DIY Cultured Buttermilk

Making cultured buttermilk is so simple.  You've just got to try it!

In days past I usually used the milk/lemon juice substitution when I came across buttermilk in a recipe, primarily because I didn't have any in the fridge.  And the reason I didn't have any in the fridge was because the stuff is doggone expensive.

Since then, I have not only learned about all the wonderful health benefits of eating more cultured and fermented foods, but I am also learning ways to make them at home (like yogurt, kefir and kombucha just to name a few) and save our budget from the poorhouse.

So get ready to make some cultured buttermilk...and just to name a few, you'll have the most amazing:

• Pancakes and waffles
• Biscuits, scones, cornbread and other breads
• Buttermilk syrup
• Sherbert, ice cream and other desserts
• Chicken (soak in buttermilk prior to frying)
• Salad dressings and dips 
• Smoothies

Ingredients

• 1 C fresh cultured buttermilk
• 3 C fresh milk

Directions

1. In a quart jar, pour in the buttermilk.
2. Add milk to fill jar.
3. Shake well.
4. Allow to sit on counter or somewhere warm for about 24 hours. 
5. Refrigerate.  If you started with fresh ingredients, your buttermilk should be good for at least 2 weeks.

To test if your buttermilk has cultured sufficiently, pour a small amount into a clear glass and swirl.  If the buttermilk coats the sides of the glass, it is ready.