46 – Buttermilk 
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Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates (e.g., Middle East, Pakistan, India, or the Southern United States) where fresh milk would otherwise sour quickly. It is also popular in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, despite the colder climates.
Buttermilk may also refer to a fermented dairy product produced from cow's milk with a characteristically sour taste caused by lactic acid bacteria. This variant is made in one of two ways: cultured buttermilk is made by adding lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus lactis) to milk;Bulgarian buttermilk is created with a different strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus bulgaricus, which creates more tartness.
Whether traditional or cultured, the tartness of buttermilk is due to the presence of acid in the milk. The increased acidity is primarily due to lactic acid, a byproduct naturally produced by lactic acid bacteria while fermenting lactose, the primary sugar found in milk. As lactic acid is produced by the bacteria, the pH of the milk decreases and casein, the primary protein in milk, precipitates causing the curdling or clabbering of milk. This process makes buttermilk thicker than plain milk. While both traditional and cultured buttermilk contain lactic acid, traditional buttermilk tends to be less viscous whereas cultured buttermilk is more viscous.
Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cream. Traditionally, before cream could be skimmed from whole milk, it was left to sit for a period of time to allow the cream and milk to separate. During this time, the milk would be fermented by the naturally occurring lactic acid-producing bacteria in the milk. This facilitates the butter churning process since fat from cream with a lower pH will coalesce more readily than that from fresh cream. The acidic environment also helps prevent potentially harmful microorganisms from growing, increasing shelf-life. However, in establishments that used cream separators, the cream would hardly be acidic at all.
In the Indian subcontinent, buttermilk is taken to be the liquid left over after extracting butter from churned yogurt (dahi). Today, this is called traditional buttermilk. Traditional buttermilk is still common in many Indo-Pakistani households but rarely found in western countries. In Southern India and most areas of the Punjab, buttermilk with added water, sugar and/or salt, asafoetida, and curry leaves is given at stalls in festival times.
Commercially available cultured buttermilk is pasteurized and homogenized (if 1% or 2% fat) milk which has been inoculated with a culture of lactic acid bacteria to simulate the naturally occurring bacteria found in the old-fashioned product. Some dairies add colored flecks of butter to cultured buttermilk to simulate the residual pieces of butter that can be left over from the churning process of traditional buttermilk.
Condensed buttermilk and Dried buttermilk have increased in importance in the food industry. Such solids are used in ice cream manufacture. Adding specific strains of bacteria to pasteurized milk allows more consistent production.
In the early 1900s, cultured buttermilk was labeled artificial buttermilk, to differentiate it from traditional buttermilk, which was known as natural or ordinary buttermilk.
Acidified buttermilk is a related product that is made by adding a food-grade acid (such as lemon juice) to milk.
Drink-Based Recipe – Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe INGREDIENTS
• 1 (3 pound) fryer (see Wikipedia on the difference between broilers, fryers, and roasting birds), cut into pieces
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme) or a teaspoon each of the dried herbs.
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups grapeseed oil, or other high smoke-point oil such as canola oil, or peanut oil
METHOD
1 Soak chicken overnight (at least 8 hours and up to two days) in buttermilk with onions, herbs, paprika, and cayenne pepper. (Regarding the use of buttermilk, my mother has had good results from soaking chicken in plain yogurt instead of buttermilk.)
2 Drain in colander, leaving some herbs on chicken. In a large paper or plastic (sturdy) bag, mix flour with seasonings. Meanwhile, heat 2 cups oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron, stainless steel, or anodized aluminum - something that can take the heat) on medium high heat until a pinch of flour starts to sizzle when dropped in the hot oil (but not so hot that the pan is smoking). Remember when working with hot oil, always have a pan lid close by.
3 Place chicken pieces in bag with flour and shake until thoroughly coated. Add chicken to hot pan and fry on 1 side for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, and then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 10-12 minutes, again until golden brown.
Be careful to keep the oil hot enough to fry the chicken, but not so high as it burns the chicken. To do this on our electric stove we have to alternate the settings between high to medium high several times while we are cooking.
4 Use tongs to remove chicken from pan. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet or broiling pan for the excess oil to drain. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
BONUS BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE!
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Topic: LoC: Top 65 Beverages (Read 41851 times)
