Traditional Buttermilk
Traditional buttermilk is the real thing — the tangy liquid left over after churning cultured butter. It is thinner, richer, and more complex than the cultured buttermilk sold in stores, and it is increasingly available from farmstead and artisanal dairies.
Traditional buttermilk is thinner than cultured buttermilk, with small flecks of butter and a more complex, nuanced flavor. It is tangy but also rich and slightly sweet, with a delicate, layered character that cultured buttermilk lacks.\n\nBecause it is the byproduct of cultured butter, it carries the flavors of the cream and the cultures — more interesting and less aggressively sour than commercial cultured buttermilk.
Hard to find — look for it at farmstead dairies, farmers' markets, or artisanal butter makers. It is increasingly available as interest in traditional dairy grows. It is more perishable than cultured buttermilk.\n\nIf you make your own butter from cultured cream, you will have traditional buttermilk as a byproduct — a rewarding way to get the real thing.
Drinking
Traditional buttermilk is a drink in its own right — tangy, refreshing, and complex, often enjoyed chilled.
Baking
Use in pancakes, biscuits, and cakes like cultured buttermilk — its richer flavor elevates the result.
Soda Bread
The traditional liquid for Irish soda bread, where its acidity reacts with baking soda.
Marinades
Tenderizes and flavors meat — its complexity adds more depth than commercial buttermilk.
Keep traditional buttermilk refrigerated and use within a week — it is more perishable than cultured buttermilk. It can be frozen for baking. A little can culture a fresh batch of butter or buttermilk.