Buttermilk is a dairy product mostly used in places where the temperature is warm. It is a good source of energy and contains fewer fats than regular milk. It is thicker than milk and can be used in baking and cooking. It can also be useful to marinate something. A lot of alternate options are available if buttermilk is not available. Let us know more detail about ‘Buttermilk Alternatives’.
Buttermilk Alternatives-
Buttermilk is used in cooking and baking for its acidic nature. It gives a good texture and lightens the food item. Hence, food products with similar acidic levels can make good substitutes for buttermilk.
1. Using Lemon juice:
The easiest substitute is adding some (1 tablespoon of) lemon juice to a glass of milk. It will curdle the milk in about 5 to 10 minutes and will have the same consistency but will be sourer than buttermilk.
2. Using Vinegar:
Another substitute is by adding some (15ml) vinegar to a glass of milk. This will give a similar effect as that of lemon juice and milk mixture and is perfect for baking.
3. Using Cream of tartar:
Mixing a small amount (5 grams) of Cream of tartar with milk will also give a good alternative to buttermilk. Cream of tartar can easily form lumps when added to liquid, so it is better to add some milk into it, mix it well and then, add it to the rest of the milk.
4. Using Sour Cream:
Sour cream is another substitute for buttermilk. But it is thicker than buttermilk, so it is better to dilute it with water and then bring it to use. Three-quarters of sour cream and one-quarter of water in a cup would substitute for one cup of buttermilk.
5. Using Yogurt:
Yogurt, like sour cream, makes a good substitute but it must be diluted the same way as sour cream, and then it is ready to be used instead of buttermilk.
6. Using Plain Kefir:
Kefir is a dairy product made from fermented milk. It is similar to buttermilk; hence it can be used to replace it in a recipe.
7. Using low-carb milk:
Instead of using regular milk, you can also use vegan options such as unsweetened coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk with vinegar or lemon juice to substitute for buttermilk.
What is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product that has a variety of uses in baking and cooking because of its acidic nature. Interestingly, buttermilk does not contain any butter.
Though, the traditionally homemade buttermilk did have some floating chunks of butter which were not fully extracted from it while separating butter. It has a bit of sweet and a bit of sour taste. It is used to tenderize food items and sometimes to add a creamy texture to them.
Buttermilk Powder
Buttermilk powder is easily available at grocery stores. So, you can buy them, mix them with water, and just like that buttermilk is ready!
- It is one of the easiest ways to get buttermilk, without any fuss. Just mix about 30 grams of the powder into a glass of water, stir it and one glass of buttermilk is instantly prepared.
Lactose-Intolerant Substitutes
- Buttermilk can be consumed by lactose-intolerant people. However, if someone has a very low lactose tolerance then they can use lactose-free milk as a substitute. Adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to lactose-free milk will give you the desired product.
- You can also use soy milk and mix it with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to substitute buttermilk.
- Vegan sour cream mixed with water will give you similar results to that of a diluted form of normal sour cream.
- Blending soft Tofu with water is an easy method to make tofu milk, which when mixed with lemon juice or vinegar curdles to make a good buttermilk alternative.
Uses of Buttermilk or its Alternatives
Buttermilk can be used to make a variety of food items because of its acidic nature which softens the food items and gives them a good texture.
- It is sour and so it compensates for sweetness in sweet treats.
- Bread, pancakes, waffles, pies, and biscuits use buttermilk as a key ingredient as it rises the dough.
- Buttermilk can also be used in baking cakes for its rising properties.
- Since its acidic nature helps to soften food items it is also used in marinating meat items.
- Buttermilk or vinegar can also be used in salad dressings.
- The creamy and sour flavor of mashed potatoes can also be achieved by adding buttermilk to them.
- It is a complete beverage that helps in digestion and tastes best when served chilled.
How to make buttermilk at home?
- Traditionally, buttermilk is the by-product of churned butter from cream.
- To obtain the cultured buttermilk, you must churn the cream until the butter and the buttermilk separate.
- With cultured buttermilk, you can make more buttermilk by adding about one glass of buttermilk to one quart of milk and leaving it to room temperature for one day. The mixture will thicken, and you can store it in the refrigerator for almost two weeks.
Conclusion
Now we have learnt ‘Buttermilk Alternatives’, Buttermilk is one of the most useful products in the kitchen. Keeping it handy can help you make a variety of desired dishes at any given time. Buttermilk can be easily made at home. There are various alternatives available if buttermilk is not present. Buttermilk can also be consumed by lactose-intolerant people, but if for some reason they cannot do so, there are other options for them as well as for vegan people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1) What is the difference between buttermilk and butter?
Ans. When the cream is churned, two products are obtained from it. The thick creamy one is butter and the liquid one is buttermilk. Buttermilk does not contain any butter in it. It has a tangy flavor and contains less fat than regular milk or butter.
Q.2) Can you use apple cider to make buttermilk?
Ans. Yes, you can use apple cider to make buttermilk. Apple cider has similar acidic properties as vinegar and therefore it can be useful in making buttermilk. Adding one tablespoon of apple cider to a glass of milk and stirring it will give you instant buttermilk.
Q.3) Is whipping cream an alternative for buttermilk?
Ans. Whipping cream is quite different from buttermilk and hence, it cannot be used as an alternative to buttermilk. They are made differently and have different flavors. Whipping cream contains more fat and is sweeter compared to buttermilk. Therefore, they cannot be used interchangeably.
Q.4) What is curdled buttermilk?
Ans. Buttermilk has a curdled texture because of the milk proteins. It gets its sour taste from the lactic acid present in milk. Since it is a fermented beverage the milk proteins make it curdled, and it appears thicker than regular milk.
