Buttermilk, can it be frozen?

[joesfolk]

Do you know...can I freeze buttermilk without having it separate when it is thawed?

 

[CharlieD]

I know sour cream doesn't work well after freezing.

 

[JMediger]

Here is one link that may help ... How to Freeze Buttermilk | eHow.com

It does mention separation so be sure to mix it again when thawed. Are you using it for cooking/baking? It also mentions that for these purposes it will be fine but for drinking, not so much.

 

[Dawgluver]

I don't use buttermilk often enough to get fresh, but I do keep a container of Saco Buttermilk powder, which works pretty well. You can also make your own by adding an acid (vinegar or lemon juice), stir and let sit, which will work in a pinch.

 

[CharlieD]

..You can also make your own by adding an acid (vinegar or lemon juice), stir and let sit, which will work in a pinch.

I understand according to do that you should warm up the milk. Do you know what temp?

 

[Zereh]

If you heated the milk and added acid you'd end up with ricotta cheese ...

I just measure out the milk I need, add the lemon juice and let it sit @ room temp for about 10-minutes or so for buttermilk.

 

[CharlieD]

Well, there is more to making cheese than just heating. My milk doesn't go sour. doesn't become butter milk just like that. Some times it takescouple of days to even get to strat going sour even if I warm it up.

 

[CWS4322]

I freeze buttermilk for baking all the time. Since most of the recipes I use call for 1 cup, I freeze it in one-cup containers.

 

[SherryDAmore]

Agree with freezing in 1 cup increments. You can't drink it after freezing, but using it to cook with is fine. I do it alot. I use it to marinate chicken as well.

 

[CWS4322]

Ditto on the buttermilk for chicken. I will take a quart of buttermilk and marinate the chicken overnight. I usually cook the chicken in my slow cooker with sprigs of fresh rosemary and sage on top. There's enough buttermilk left on the bird to make a sensational gravy. I use buttermilk when making a batter for pan-frying fish and in chicken gravy. Once you start using it, you can find all kinds of uses for it.

 

[Zereh]

Well, there is more to making cheese than just heating. My milk doesn't go sour. doesn't become butter milk just like that. Some times it takescouple of days to even get to strat going sour even if I warm it up.

Not really. I've made ricotta using the recipe below several times.

Milk + heat + acid (lemon juice or vinegar) + salt = ricotta

Rich Homemade Ricotta
Inspired by Salvatore Ricotta, via Tasting Table
I made this ricotta three different ways: with all milk, as the Salvatore recipe suggested (we found it a bit dry), with 3 cups milk and 1 cup heavy cream and with 3 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Guess what? The last two ricottas were virtually indistinguishable.The extra cream did indeed add an even richer edge, but the one with less cream was also very indulgent. I imagine I’d use the richer version for toasts, for putting out at a party and the almost-as-rich one for pastas and things where I might need a larger, sturdier quantity. I’ll leave it up to you which way you go.


Makes about 1 generous cup of ricotta
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream (see Note above about using less)
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice


Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Turn off the heat [Updated] Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.


Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it will be spreadable but a bit firmer, almost like cream cheese. (It will firm as it cools, so do not judge its final texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.) Discard the whey, or, if you’re one of those crafty people who use it for other things, of course, save it. Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

[CharlieD]

you see, there is more to making riccota then just warm up milk. Like I said. I have had milk Not going sour for days after lemon juice was added.

 

[Steve Kroll]

There are a lot of ways to use leftover buttermilk without freezing it. I'm usually happy to have some leftover. I have an oat bran banana bread recipe that uses buttermilk. Another option is to make homemade ranch dressing. It's extremely simple and keeps well for a week or more in the fridge.

 

[Dawgluver]

Not really. I've made ricotta using the recipe below several times.

Milk + heat + acid (lemon juice or vinegar) + salt = ricotta

Thanks, Zereh! I had seen this made on some of the cooking shows, and had been meaning to look up the recipe!

 

[CWS4322]

A refreshing drink in the summer is to mix 1/2 orange juice or lemonade with 1/2 buttermilk...I love this mix--it reminds me of a lovely month of July spent on the Island of Juist--this beverage was served everywhere, chilled.

 

[betterthanabox]

A refreshing drink in the summer is to mix 1/2 orange juice or lemonade with 1/2 buttermilk...I love this mix--it reminds me of a lovely month of July spent on the Island of Juist--this beverage was served everywhere, chilled.

That sounds.... umm... tangy?

 

[Dawgluver]

A refreshing drink in the summer is to mix 1/2 orange juice or lemonade with 1/2 buttermilk...I love this mix--it reminds me of a lovely month of July spent on the Island of Juist--this beverage was served everywhere, chilled.

Kinda like a Dreamsicle. Yum!

 

[CWS4322]

I know it sounds weird, but I have made it with plain milk and it is also quite tasty. In Germany, it was sold in containers similar to yogurt containers but was not thick--I guess sort of like those yogurt drinks (Yop?) one can buy. And, buttermilk is a probiotic, so it is good for you. When it is hot out, it is very refreshing ice cold. I don't know if it was ice cold when we'd buy it on Juist--we spent the month on the beach. Juist is a tiny island in the North Sea. Very windy, no motorized traffic. A great place to go to kick back and relax.

 

[Dawgluver]

I know it sounds weird, but I have made it with plain milk and it is also quite tasty. In Germany, it was sold in containers similar to yogurt containers but was not thick--I guess sort of like those yogurt drinks (Yop?) one can buy. And, buttermilk is a probiotic, so it is good for you. When it is hot out, it is very refreshing ice cold. I don't know if it was ice cold when we'd buy it on Juist--we spent the month on the beach. Juist is a tiny island in the North Sea. Very windy, no motorized traffic. A great place to go to kick back and relax.

Not at all weird. I love lemon yogurt. I would think any type of citrus (grapefruit, lime, kiwi) would be quite tasty in this too. Hmmm.

Have never heard of Juist, I will look it up.