Buttermilk Substitute

Image by Jennifer DickertI don't generally keep a stock of buttermilk in my refrigerator. On the other hand, I do come across a lot of recipes that call for buttermilk. If you're like me, you have some options. You can run out and get some (and figure out what to do with the inevitable leftovers) or you could make your own: either the real stuff or a serviceable substitute.

What we call buttermilk today is made by fermenting milk (often nonfat milk) with a lactic acid bacterial culture. The result is somewhat more acidic than normal milk, with a sour, tangy flavor.

Originally, though, buttermilk was the liquid left over from making butter. You can make your own butter at home, but unless you allow the cream you use to sour some first, you won't end up with usable buttermilk. Fortunately, there is always an alternative (though sometimes it takes more time than you have).

If you don't have the time to make real buttermilk, you can always cheat. All you need to do is add some acid to normal milk. Usually, people recommend using cream of tartar. I think that this is because it is less likely to cause the milk to curdle than liquid acids, but I'm not sure. Vinegar or lemon juice should work too, though.

How much acid to add? Not too much.

For 1 cup of faux-buttermilk, use either 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) or 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar. Fill the rest of the cup up with milk and let it stand about 10 minutes.

Alternately, you can use plain yogurt as a buttermilk substitute on a 1-1 basis.