Easy Homemade Buttermilk DIY in 2 Ways

Easy homemade buttermilk DIY in 2 ways; it can be made with and without a packet of culture. There are also buttermilk substitutions for when those times buttermilk cannot be found in your home, they will also be listed here.

Homemade Buttermilk DIY and Cultured Buttermilk

What I call “whey” after making butter from heavy cream skimmed from raw milk is what others call “old-fashioned buttermilk”. Technically, old-fashioned and churned buttermilk is what the vast majority call it. It’s the same “whey” by-product I get from making cottage cheese, yogurt and such. Watery and minus the milk.

I don’t even label it buttermilk or yogurt “by-product” because when I look at it all together, it looks like straight whey to me. But, let’s not split hairs. Please call it what you think is best. As best I know, you cannot buy this type of “buttermilk-whey” from a store.

The buttermilk sold in the grocery stores and the first buttermilk we made in the video, is “cultured homemade buttermilk”. Cultured buttermilk is almost like yogurt as in the same because it is made with cultured and beneficial live bacteria. Wait? Bacteria can be beneficial? Yes, it can! Read on.

Raw Homemade Buttermilk is Full of Probiotics!

Just like raw kefir and yogurt made with live active culture and fermented, these are full of good probiotics.  These bacteria help maintain a healthy gut. Many people who have taken a lot of antibiotics will find consuming raw buttermilk can help heal their stomachs.

Other stomach issues such as stomach infections, IBS, and lactose intolerance have benefited from raw buttermilk.  Buttermilk has many vitamins in it such as calcium, B12, riboflavin, and more if using raw organic milk to start with.

Purchasing Raw Milk

I buy raw milk from a local farmer and I am part of their herd share down here in Tennessee. I paid $10 to join, one time. And, out of that $10, I got half a gallon of milk for joining. I pay $4 for half a gallon of raw milk, with lots of cream from those beautiful Jersey Cows.

The local farmer is certified organic and only all grass-fed Jersey cows are producing the milk.   If you’d like to see a State by State regulations on purchasing raw milk, check out Real Raw Milk Facts. If you would like to view the states in a map form, Farm To Consumer has broken it down for you with an interactive map!

Why is Buttermilk Good to Bake With?

Buttermilk provides acid which will boost baking powder and baking soda in your bread and sweet desserts such as pound cake and muffins. An acid that is made in the buttermilk is actually caused by a fermentation that takes place.

Buttermilk keeps bread, cakes, and muffins tender and moister than if using regular milk. The acidity breaks down the tough stands of gluten and this action brings about a moister dessert in the end. Not to mention, the wonderful twang of good flavor!

DIY Buttermilk Video Tutorial

What is in a Cultured Buttermilk DIY Packet?

Lactose, S. Lactis, S.Cremoris, L.B. Diaetylactis, and M.S. Cremoris

Homemade Buttermilk DIY with a Powdered Culture

• Heat 1 quart of milk (raw or pasteurized) to 86 F or 30 C
• Don’t rush this, heat very slowly and constantly stirs the milk
• Once the temperature is around 85-86 degrees, take it immediately off the heat
• Add one packet of Buttermilk Culture to the milk
• Stir once, let sit for a full 2 minutes to re-hydrate
• Stir very well to dissolve
• Cover and let sit in a warm place around 72 degrees for 12-24 hours or until the thickness is to your liking

There are many who will just add the packet to the raw milk without heating. Use your best judgment. Following the directions is best in dealing with raw milk.

For many years, I used a Yogutherm and that worked every single time. I since broke it and now I let the buttermilk sit in my oven with no light nor temperature.

Print the Buttermilk Recipe

Can You Make Buttermilk DIY from Buttermilk?

Yes, I have used the original buttermilk made from a packet culture, over and over to make new batches of buttermilk. It is best to use buttermilk that is less than 3 weeks old to have better success.

If it’s really cold in the house, when using this buttermilk for the next batch, I will use at least a half-cup of cultured buttermilk with 2-4 cups of raw milk and leave them both on the counter 12 hours before mixing them. Then, I mix them well together and let the mixture sit on the counter for another 12-24 hours. This is purely optional and not necessary.

During the summer months, I mix the buttermilk and raw milk in a UV quart jar and leave that on the counter 12 hours or so. It doesn’t take as long when the house is very warm.

I do not heat the buttermilk nor the milk up when using this cultured buttermilk to make more buttermilk.

Can You Dehydrate Buttermilk?

Wait for it, here I go, dehydrating the buttermilk. Yes, I have dehydrated buttermilk. Once dry, I powder it and use it for baking. I use equal parts buttermilk powder and equal parts milk or filtered water, stir well and substitute this for cultured buttermilk.

It is not the same as fresh cultured buttermilk but will do in a pinch especially if out of buttermilk. (not that happens too much).

Can you Freeze Buttermilk?

You can freeze buttermilk but once it is thawed, the buttermilk will be grainy and it will not hurt, maybe to look at but it will definitely still work for baking and to cook with.

I have had buttermilk last 3-4 weeks in the coldest part of my refrigerator but since I am always making a new batch from the old batch, it never lasts that long.

Substitutions for Buttermilk DIY

Here are some substitutions for replacing buttermilk in recipes. This is acidified buttermilk, not cultured buttermilk.

Acid Buttermilk

• 1 cup of buttermilk (non-cultured) add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a glass measuring cup and top off to the 1 cup mark with milk (raw or pasteurized).
• Let this sit at least 10-30 minutes on a counter

Sour Cream and Yogurt

• ½ cup of sour cream and ½ cup of milk or even water to make 1 cup
• ½ cup of yogurt and ½ cup of milk or even water to make 1 cup

Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar (COT) will make a “buttermilk” by using at least one cup of milk and approximately 1.75 to 2 teaspoons of COT. COT is acid and mixed with milk will simulate a “buttermilk”. This is only an option if I have no other choice.

Substitute Buttermilk for Sourdough

I do not always keep my sourdough alive. I actually dehydrate it and restart it when I want. If I am baking and my recipe calls for sourdough, I will substitute the sourdough with my raw milk buttermilk.

Other Uses for Homemade Buttermilk DIY

Batter fish & chicken	Marinating meats	Coleslaw	Cornbread	Biscuits
Pancakes	Chocolate cake	Pound cake	Oatmeal	Mashed potatoes
Buttermilk rolls	Salad dressing	Quiche Lorraine	Cupcakes	Ice Cream
Frosting	Glazes	Waffles	Tortillas	Pizza

I could go on all day but now I am hungry and I need to finish this raw-milk dairy series!

Mini-Series Blogs and Videos

Did you miss the mini-raw milk series? Check out my posts and or videos below!

Part 1: How to Make Buttermilk DIY (this post)

Part 2: How to Make Homemade Raw Milk Butter

Part 3: 2 Free DIY Cooling Rack Options

Part 4: Cacao Recipes with Whipped Cream

Part 5: Moonshine Vanilla Extract

Part 6: Jams With and Without Pectin

Part 7: Pound Cake

In Conclusion

Using and making homemade buttermilk DIY is a must in my home. I love homemade buttermilk but sometimes I do not have it on hand. Luckily, there are substitutes for the real stuff that comes in handy in a pinch.

Gnats will sometimes get in the mixture if left on the counter. If you have a gnat problem, How To Get Rid of Gnats and Fruit Flies Naturally will help you get rid of them in a natural way!

Recipes for Other Blogs and Videos

I love using powdered buttermilk when making pre-made jar desserts. Jar gift? My amazing One-Bowl Brownies recipe is perfect to put inside a jar and make a delicious homemade gift.

Interested in dehydrating, Dehydrate Food Naturally Using a Dehydrator gives you the steps to do it yourself!

Easy Buttermilk Bread Machine Rolls are my favorite! Eggless Homemade Ice Cream is unique when using a little buttermilk.

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