How to Cook With Buttermilk

Buttermilk is the liquid byproduct of churned butter.

Buttermilk serves several purposes in the kitchen, such as as a substitute for whole milk. It also functions as a binding agent for breaded items, a tenderizer for proteins and a marinade for meats and vegetables. Buttermilk is commonly used as a base for drinks in the Middle East, and its most common application in the United States is as a coating for classic southern fried chicken.

Things You'll Need

• Buttermilk

Instructions

1. Incorporate buttermilk into baking. Buttermilk can be substituted in the place of whole milk in several recipes, particularly those with flavor profiles that benefit from tangy notes, such as biscuits. Replace some or all of the whole milk listed in the recipe with an equal amount of buttermilk. In addition to flavor augmentation, substituting buttermilk for whole milk lowers a food's overall fat content; buttermilk contains five grams of fat per eight ounces whereas whole milk contains eight grams of fat per eight ounces. It also adds softness to the food; the enzymes in buttermilk act on the gluten in flour, which changes how the protein it contains responds when exposed to heat.

2. Use buttermilk as a base for sauces and marinades. Buttermilk not only imparts flavor elements but acts as a tenderizing agent for proteins. Its enzymes and acid content causes the amino acids in protein to denature and uncoil, making the meat tender. Substitute buttermilk for an equal portion of mayonnaise in salad dressings. In some recipes, such as Greek Goddess dressing, the entire amount of mayonnaise can be substituted with buttermilk. Use buttermilk in place of whole milk when preparing béchamel sauce; as a natural thickener it reduces the amount of roux required to give it body. Buttermilk also works well as a coating for breaded and fried items; it is a good binder, and bread crumbs adhere well to it.

3. Use buttermilk in cold, sweetened preparations such as ice cream and smoothies. Buttermilk has a velvety feel that complements most recipes that call for whole milk. A combination of buttermilk and yogurt adds richness to smoothies and ice cream with less than half the fat of whipping cream. Buttermilk also works well with vegetable dips that traditionally use heavy cream.

References

• "The Professional Chef 8th Edition"; The Culinary Institute of America; 2006
• I Food TV: How to Use Buttermilk
• Slash Food: How to Use Buttermilk: Tip of the Day