• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

  • Home
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Blog
    • Latest Posts
    • Start a Homestead
    • Cook From-Scratch
    • Do It Yourself
    • Grow Food
  • Podcast
  • Shop
    • Old-Fashioned on Purpose Planner
    • The Prairie Homestead Cookbook
    • Heritage Cooking Crash Course
    • Canning Made Easy Course
    • Homestead Swag!
    • Homesteading Supplies
    • Homestead Mentorship

93 Comments | Jill Winger |    Last Updated: April 10, 2019

How to Make Buttermilk

Jump to Recipe

how to make buttermilk

I’m a pretty cultured person…

I might not attend any ballets, operas, or art shows, but my little homestead kitchen is packed full of cultured butter, cultured yogurt, and cultured buttermilk. That counts, right? 😉

Learning how to make buttermilk is one of the easiest things to do if you are just starting out in the world of home dairy. And real homemade buttermilk is out-of-this world.

One word of warning– once you make your first batch of homemade buttermilk, you’ll likely never be satisfied with the store-bought versions again…

If you’re smack-dab in the middle of a baking project and stumbled on this post looking for a quick buttermilk substitute, you won’t want to wait for your milk to culture. Instead, simply add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Stir. Once you see tiny curdles forming in the milk, you can use it. And then come back later to make real culture buttermilk. 😉

how to make buttermilk

How to Make Buttermilk

First, let’s set the record straight– there are actually two different kinds of buttermilk:

  • Cultured buttermilk– this is the kind we’re making today.
  • Old-Fashioned or traditional buttermilk — this is the kind resulting from making butter. (Here’s how to make your own butter. ) 

Although you can use both types of buttermilk to make those buttermilk biscuits or pancakes, cultured buttermilk is my favorite because it is thick and creamy and has the most delightful tangy smell.

Cultured buttermilk is also an excellent probiotic-base for your dips and salad dressings.

how to make cultured buttermilk

How to Make Buttermilk (Cultured Version)

(this post contains affiliate links)

  • 4 cups whole milk (see note below)
  • ONE of the following:
    • 1 packet of direct-set buttermilk starter culture (where to buy buttermilk culture)
    • OR 1/8th teaspoon mesophilic starter culture (where to buy mesophilic culture)
    • OR 1 cup cultured buttermilk from the store*

*If using 1 cup of cultured buttermilk as your starter, reduce the amount of whole milk to 3 cups.

Gently stir the starter culture into the milk (I use a mason jar) and cover it with a towel and rubber band. Avoid capping it tightly with a lid, as the culture needs room to breathe.

Allow the milk to culture at room temperature for 12-24 hours. When it is complete, the buttermilk will be thick and have a delicious tangy smell.

Store your finished buttermilk in the fridge (it usually lasts at least several weeks for me).

how to make cultured buttermilk

Homemade Buttermilk Notes:

  • I always use my raw milk when making homemade buttermilk, although pasteurized milk will work too. Just avoid ultra-pasteurized milk (UHT) as it will produce inconsistent results.
  • Although it’s handy to buy the powdered buttermilk culture and store it in your fridge, I prefer using existing cultured buttermilk to make my fresh batches. I think it has a better tang to it.
  •  Use your tangy homemade buttermilk to create probiotic dips, dressings, and smoothies. Or, use it in your favorite baked goods–like my favorite flaky Buttermilk Biscuits.
  • If your buttermilk doesn’t thicken within 12-24 hours, it may be due to one of the following factors:
    • The starter culture was dead or inactive
    • It needs to culture a bit longer
    • Your kitchen is abnormally cold
  • If you accidentally culture your buttermilk too long, that’s OK. It’ll just be a little thicker (more like the consistency of yogurt), but it’s still totally usable.

how to make buttermilk

Print

How to Make Sour Cream

  • Author: The Prairie Homestead
  • Yield: 1 quart 1x
  • Category: Home Dairy

Ingredients

  • 4 cups whole milk (see note below)
  • ONE of the following:
  • 1 packet of direct-set buttermilk starter culture (like this)
  • OR 1/8th teaspoon mesophilic starter culture (like this)
  • OR 1 cup cultured buttermilk from the store*
  • *If using 1 cup of cultured buttermilk as your starter, reduce the amount of whole milk to 3 cups.

Instructions

  1. Gently stir the starter culture into the milk (I use a mason jar) and cover it with a towel and rubber band. Avoid capping it tightly with a lid, as the culture needs room to breathe.
  2. Allow the milk to culture at room temperature for 12-24 hours. When it is complete, the buttermilk will be thick and have a delicious tangy smell.
  3. Store your finished buttermilk in the fridge (it usually lasts at least several weeks for me)

 

93 Comments | Pantry Staples

Learn to Cook Like a Farmer!

Get my best tips & recipes for transforming your kitchen into a farmstyle kitchen, no matter where you live! Enter your best email for instant access>>

You may also like these posts...

fast tomato sauce recipeFast Tomato Sauce Recipeuses for wheyPractical and Creative Uses for Wheyhomemade fermented pickle recipe with dill and garlic5 Secrets for Crunchy Pickleshow to make stevia extractHow to Make Stevia Extract

Reader Interactions

93 Comments

  1. Mare says

    December 20, 2013 at 11:07 am

    Thank you for the great receipes! Can’t wait to try them!
    Have a WONDERFUL MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
    Mare

    reply to comment
    • John Lecey says

      April 18, 2020 at 5:55 am

      Hello I have a question . Is there any way to make a cultured buttermilk without any of these starters ? You see I’m a missionary in South America and haven’t been able to find these products here . Thank you for your time !

      reply to comment
      • Joan says

        April 18, 2020 at 10:38 am

        Im a bit confused. The recipe cor cultured buttermilk and sour cream are exactly the same. Only the headings are different.

        reply to comment
        • Ambrose McLaren says

          May 10, 2020 at 10:38 am

          Glad I am not the only one who noticed. I am thinking you must put cheesecloth in a sieve and strain the liquid until of sour cream consistency?

          reply to comment
    • Adrian M says

      September 16, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      1. I have milk mixed with white vinegar because I wanted to make a buttermilk substitute. Can I use this to culture buttermilk (mixing it with store bought buttermilk)

      2. Do not all store bought buttermilk have active culture? The one I bought from Ralph’s doesn’t explicitly say live or active cultured buttermilk, I just thought it was assumed.

      3. Will using a smaller ratio or store bought buttermilk to milk inhibit culturing or will it just take longer time?

      reply to comment
  2. Kathy Morgan says

    December 20, 2013 at 11:23 am

    Silly question, but what IS “american cheese”? Is it some form of cheddar? And do you know how to make it?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 28, 2013 at 9:28 pm

      Haha-good question! I have no clue–it’s some sort of highly processed cheese, and as far as I know, it can’t be made at home. 😉

      reply to comment
      • Janine says

        March 16, 2014 at 11:42 am

        Even though American cheese is a frankenfood. I grew up on it and like the flavor. I found a wonderful cookbook on Amazon called “The joy of cooking naturally” by Peggy Daeron. On page 19 there is a great American Cheese recipe made from cashews and nutritional yeas and all things healthy. I do not use garlic powder or onion powder. I use the fresh equivalent.

        Here is the recipe. In a high powered blender, place 1 cup of hot water. Add 1/3 cup unflavored gelatin and stir on low until dissolved. Pour 1 1/4 cup boiling water over soaked gelatin in blender and whiz. Cool slightly Add 2 cups raw cashews and liquefy. Then add 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes. 1 Tbs. unbleached sea salt or Real salt. 2 tsp onion powder (or 1 Tbs fresh onion) 1/4 tsp garlic powder, (or a clove of fresh garlic) 2 tsp of paprika or 1 pimento or 1/2 large sweet pepper. Liquefy until the consistency of a creamy sauce. Makes a quart. Pour into containers that you can lower into hot water to loosen and let cheese out. before you use it. Out in fridge until it sets up before use. This can even be frozen and thawed at room temperature. It is wonderful for cheese lovers who want to avoid hormones and antibiotics. I often soak the cashews after I measure them the night before and rinse several times for a sweeter cashew and to get preservatives natural to the nuts out of them before I use them.

        reply to comment
        • Janine says

          March 16, 2014 at 11:43 am

          Peggy Dameron ( sorry)

          reply to comment
        • Jill Winger says

          March 18, 2014 at 10:03 pm

          How cool! I never thought of making it yourself–creative!

          reply to comment
      • Linda says

        January 7, 2020 at 7:26 am

        Hello Jill. Thanks for all the GREAT hints on more natural cooking. I have a uestion about the recipes that you suggest 2 tyoes of cultures, such as buttermilk and sour cream. Which do you prefer, the Mesophelic starter culture or In this case, the buttermilk starter culture? Both ate redily available and i want to choose the best one. Thank you.

        reply to comment
    • marjo says

      October 20, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      https://www.browneyedbaker.com/diy-homemade-velveeta-cheese-recipe/

      it could be a good substitute to the “real american cheese”

      reply to comment
    • barbara says

      September 15, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      No American Cheese isn’t a form of cheddar. In fact, it isn’t even cheese. It is made from whey concentrate and some cheese. It is highly processed and contains emulsifiers.

      reply to comment
  3. Becki says

    December 20, 2013 at 11:24 am

    If you set milk at room temp in a jar for a few days it will culture. The 1st time takes longer then you can use that as a starter to speed the process up if desired.
    The milk needs to be raw of course, but that eliminates the need to buy a starter. 🙂

    reply to comment
    • Meg says

      November 8, 2016 at 8:44 am

      That was the question on my mind… Thank you!!

      reply to comment
    • Cindee says

      December 6, 2016 at 11:40 am

      Will this work with store bought milk if you heat it like you heat to make yogurt?

      reply to comment
    • Donna says

      January 14, 2017 at 11:20 am

      So to make a culture for buttermilk, couldn’t I set out one cup of raw milk for a couple of days, then use that to make my buttermilk?

      reply to comment
      • fermentingfun says

        February 17, 2018 at 5:07 pm

        I would not advise producing buttermilk this way. You could end up with any number of different bacteria that thrive and take over. The way buttermilk ferments safely is because there is already an amount of the GOOD bacteria in the starter(either store bought starter, or saving a small amount of your butter milk). This makes sure that the good bacteria takes hold first.

        reply to comment
  4. Mike says

    December 22, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    Not about buttermilk, but wanted to tell you that in the latest (summer) issue of Living the Country Life, there’s a great article about a couple w/ a small farm who grow lavender and make essential oil and other products from it.

    I’m not sure if it’s for sale on newsstands; I got a free subscription *somewhere* (I don’t remember, I sign up f/ a lot of freebies) In fact, I get two copies, not sure why. I set one aside to read later, then give the other one away or use it under my cat’s feed & water bowls. I’ve had this one f/ a while and just picked it up earlier to take my mind off the Cowboys game. (but they eventually won!)

    Anyway….I just checked and they have a website, but I don’t see the article “Purple Power”. They do have a link f/ a free subscription and if you can’t find the article, then I supposed I could be persuaded to send you my issue, just email me.

    http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/

    Great little magazine, I enjoy it.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 28, 2013 at 9:25 pm

      Cool! Thanks for the heads-up!

      reply to comment
  5. Becky says

    December 26, 2013 at 7:24 pm

    Hi –

    I love this idea however we can’t do cow’s milk in our home. Have you ever tried with goat’s milk? We have access to an organic goat farm and could possibly get raw cream. I’m really interested in making the sour cream. Thanks so much for your help.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 28, 2013 at 9:16 pm

      It should definitely work with goat’s milk too! 🙂

      reply to comment
  6. Jennifer says

    December 27, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    I’m lactose intolerant and wondered if you can make buttermilk and or sour cream from lactose free products.

    Thank you,
    Jennifer

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 28, 2013 at 9:05 pm

      I don’t have any experience with lactose-free products, but my gut says that it probably wouldn’t work b/c they are so processed.

      reply to comment
    • ThomasH says

      April 12, 2014 at 11:52 am

      The fermentation process converts lactose but I do not know it the process is complete enough to make the result lactose free.

      reply to comment
  7. Christine @ Once Upon a Time in a Bed of Wildflowers says

    January 2, 2014 at 8:07 am

    Thank you for this–and the perfect timing!

    Two days ago I discovered that I liked buttermilk. My grandfather used to drink it every morning with breakfast, but every time I tried to drink it (that horrible ultra-pasteurized crap from the store) I thought it was… well… vile.

    But my dairy started carrying fresh, cultured buttermilk and I bought some… and it was amazing!

    ***heads off to the kitchen to see if I can culture my own***

    🙂

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      January 4, 2014 at 9:31 pm

      Oh yes– real buttermilk is heavenly– that tangy smell/taste is delightful!

      reply to comment
  8. Louise Armstrong says

    January 4, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    Can I use fresh goat milk?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      January 4, 2014 at 9:15 pm

      Yep! 🙂

      reply to comment
  9. Mary says

    January 4, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    Do you heat your raw milk before adding culture? What is your room temperature? Right now mine is in the 60s. Will it still ferment at a lower temp?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      January 4, 2014 at 9:13 pm

      Sometimes I use it straight from the cow while it’s still warm, but other times I’ve pulled it straight out of the fridge and it still has worked. It will still ferment at a lower temp, just might take a bit longer.

      reply to comment
  10. Carol Lee says

    January 11, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    I made a small amount of buttermilk using 1/4 store bought cultured buttermilk and 3/4 cup 2 percent milk. The end result was a consistency a little thicker than yogurt and ever so slightly gelatinous. It smells great but I’m wondering what happened to my texture? Thanks.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      January 11, 2014 at 4:09 pm

      That sounds pretty typical– sometimes mine gets to be a little on the thicker side too.

      reply to comment
      • Carol Lee says

        January 11, 2014 at 6:14 pm

        So, if I used whole milk, I would end up with something like a lower fat sour cream?

        reply to comment
  11. Gwen Swanson says

    February 2, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    Jill,

    I just love your posts and recipes. I just ordered my starters and when they come in I’ll be trying your recipes.

    Thank you!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      February 3, 2014 at 7:58 pm

      yay!

      reply to comment
  12. Erin says

    February 2, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    I have buttermilk (left over from making butter with raw cream) Can i culture that verses using milk? I’d love to be able to find more uses for this buttermilk and culturing it sounds like a great idea….in the past a lot has gone to waste ;-(

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      February 3, 2014 at 7:58 pm

      Hmmm.. it’d be worth a try, although I can’t say I’ve ever tried it before. Another good use for that sort of buttermilk is to use it in baking.

      reply to comment
      • Erin says

        February 18, 2014 at 12:25 pm

        Well I have something that is cultured but its not buttermilk lol! I think i will put it on my dog’s food!

        reply to comment
        • Leanna says

          March 20, 2020 at 10:30 pm

          Can you use store bought milk that has expired to ferment buttermilk?

          reply to comment
  13. bella J says

    February 27, 2014 at 12:08 am

    would love to try the sour cream but was wondering if you have tried it with half & half instead of heavy cream which would make it less rich…

    reply to comment
  14. Jenny says

    March 5, 2014 at 11:07 pm

    Hello,
    I tried using the leftover buttermilk from making butter with raw milk to make the cultured buttermilk. It’s been on the counter tightly closed for over 24 hours but hasn’t thickened to coat the jar. Is it bad?

    reply to comment
    • Meg says

      April 25, 2014 at 12:56 pm

      The bacteria needs air to live and grow 🙂
      Next time use a towel to cover it.

      reply to comment
      • Leslie says

        May 26, 2020 at 3:00 pm

        I always tightly seal mine and leave it on top of the fridge for 24 hours. Mine has always thickened (even thicker than yogurt) and I use Fat Free milk. It sounds like there might be an issue with the culture if it is not thickening.

        reply to comment
  15. Gail Wilbur says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:29 am

    Before I got the recipes to make my own buttermilk and yogurt, I bought my buttermilk and yogurt at the store. I blended them together and it came out a tasty drink. The blended drink is better tasting than either of them taken separately. And, you can make a small amount at one time instead of a large batch. Just a thought.

    reply to comment
  16. Abigail says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:13 am

    I noticed you used a marker to write directly onto your mason jar, instead of a sticky label. Does that come off when you handle it or wash it?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      March 18, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      It’s dry erase marker, so it wipes right off. 🙂

      reply to comment
    • Natalie says

      January 24, 2017 at 5:32 am

      Acetone (nail polish remover) will remove sharpie from glass, and plastic, but scrubbing the glass does work also.

      reply to comment
  17. Kelly says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:43 am

    I saw the directions on the culture starter website said to heat the milk or cream. Do you have to do that with your method? I’m pretty new to this and would love to try it out .
    Thanks!

    reply to comment
    • Irene says

      November 29, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      I would love to know this too. Know matter how many ways I try to look it up, I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere that explains why it might be necessary to pasteurize the mother batch. I only can find recipes that say to do that first and that not doing so may not yield a mother batch good enough to continue further batches. Can you comment on this, Jill?
      Is it really necessary to pasteurize the mother batch to have successful future batches? Or is that just the industry being afraid and playing it safe with the consensus? Thanks.

      reply to comment
      • The bio chemist says

        March 31, 2018 at 4:55 am

        Some types of cultures (yogurt) will work better under warm conditions. So heating the cream to about 110F is the ideal environment for those types of lactic bacteria to grow. This is not a hot enough temp to pasteurize the cream though. Just heat the cream before you add the cultures then let it sit on your counter to ferment as usual.

        ★★★★★

        reply to comment
  18. Karla says

    March 17, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    I’m trying to figure out if I can culture sour cream and buttermilk next to each other or if they will cross-culture.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      March 18, 2014 at 10:01 pm

      They should be OK since they use the same type of starter culture.

      reply to comment
  19. Melanie Kennedy says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:39 am

    I have a question. I live in a place where buttermilk is not commercially available, but sour cream is, and I see that the same culture (purchased) was used above to make both. Is it possible to make buttermilk with whole milk and a small ammount of cultured sour cream? Buttermilk is a must for my fried green tomatoes and fried chicken, and I can’t live without it!!! lol

    reply to comment
  20. Steffanie says

    April 9, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    I just finished making my buttermilk, it turned out beautifully. Now I’m making sweet cream butter and I immaculated some cream for cultured butter tomorrow. Thank you, I just love your blog!!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      April 10, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      That’s what I like to hear! 😉

      reply to comment
      • Steffanie says

        April 10, 2014 at 6:35 pm

        Ok I’m working on butter now and I’m having some trouble hoping you can help. Last night I made (tried 😉 sweet cream butter and set out some cultured cream for tonight so we can taste the difference. Well neither one of the darn things will go past the whipped cream stage. I’ve used several methods; shook for 1 1/2 hours in a mason jar, used my blender, and at least 1 1/2 hrs tonight with my kitchen aid mixer. What’s wrong, what can I do to fix it?

        reply to comment
  21. AuroraDawn says

    April 12, 2014 at 9:47 am

    Thanks for the great tutorial! I was wondering, is it possible to use whey (leftover from making Greek yogurt) to culture my sour cream? And if so, what would you suggest the ratio of whey to cream would be?

    reply to comment
  22. ThomasH says

    April 12, 2014 at 11:54 am

    The links to the starter are for yogurt and Kefir. Which if either is OK to use for buttermilk ans sour cream?

    reply to comment
  23. Kathy says

    May 12, 2014 at 2:01 am

    This may be a silly question. Just wondering if it’s okay to use cold cultured buttermilk and add to cold milk? Then leave in a slightly warm oven for 24 hours? Thank you!! Looking forward to trying this!!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      May 12, 2014 at 2:34 pm

      Yep! I usually just use it cold, and have never had a problem. 🙂

      reply to comment
      • Kathy says

        May 12, 2014 at 4:26 pm

        Hi Jill!! It worked!!! I woke up to beautiful buttercream this morning! I’m so excited! Thank you so much for your detailed instructions and your quick response. I can’t wait to make sour cream using your instructions. Love your blog!!

        reply to comment
        • Jill Winger says

          May 13, 2014 at 12:58 pm

          YAY Kathy! Way to go!

          reply to comment
          • Kathy says

            May 13, 2014 at 5:28 pm

            Hi Jill! I immediately used the buttermilk that I made as a starter for a new batch. The new batch thickened nicely but looked almost ‘grainy’ and not as smooth as the first batch. Is that normal? I kept all the conditions the same as the first batch.

  24. Steffanie says

    May 25, 2014 at 11:44 am

    So cultured buttermilk and sour cream are the same thing?

    reply to comment
    • Ivy Bickl says

      August 22, 2019 at 9:53 am

      Please answer this question. It’s been asked twice so far that I have seen?

      ★★★

      reply to comment
  25. Peggy says

    June 19, 2017 at 1:36 am

    So it looks like your sour cream recipe and your cultured buttermilk recipe are the same?? What is the difference?

    ★★★★★

    reply to comment
    • Jake says

      August 26, 2017 at 10:53 pm

      I had the same question… I am wondering if the title was just misnamed…

      ★★★★★

      reply to comment
  26. Jake says

    August 26, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    Ok, great article… but let me get this straight, If-o I have raw milk (I belong to a raw milk co-op) and I purchase 1 packet of direct-set buttermilk starter culture (already purchsased) then I can make buttermilk as you described… THEN, once I have my new batch of buttermilk, can i take one cup of it (before I finish drinking it!) and add it to three cups of raw milk and start a new batch? If this is not correct please let me know…

    ★★★★★

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      August 30, 2017 at 11:50 am

      Yes, that will work!

      reply to comment
    • Belinda Everman says

      May 5, 2020 at 5:54 am

      One tablespoon per cup of milk is all you need to ferment your next batch.

      reply to comment
  27. Lois says

    December 26, 2017 at 10:03 am

    Just a quick note: printable recipe says “sour cream” instead of buttermilk. Trying this today!

    reply to comment
  28. Rebecca says

    February 26, 2018 at 9:27 am

    Sorry if this is a silly question. I’ve never cultured anything, but would love to get started with it. I was looking at a soaked soda bread recipe and they used cultured buttermilk which brought me here.
    So, my question is: are all store bought buttermilk’s cultured? Or do I need to specifically look for one that says “cultured”?
    Thanks

    reply to comment
  29. Grumpy says

    April 4, 2018 at 10:28 am

    Only use whole milk. I use store bought pasteurized milk and have found that if the milk is scalded, the results are better. There may be something store bought that competes with the starter culture resulting in the buttermilk separating, thick on the bottom and semi-clear on the top. This doesn’t happen if milk is scalded.

    I let the milk cool to “just warm” and then mix in the starter which is just what is left from a previous batch. Room temperature takes longer but works fine for me. In the winter, I keep it warmer placing the container close to a radiator. Faster, but in my experience, little difference in result.

    ★★★★★

    reply to comment
  30. Jeannie Johansen says

    April 5, 2018 at 7:50 am

    This is exactly what I was looking for. I am going to make some buttermilk today using the “1 cups buttermilk” method.
    A question; I have a cooler kitchen, but I have a Excalibur Dehydrator, what is the ideal temp to culture raw milk buttermilk?
    Also, did you know that the actual recipe posted here says Cultured Sour Cream? ?

    reply to comment
  31. Travis B says

    April 24, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    This is interesting, however ‘buttermilk’ is not cultured milk, it is the liquid that is left over when you make butter (which is made from cream).

    reply to comment
  32. IAS says

    June 12, 2018 at 12:55 am

    This is amazing!!! I’ve got to try this!! Thanks, Jill!

    ★★★★★

    reply to comment
  33. Mike says

    August 25, 2018 at 12:41 pm

    Am I missing something here? It looks to me like the buttermilk recipe and directions are the exact same as the sour cream recipe and directions.

    What am I missing?

    reply to comment
  34. Tanya S says

    January 7, 2019 at 11:49 pm

    Some info that people might find useful:
    Buttermilk is made with a mesophilic culture (replicates at warm room temperature, 70-77 degrees). Mesophilic cultures can also be used to make sour cream or creme fraiche, just depends how much fat is in your dairy. Exact same method and culture, but using skim milk will get you thin buttermilk, while whipping cream will get you creme fraiche. (by contrast, thermophilic cultures used to make yogurt set at 110-115 degrees) You do not need to heat the milk before you make buttermilk, but it should not be cold. Old-fashioned cultured buttermilk happens when the raw whole milk is allowed to culture BEFORE churning. The result is European-style cultured butter and cultured buttermilk.
    I use UHT milk and cream all the time and they set beautifully with both mesophilic and thermophilic cultures. Also, i use a much lower ratio, more like 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk to 1 cup milk, set on the counter in a warm spot next to the fridge for about 18 hours.

    reply to comment
  35. Waketta says

    October 14, 2019 at 7:42 am

    Why is the Buttermilk recipe and the Sour Cream recipe the same?

    reply to comment
  36. Sophia says

    February 19, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    If using raw milk, how fresh should the milk be? I’m wondering if I have raw milk from a week ago, can I still make buttermilk and have it in the fridge for a couple of weeks at least?

    reply to comment
    • Kayla- Prairie Homestead Assistant says

      February 20, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      You can totally use older milk for this recipe! Not positive how long it’ll last in the fridge after you make it, but I assume at least another week or so.

      reply to comment

Trackbacks

  1. My Week on Wednesday… January 1 » Once Upon a Time in a Bed of Wildflowers says:
    January 3, 2014 at 6:48 am

    […] is kind of pricey, though, so I’m going to try making my own following these directions from The Prairie Homestead! I also used some of the buttermilk to make these Soaked Pancakes from […]

    reply to comment
  2. My Week on Wednesday… January 8 » Once Upon a Time in a Bed of Wildflowers says:
    January 8, 2014 at 10:23 am

    […] you want to try making buttermilk yourself, here are the directions I used. And this fabulous and timely post from The Elliot Homestead, explains […]

    reply to comment
  3. Homemade Cultured Buttermilk & Sour Cream — Homestead and Survival says:
    February 4, 2014 at 6:01 am

    […] Homemade Cultured Buttermilk & Sour Cream Recipes […]

    reply to comment
  4. 29 Foods You Never Knew You Could DIY | Bringing the best news to the People says:
    April 12, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    […] Winger, theprairiehomestead.com / Byrne […]

    reply to comment
  5. 29 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could DIY says:
    April 18, 2014 at 7:27 am

    […] Winger, theprairiehomestead.com / Byrne […]

    reply to comment
  6. ???????????29???????????????DIY | ????????????????? ???????????? says:
    April 18, 2014 at 4:47 pm

    […] ?????????theprairiehomestead.com/????? […]

    reply to comment
  7. ???????????29???????????????DIY | ????????????????? ???????????? says:
    May 8, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    […] ?????????theprairiehomestead.com/????? […]

    reply to comment
  8. The Fake Food You Don't Know You're Eating (Part 2) - Keeper of the Home says:
    June 7, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    […] a Machine or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream How to Make Cream Cheese (shortcut version) How to Make Cultured Buttermilk and Sour Cream Taking the Mystery Out of Creme Fraiche How to Make Mozzarella Cheese Homemade String Cheese Easy […]

    reply to comment
  9. Essential Guide To Raw Milk (Why You Should Drink It & 115+ Recipes For Using It) - Reformation Acres says:
    November 8, 2017 at 4:34 am

    […] How To Make Sour Cream from The Prairie Homestead […]

    reply to comment
  10. The Fake Food You Don't Know You're Eating (Part 2) | Keeper of the Home says:
    November 16, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    […] a Machine or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream How to Make Cream Cheese (shortcut version) How to Make Cultured Buttermilk and Sour Cream Taking the Mystery Out of Creme Fraiche How to Make Mozzarella Cheese Homemade String Cheese Easy […]

    reply to comment
  11. Healthy Living DNA » 29 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could DIY says:
    March 27, 2018 at 11:23 am

    […] Winger, theprairiehomestead.com / Byrne […]

    reply to comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Get the Ultimate Homestead Planner!

Look Inside!

Save time & money as you build your homestead with my FREE library of ebooks & resources!

— AS SEEN IN —

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Press & Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure & Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Work with Me

Copyright © 2021 The Prairie Homestead  •  All rights reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs