1 qt of whipping cream in a hand churn. After 15 -20 minutes I have butter and buttermilk, which we use for baking.

[@Zimzimhk]

I do have a bit of buttermilk left in my fridge that has gone way past the "expire" date. I am going to make more buttermilk using your method tonight. Bless you, Ben!

[@honeylady108]

I started making my own organic buttermilk thanks to you! I bought a quart of organic, cultured buttermilk to make your awesome sourdough sandwich loaf, and now I have buttermilk whenever I run low with my own homemade buttermilk! I also use a few ounces in my overnight oats, along with kefir milk and coconut milk. I love your channel! More please!

[@maryellenhoscila2904]

LOVED THIS! As a kid our milk was straight from the cow. My mom was known for her delicate, tasty baked goods. She used sour milk, as we NEVER wasted a morsel of food! We always had fresh buttermilk, icy cold, for my daddy to drink, since he was Polish and it was a nutritious quick refreshing snack. Thank you for teaching new generations the old ways!

[@pamfadness4675]

Just did my first buttermilk batch! Husband thought I was crazy :)) I left it out 2 days so it’s really thick & creamy. It’s been super handy for making homemade ranch dressing with it every couple days or so! HE appreciates that! I think I may try it in an ice cream recipe next! Thanks for the great tips!!

[@thedaydreamerplans]

I tried this, and it worked! It took a solid 48 hours to thicken like you said, and now I will have buttermilk indefinitely. Also, if anyone lives in/near Lancaster County, PA, there is a grocery store called Shady Maple that has 3 different brands of actual Buttermilk. It's expensive, but if you want to try to real thing, go get you some.

[@sharonhochstetler2917]

You are a genius Ben Starr! Do you know how many containers of buttermilk I have thrown away because I thought they had gone bad? Well no more! Thank you for your sharing your expertise. I can now have buttermilk on hand in my kitchen!

[@camilleespinas2898]

Finally someone who educated the public about the wonders of buttermilk . I always keep buttermilk in the fridge, not only to brine and bake with, but to drink for the delicious flavor. It contains probiotics and it really can help an acid stomach or if one drank to much like a member of our family. The first thing this person does when they wake up in the morning is to drink a big glass of cold buttermilk to soothe the upset tummy.,

[@JoJo-c9o]

Thank you for setting me straight on buttermilk. I'm one of the ones who throw out left over buttermilk that was sitting for over a month. Whew! Now I can keep it and replenish it for life. Thanks again. I just love all the tips and information you give.

[@flyboy13131]

I’m a baker and I love buttermilk . I wanted though to thank you for several things you mentioned about the merits of using buttermilk . I know I’m a nerd , but found that buttermilk episode FASCINATING !

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

If you're a nerd, you're in VERY good company on my channel!!

[@AminM-1]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Your Crazy

[@ksiggs]

I too found this video fascinating!

[@eszhun2296]

We make kefir and yogurt at home. We're on septic so I do pour occasional whey down the drain to incorporate good bacteria into the septic system.

[@michelesoto5919]

Thank you, I've been told to do yeast every month. Do you alternate the two? How much do you pour down? I've been adding it to my compost pile.

[@eszhun2296]

@@michelesoto5919 about a cup or two. No exact science to it. What about you and yeast? How much do you add?

[@michelesoto5919]

@@eszhun2296 Thank you!! For yeast 1 heaping teaspoon a month flush down in each towel bowl.

[@03abbey23]

You just explained why my buttermilk came out like Elmer's glue! Thanks!

[@paulwong9819]

You are a very good teacher. I wish you were my teacher when young. Keep going please!

[@joarswenning457]

Another great one, thanks! If have a lot of whey left over from the cheese making and want to try something different than using it when baking, here's a tip. Make what in Swedish is called messmör and mesost . Traditionally it was a poor people's way of using everything. During the summers when the women and children were up at the seters (transhumance farms) they had to make the most of the milk form the cows and goats without it getting spoiled. So when the butter was made they got the buttermilk and when they had made cheese (which was even easier to keep), they made messmör and mesost. (it's something else in Norwegian but made in similar way there, it just means whey-butter and whey-cheese) What you do is you just simmer the whey very slowly for a very long time until the sugars are somewhat caramelized and you have achieved a creamy texture. Sometimes you would add a little cream late in the process. What you have is messmör which is used as a bread spread. If you instead keep on reducing and caramelizing it it will become mesost, since it gets so thick it can be cut and used as cheese on your typical open face sandwich.

[@TheKentuckylady717]

Way too much trouble.....🤣

[@mikha007]

is that similar to ghee?

[@joarswenning457]

@@mikha007 I beleive ghee is just pure butter fat from clarified butter while messmör is simmered down whey from the cheese making. Ghee I guess is used instead of oil or butter in cooking while messmör is a spred like e.g. peanut butter or marmite/vegimite

[@gypsygem9395]

Wow that's great info, thank you! I've got nearly 4 pints of whey (left over from making paneer) in my fridge. Some of it is going to a litter of puppies tomorrow, but I didn't know what to do with the rest of it apart from using it to make bread. I might try your suggestion!

[@bettyspalette8447]

I’m so glad to see this video! My daughter (a grown woman) and I had a heated discussion about sour milk the other day and she threw out my expired milk saying it was rotten. I told her don’t throw that it out I will be baking with it. It went down the sink with her saying it is rotten and I can’t use it. Now I can show her your video! Thank you so much for explaining all this! Love the part about the buttermilk to.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Regular milk that has soured from the fridge may be colonized with an unknown bacteria, so it IS best to toss out milk that has become sour. If you intentionally colonize it with a culture specifically selected for milk fermentation, like buttermilk culture, then it's fine. But I toss our any regular milk that has soured in my fridge, when I didn't sour it myself.

[@bettyspalette8447]

@@ultimatefoodgeek I’ll be darned I didn’t know that

[@user-lx2yz5gb2v]

You can make cheese with souring milk. You have to sour it for curds

[@gypsygem9395]

​@@ultimatefoodgeekif it was raw milk that went sour, you can use it for all sorts of things. I would hesitate to use sour pasteurised milk though

[@mundivore2397]

This video got me making buttermilk for myself. Forgot about it in the fridge for four months, checked it yesterday, it was still rip-roaring ready to go! Made some lovely pancakes with it.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Hurrah! I love it.

[@TheKentuckylady717]

Never thought to make pancakes with buttermilk.....now I will try it thanks....

[@CitizenKate]

I WAS one of those awful people, but I've seen the light! There is now buttermilk in my fridge and I've got plans for it! Thanks, Ben!

[@GEInman]

Hello, Ben. I'm moving from cow's milk to goat milk (lactose and casein considerations). I used goat's milk and added buttermilk. It worked! "Goat Creme Fraiche" I'm heating the goat creme fraiche to make a a version of chevre as i write. Thanks for sharing your expertise!

[@twiztedtwinzanderson8069]

OMG as someone who is sensitive to pasteurized dairy products.. you are the man cuz cream cheese is my weakness. Thank you so much!

[@ChantYip]

Great info for a lot of people who ignorantly buy buttermilk when it is not necessary.

[@lostinmyspace4910]

The first time I ever used buttermilk was when making a German Chocolate three layer cake. It made the cake so moist and flavorful. And now I use it for making pancakes.

[@MervynShattock-fv9st]

This man is amazing,a natural teacher.

[@Justice4All6-14]

Wonderful video, you are so eloquent in your speach. Love learning from you…even at the young age of 76…❤❤❤

[@debiheaton6812]

Ben, I am new to your channel and I want to say….you are amazing! I love your science lessons! I am so excited to start my Sour Dough Journey. I have Cinnamon Roll Dough rising on my counter as we speak. I just want to say thank you for everything you do to help make Lazy People like me successful at making yummy stuff that my Microbiome loves!!!

[@WGChere]

This is what i was looking for! I knew creme fraiche could be fermented from cream and buttermilk, and i thought there might be a way to ferment buttermilk, too. I was giving up because all I could find was making sour milk by adding lemon juice or vinegar. I'm glad I persevered!

[@saranaidu8252]

I drink buttermilk with some Himalayan salt and a pinch of black pepper. You could also make a chili paste in a mortar and use a pestle to crush it and put into your buttermilk too. It can taste hot but I like it that way. I like the thai 🌶.

[@kimmurphy6864]

Kefir will separate without heating it. Love to make kefir and make all kinds of things with it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️. The best probiotic you can get !!!

[@gypsygem9395]

Yes!!

[@lorifalwell197]

My husband's grandmother who lived through the depression made her buttermilk that she baked with out of a small amount of buttermilk, dry milk and warm water and let it set on the counter to sour.

[@sandradrewery781]

That's how my grandmother made her buttermilk

[@AnnainOK1]

I had a gallon of milk that was past its sell by date, unopened. It tasted fine, but might not have lasted very long--so I made buttermilk! What a win! Split it into two, and one thickened more quickly than the other, so it's going to be cheese. :) Thank you for this.

[@Tuckerclan]

Gawd dang it, you always make baking look like something I can do. I've been using your lazy sourdough bread (love it) so now I'll have to try this buttermilk recipe. I have learned more from just a few of your videos than I have from countless others. Thanks and keep it up.

[@TheHouseboat1]

New sub here after listening to so much great information. I look forward to getting lots of new baking ideas at 78 years of age! We get to soon old and to late smart. 🤣

[@faizfateh3570]

Ben, how can I ever thank you for having unlimited supply of Buttermilk. And thank you for clarifying on Yogurt Culture & Sour cultures. You definitely know your stuff. I’ve been fermenting with mesophilic cultures for weeks now I leave it for about 24-36 hrs and great tasting results every time.

[@artstamper316]

Oh my goodness. Your video popped up after watching how to get lactic acid bacteria for my garden. I've never liked buttermilk and have never seen any use for it but I watched you anyway just to see why I MUST have it in my fridge. I'm *almost* tempted to start cooking again, you are so inspiring! (I mainly eat salads topped with chicken.) I will definitely share this with my niece, whose main meat source is venison.

[@brennan353]

So many times I ignored interesting recipes because I thought I would waste the rest of the buttermilk I would get to make it. Not anymore; you've made a convert! Can't wait to make my own and find new ways to use it. Thanks for a real eye opener.

[@rdsandy11]

I always amaze when my wife buys store bought buttermilk when I have fresh homemade kefir in the fridge always. I use kefir interchangeably for buttermilk.

[@karenprenger1738]

THANK YOU! I also make kefir at home and never realized I could substitute that for buttermilk……

[@tweakablelifecreations6543]

😲 Say what now?! So, you’re telling me all these years I’ve bought dairy only for it to sit on the counter and “spoil” has been UNNECESSARY?! I just got TKO’d 🥊 🥊🥊with all that information! AND AND AND I have a half gallon of milk in the fridge right now! (I bought it to make brioche) I can’t wait to make buttermilk for my biscuits and cheese and 🏃🏾‍♀️💨 Gotta go make and bake! Bye 👋🏾 and thx 😊

[@laurentdumont160]

😂😂😂

[@mandytrombly6955]

It worked! Mine took about 16 hours in my warm kitchen. It concerned me at first because it appeared very thick. But I gave it a good shake and it looks and smells like buttermilk! I’m about to make some buttermilk bread with it. Thank you, Ben! Honestly so grateful for your videos. Please keep them coming!

[@brendastratton1306]

Great information! Adding buttermilk to my grocery list. When I was little, I used to watch my mother make cottage cheese. (We lived on a farm, and had an abundance of milk and cream.) Now, I know the complete process. Thanks!

[@AlbertPaysonTerhune]

I make butter out of heavy whipping cream (cultured with a little yoghurt) in a Little Pro Cuisinart, and end up with about a cup of buttermilk that I keep in a jar in the fridge. Then I usually throw out if I don't use it. But this gives me all kinds of ideas.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Albert, you'll have better results using sour cream or buttermilk as your starter. The cultures in yogurt prefer to ferment at high temperature (above 105F) and when you try to ferment them at room temp, you don't get a proper fermentation. Sour cream and buttermilk use mesophilic cultures that prefer a room temp fermentation. So you'll get better flavor development with them. Your yogurt isn't really fermenting, it's just acting as a flavoring agent.

[@AlbertPaysonTerhune]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Half the time I make butter without culturing it with anything. But after the next batch I will have some buttermilk in the fridge and will use that as a starter for the following go-round.

[@rhodyhausauer4298]

I couldn't love this video more! Please continue to post common sense (although not so common for the likes of us struggling cooks) videos like these. I think you would be surprised at all the little tidbits you know that you may take for granted, that it is GENIUS information for the rest of us!!! THANK YOU!!! Just an FYI, I just ordered your cookbook!

[@RockEdison]

Loved it 30 seconds in. I make my own by cultering cream then making cultured butter.

[@debrapaulson7882]

I make fresh kefir every morning and it is alive and is a great substitute for buttermilk.

[@dianeparks9475]

I LOVE drinking buttermilk, especially when my tummy is upset. I discovered Bulgarian buttermilk a couple years ago and won't buy anything else. Great for biscuits, but so is sourdough starter or even discard. I love discard waffles with REAL maple syrup and REAL butter. Off to make your buttermilk! Thank you , Ben Starr ! ❤

[@yelenamcculloch7934]

You just blew my mind! Wow! I actually like to drink buttermilk so I always have it in my fridge and the rest of my family think I am insane and, yes, occasionally they do pour it into their coffee/cereal 😀.. I had no idea 1) - I can make my own buttermilk; 2) I can make cheese with it - I never thought I should be making cheese but it looks so easy I just have to make it now - thank you!

[@CC-lv1ox]

I am so amazed at the level of teaching you provide for the audience. I teach and it is clear that this is your love because your lectures are interesting with history and science material, practical and entertaining with your side notes. You are my favorite go to for sour dough and your instructions made me continue to pursue the start of my starter. Thank you!

[@karenreaves3650]

They last a very long time and so does organic milk, such a wonderful idea, I have done this with yogurt. I have also purchased a bunch of quality close to expiration for a great price, plain yogurt that was still good a year later. I forgot about soaking fish in milk, thank you Ben for sharing your wonderful experience and knowledge.

[@chianti95]

I just threw away some forgotten containers of unopened but expired yogurt and sour cream that were both a few months past their use by date. Should have watched this video first! As always, Ben’s reassurances about good bacteria are priceless. I plan on trying the buttermilk experiment soon. Wondering if you can make buttermilk by adding milk to a small quantity of yogurt …I’m guessing that probably is less suited to room temperature fermentation and more closely resembles the Bulgarian buttermilk described in this video)…. For now, I will stick to the first method and see what happens. Thanks for another great video!

[@jonihughey1352]

I use buttermilk in my biscuits & cornbread, pound cakes, cupcakes. I have two gallons in my fridge right now. Thanks for the great video. 😋👩‍🍳

[@jonihughey1352]

Do you have a good pound cake recipe using buttermilk I can make today? 🤔

[@CserHelen]

I absolutely loves this channel and Ben’s approach ! I come from France and I cook a lot of things from scratch, and this is the way I was taught. I have also studied microbiology so yes ! Hurray for all these wonderful and very healthy approches to using buttermilk. I did not know the trick of using whey in bread, will definitely try. Thanks Ben 😊

[@hope46sf]

Love your instruction, Ben. Thank you!!

[@terahstearns474]

You have a new fan. I’ve watched several episodes and love, love, love the complexity and thoroughness of your videos. Thank you!

[@jakemitchell1671]

WOW.....I've been using buttermilk for decades but never realized the theories behind it! I'm NEVER without it. Buttermilk pancakes and cornbread are obvious, but it was great to hear your comments about wild game. I've been a hunter/fisherman my entire life, and buttermilk is my go-to marinade for so many things. Venison tenderloin and backstrap don't need tenderizing usually, but I prefer to make steaks out of the much larger hindquarters rather than grind them into burger, and my secret is buttermilk and salt. As for chicken, your marinade is one of my favorites, but I also add pickle juice to take the flavor in slightly different direction. Thank you for another excellent video!!

[@wadelacme]

That whey can also be used as a protein shake after training. Mix it with oats, chocolate and a banana and is the perfect post-training shake.

[@dhebard1]

Hi Ben! Just found your channel today. Wow! Thank you for some fantastic videos and information. I have been one of those that buys buttermilk for a recipe and then throws it out when it passes the expiration date. So, I never have it on hand when I need it. No more!!! I will buy some next time I go to the store and maintain it like you instruct in this video. As soon as I have some buttermilk, I will be trying your Simple Sourdough sandwich bread recipe. Can't wait!

[@johnnybellamy3855]

This is really informing and I have always used these practices in the past. The only problem I’ve had in the past is getting others to believe it. Now I’ve finally found someone that knows what there talking about to proVe it. Thanks for all the information you’ve shared here.

[@johnnybellamy3855]

I agree with you buttermilk is the standard for baking. My work would make it with powdered milk in a pinch. I’ve always made mine at home. Try making it with a gallon of milk. It will last a lot longer and I’ve never had it go bad or spoil. Wild turkey Brest soaked in buttermilk overnight takes it to a whole new level. Great video love you site.

[@petermoxham]

What a fabulously informative 23 minutes! I'm really enjoying your KZbin videos and looking forward to seeing what you do next ;-)

[@mssavedin92]

me too

[@PatriotMomof5]

Wow!! we have coed so much of those things that our grandparents and great grandparents probably did themselves. I can’t believe how easy you make things to do. It’s encourage me to do my own buttermilk, cheese, sourdough bread, etc..

[@weegie2818]

Love this video! Packed with valuable information. The one video that I have not seen anywhere is how to keep a kitchen going. Cheese, sourdough, meats and veggies. How to stay out of the center of the grocery store. True scratch cooking. Maybe someday you can throw a video out for us with your thoughts about how to run a small kitchen minimizing waste.

[@cxoot]

I used to have the same question. The thing is this: There are plenty of videos & information already available on the Internet, the aggregate of which already address all your needs & wants, you just have to select among them what is appropriate for your specific needs & wants & fits your particular situation, lifestyle, etc. Since only you know the uniqueness, and subtleties of your situation and what it is you’re seeking, only you can qualify to make a video such as the one you are seeking. That said, just keep doing your own research, as I am. This channel is one such resource that I found very helpful.

[@j.g.campbell3440]

Back in the '50s, my mom used to put a cup of buttermilk into a watertight plastic container, fill it with reconstituted nonfat dry milk, and store it in the fridge for several days. It separated into fair-sized curds that were easily broken up. She called it "clabbered milk". It was a good, healthy energy-filled drinkable snack. Haven't thought of this in years. I'm sure she'd be surprised to find that it could safely be fermented at room temperature. Thanks for the memories!😊

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I LOVE hearing old techniques like this. So many have vanished. Thanks for sharing! If you're curious about fermentation, the book The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz is a large compendium of this kind of knowledge from cultures all around the world. It's a fascinating reference to keep around.

[@easternbluebird1990]

Oh my god....I've thrown out so much buttermilk because I thought it was "bad." Don't kill me Ben!

[@c.michellesparks2925]

I wound up here after someone told me to use powdered buttermilk and I'm so glad I did! Thanks for explaining it all. I'll never be out of buttermilk again.

[@TheKentuckylady717]

I tried the powdered buttermilk.....it is expensive also.....and to me it is no good, I used it in cornbread and it did absolutely nothing for my cornbread.....I bought it twice one very recently and then once again a few yrs. ago thinking maybe it's been improved.....not so... I buy buttermilk and end up pitching half of it all the time....maybe now I won't have too....big thanks to you.....

[@cathyholloway151]

I have been using your sourdough recipe for a long time now.... I've watched many of your videos and never clicked on this one because I agree, buttermilk is a KEY ingredient in the kitchen, I use it in everything. I cook a lot of deer meat and it is my secret weapon. I finally watched this last Wednesday. My mind was blown when you said I could make bmilk at home. Finished the video, walked right to my refrigerator and pulled out both milks. Followed your instructions and on Friday morning... I had thick and tangy buttermilk on my counter. My house stays very cool, so it did take a bit longer and Thurs night, I really didn't think it was going to work. But it did! Thank you... I've been paying nearly $5 for a half-gallon every couple of weeks. Great video, thank you!

[@maryelaine-blinstrubchambe6083]

I've fallen in love with you knowledge! Bless you for sharing it!

[@unkwm128]

Thank you brought home two containers this AM half price due to comings up on the best use date

[@weegie2818]

SCORE!!

[@tunyarenfrow7974]

You , have changed my life with this video. I love using buttermilk and now I will be able to afford to have it all the time.

[@gingerbreadfortuna]

All good! I have tried all these things. They are wonderful fun and delicious. Making yogurt cheese right now, and always keep buttermilk in fridge for me or drink and cook with ...💙

[@barbaracluse5874]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. It doesn’t matter what anybody else on this site says against buttermilk. My mother baked with it. She made biscuits and pancakes and it’s delicious.

[@diannewilson2710]

Brilliant! Thanks Ben. No more wasted Buttermilk. 😊👍

[@sharynhassard1625]

Fantastic information. Thx v much Ben. Also loving my second loaf of yr 10 min sourdough baked in a cold oven 🎉👏

[@jack_batterson]

I had to laugh.....'cuz, yeah...I have half a half-gallon in the fridge right now. Love the stuff, both to use and to drink.

[@lukesimpson5550]

My Granny would give me a glass of butter milk with a good shake of salt on the top. This memory makes me miss her...

[@saduck1]

Thank you! I have dumped out more buttermilk all these years than you can imagine. I will never dump out any more!

[@calvinmcdonald5243]

I watched your buttermilk video. Amazing, Amazing. I made my buttermilk for the first time. Also amazing. Now I want to try the cheese. I luv, luv, luv buttermilk. I was raised drinking it & have used it in various recipes that call for it but I did not even think of using it to replace milk. Thank you. My Dad's favorite way to drink buttermilk was to break up cornbread into a glass of buttermilk and enjoy. It is sooooo good. Thank you Ben for all your videos. I really enjoy the science part even tho I don't understand it. lol!! Thanx again. You have taught me so much.

[@blueyedmermaid1447]

oh my goodness.. i learned so much watching this video.. and it answered a lot of questions I have had for a very long time.. and totally love the cheese recipe.

[@barbaradeselle9187]

Fascinating video. Thank you❤

[@harrok38]

I like to drink cool buttermilk during hot weather in summer.

[@ericmurphy2862]

Are you Indian?

[@justplainamerican]

I made cheese today for the first time. You're right. It's delicious. It doesn't even need salt. Thank you.

[@ProfessorKitchen]

I REALLY wish YT had a button for "Come back and watch again until you get it down" because I need it for this video! We don't have buttermilk but we do Kiefer. I've noticed that the Kiefer will start to make curds at room temp. I haven't tried letting it go long enough to see if I can make cheese with it. Might be something I need to try...

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Kiefer is used to make lebni, a very rich cream cheese in the middle east. It's one of my favorite things ever. Try it! It will work.

[@witchyhour]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Thanks so much for the life-changing information you pass on to us. You have become one of my top 5 favorite channels, you're awesome! 👍🤓💖 I live offgrid in Vermont and we don't run a fridge. Our basement doesn't get hot, but in the hottest part of summer temps get up to around 60, for maybe a week to 10 days. Do you think I could keep my buttermilk without it going bad? I'm going to try and keep my starter there and really hoping it'll be ok, but wonder if it's worth trying with buttermilk as well. I haven't finished watching the video yet, but as I scan through the comments, I have a feeling that I'm going to regret throwing the month old curded, spoiled half & half in the compost pile yesterday... ☝️😬😜😂🤣

[@SuzNews]

Mark it for "Watch Later" and it never goes away, even after you watch it.

[@Robin7-26]

Great information! I make homemade yogurt and I have a strainer for it to turn it into Greek yogurt so it would be perfect for something like that. I would always throw all the whey out when I make Greek yogurt, I didn’t know it would make homemade bread taste better and that you could freeze it. Thank you, I learned so much.😃

[@nucatnucat3039]

I am making eating and loving this cheese. mine is fresh cream cheese no salt. with honey.

[@dianekurtz2754]

I’m SOOO glad to learn this about buttermilk. I’m constantly having to throw out buttermilk past the expiration date! Such a waste of money. Thank you!!!

[@dianacariaga1432]

Wow, so glad I found you on U tube! Have watched several videos and am now headed to your web site! So much to learn, so thank God I’m retired! Keep up all the good info, it’s amazing and especially enjoy your delightful presentations!👍

[@yikes830]

Yikes, who knew Simple Genius 👍 My new Hero! God Bless you Paying it Forward 🙏

[@bettybotterbutter]

So informative! And so much fun to watch and listen to you. Thanks!!

[@poonamabbi7448]

I an from India & am a vegetarian too, Back home, we boiled milk, the cream that clots on top after cooling. That cream is added to warm milk & inoculated with the yougurt from the home made batch. Once the yogurt is ready, we remove the cream & churn it to make butter. The remaining liquid is is the real almost fat free cultured buttermilk. We use that as a drink, seasoned with salt, pepper & whatever way. But the most popular use is to make a creamy soup by cooking it with special seasoning & using chick pea flour as thickener, to a delicious, creamy hot & sour soup (the heat is to personal taste). It can hace chickpea fritters made fried with or without veggies of choice, or the thick batter of chickpea flour just dropped into the boiling soup & letting it cook, or just adding whatever veggies you like once it comes to a rapid boil. If made thin with a tempering of Pure ghee, it beats hollow the chicken soup & chinese hot & sour soup as a delicious remedy for colds & even relieves the congestion during flu, hydrating & soothing, mobilizing the thick gunk. We also use it to knead dough to make different kinds of flatbreads

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

And now I am hungry.

[@bevfrasch2648]

Going to try this, buttermilk is awesome to have on hand. But run out when I want it..lol

[@gfayecox]

Wow! I’ll never run out of buttermilk again.

[@patriciasodaro8670]

Hi Ben. I have done the ultimate insult to curds and whey when making fresh mozzerella or ricotta. I have thrown out the whey! (Not always). I will no longer do this. I was just being lazy. Great video. I've made creme fraiche and sour cream and it's all so good. The desire comes in spurts. Fresh ricotta is like eating ice cream!! Sounds delightful smeared onto fresh sourdough! OMG, I have to try this ASAP. Moving forward, I will keep more buttermilk on hand and resupply my fridge with home made. But I did notice a dachshund silhouette above your door in the background of your home. You must have one! Would love to get to see the little cutie you have in one of your videos sometime in the future. I love dachshunds. I guess that's obvious. Thanks again for a great video!

[@bellegirl57]

Have you tried a drizzle of honey and some fresh lemon zest on your fresh ricotta sourdough slice? Absolutely divine!!

[@daisies4444]

Thank you Ben that was priceless!

[@TheSqueakgirl]

This is my first video of yours, will not be the last! Thank you for all this great info!!! Glad I found your channel, when googling why buttermilk goes bad so quick, spoiler alert (pun!) it doesn’t!!!! 🤯