The Cultured Kitchen - part 1

Yeah, Yeah.  I suck.  I dropped the ball back in November and haven't posted since.  So here it is, my cultured kitchen series.

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By cultured of course, I mean the kind that involves various microorganisms.  In my kitchen, I generally use two or three different cultured products, all of which are varying degrees of easy-to-grow-and-maintain.


The easiest by far - and possibly the most useful - is buttermilk.  All you need is fresh milk, a starter culture and a quart jar, like so:


1 qt glass jar with lid, clean 
6-8 oz. buttermilk
~24 oz. milk


1. Clean the jar.  Hot water and soap will do, no need to really sterilize.
2. Add buttermilk to jar.  The amount used depends on how sure of your culture you are.  If the buttermilk is straight from the store, you're fine with 6 oz., but if it's been in your fridge for a few weeks (especially if it's past the use-by date), the culture will be weak and you'll want to use at least a full cup.
3. Fill the rest of the jar with milk.  It won't expand much at all, but it will produce a little gas, so I usually fill it to the neck, just below the threads.  The fresher the better.  The less time it's spent in your fridge, the less likely it is that spoilage organisms have had a chance to get to work.  If it's on the point of going sour, spoilage bacteria may out-compete your buttermilk culture.
4. Put the lid on tightly and shake well to mix.  
5. Loosen the lid and leave at a relatively warm room temperature (perhaps the counter next to the stove) for a full twenty-four hours or until you can see that it has clabbered.  It will be thick, like yogurt.  If you were to shake it up (which you'll have to do for even texture and measuring/pouring), it would remain almost milkshake-thick and would coat the side of the glass.  It should have a creamy texture and a slightly tart flavor, somewhere between sour cream and yogurt.
If it hasn't clabbered after 24 hrs, you can give it another 8-12, but beyond that, it'll start to develop off flavors, even turn sour/rancid.  At that point, or if it has a seriously off flavor, you'd have to assume that your starter culture was no good and start over. 


A note on milk (and this holds true for homemade yogurt as well):  Fresher is better, as noted above; but also, whole milk is better.  2% works just fine.  Skim milk is least best.  Whole milk will make the most pleasantly flavored cultured dairy products.  Skim milk is more heavily processed and may have additional milk solids or even lactose added to improve the color and texture once the fat has been removed.  It will result in thinner buttermilk, and because the bacteria metabolize the solids and sugars differently, it tends to lend a harsh flavor to anything you make with it, from buttermilk to yogurt or even cheese.

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I said earlier that buttermilk is the most useful primarily because you can use it as your acid ingredient for any baked good that requires an acid (anything with baking powder or baking soda).  For example, I like to use it in pancakes, cornbread, and biscuits.


Buttermilk Pancakes
I'm giving you the doubled version below, because the original recipe only makes about 8 cakes.  This recipe is originally from How To Cook Everything, but I've modified it significantly. ~ 30 minutes, serves 4-6.


2 c flour (white or wheat - your preference.  I like 1 c. of each)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 c buttermilk
2 lg eggs
2 Tbsp oil (I like extra light olive oil, but any vegetable oil works)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)


1. Heat griddle to 325 or 350 (griddle settings vary), grease lightly (pam works best, butter's too heavy, imo)
2. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl
3. Beat together buttermilk, eggs and oil in 4c liquid measure
4. Stir liquid into dry ingredients just until moistened
5. Spoon onto hot griddle, turn once when most bubbles have popped and one side is golden brown.  Brown on the other side.
6. Serve immediately.


Buttermilk Biscuits
Also slightly modified from How to Cook Everything


2 c all-purpose flour
1 scant tsp salt
1 scant tsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2+3 Tbsp cold butter
1 c buttermilk


1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl (can also use food processor).
3. Cut 2 Tbsp butter into chunks and blend well with pastry cutter (or pulse in food processor until well-blended).  Cut remaining 3 Tbsp butter into small cubes, <1/4 in.  Mix gently into dry ingredients until well-separated from each other.
4. Use large spoon to stir in the buttermilk, just until dough forms a ball.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead it ten times; no more.  If it is very sticky, add a little flour, but very little; don't worry if it sticks to your hands a bit.
5. Roll and press into 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut into ~2 inch rounds with cutter or glass rim dipped in flour.  Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet (I like to double my baking sheet - it acts like an insulated baking sheet and keeps the bottoms from getting too dark).  Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again.  Optional - brush lightly with melted butter and dust with coarse salt.
6. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown.  Serve within 15 minutes for best results.