# Makin' biscuits? other uses for buttermilk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745 "2009-04-29T18:12:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/1 "2009-04-29T18:12:11Z")
I’m making a turkey pot pie for dinner tonight. The recipe calls for topping it with a biscuit mix which includes buttermilk and cheese. Having made this before, it’s quite good… unfortunately I can’t seem to find buttermilk in anything smaller than quart sizes, so I wind up with 2+ cups of the stuff left over. I could just make an extra round of the biscuits but have no clue how to translate that to baking time on a cookie sheet. Share your biscuit-making wisdom, please! I’ve never made 'em from scratch except for this recipe - have always used canned when we just wanted something to munch. (to non-US dopers, of course I mean the American style of biscuits which very distantly resembles a scone, not the UK-style biscuit which is more of a sweet thing). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/2 "2009-04-29T18:28:18Z")
I have not managed to make biscuits I like better than KFC’s (yes, I’ll be turning in my foodie card), but for other uses of buttermilk there’s several recipes in this [old cornbread thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=501842&highlight=cornbread). And this [Texas Sheet Cake](http://southernfood.about.com/od/chocolatecakes/r/bl10731d.htm)recipe is one of my favorites, and also calls for buttermilk. Next time, look in the cold case for lunchbox-sized buttermilk containers. I think it’s weird, but two of my local markets carry the 1/2 pint size in with the chocolate and 2%. ---
**Author:** ![Winsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Winsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winsling)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/3 "2009-04-29T18:29:28Z")
Or you can mix [milk and vinegar.](http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/r/Buttermilk_Sub.htm) I haven’t done a blind taste test to see if there’s any real difference. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/4 "2009-04-29T18:35:21Z")
All I know is Deputy Enos Strate loved putting popcorn in a glass of buttermilk and drinking it. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/5 "2009-04-29T18:36:32Z")
Buttermilk pancakes. Beats the pants of non-buttermilk. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/6 "2009-04-29T18:38:10Z")
Don’t do the milk-and-vinegar thing. If you screw it up, it’s vinegar city. You can make buttermilk pie, or use it to make some divine mashed potatoes. Or yeah, biscuits or cornbread. Or hell, you can drink it. People do that, you know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/7 "2009-04-29T18:41:39Z")
I don’t think any bottled, premixed Ranch Style dressing compares to that made with Hidden Valley and real buttermilk. It’s heaven on yer buds. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/8 "2009-04-29T18:51:52Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I have not managed to make biscuits I like better than KFC’s (yes, I’ll be turning in my foodie card), but for other uses of buttermilk there’s several recipes in this [old cornbread thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=501842&highlight=cornbread). > And this [Texas Sheet Cake](http://southernfood.about.com/od/chocolatecakes/r/bl10731d.htm)recipe is one of my favorites, and also calls for buttermilk. > > Next time, look in the cold case for lunchbox-sized buttermilk containers. I think it’s weird, but two of my local markets carry the 1/2 pint size in with the chocolate and 2%. I don’t think either of the stores I tried carry the small containers, but I’ll definitely double check. It might be cheaper to buy the whole quart than 2-3 of those, but it’s worth checking! KFC biscuits? Been years since I’ve had one of them, but the ones at Popeyes are YUMMO. Crisp, tender, buttery (well, probably margarine-y), would probably kill you at 10 paces but what a way to go 🙂 That sheet cake recipe looks good, and it’s all stuff I have around the house. Hmmmm… it’d be wasteful to throw away that buttermilk 😉 ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/9 "2009-04-29T18:52:39Z")
You can freeze the leftover buttermilk too. Premeasure into 1 cup amounts, put in ziploc sandwich bags, and you have it for next time. Good for at least 3 months. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/10 "2009-04-29T18:53:01Z")
I use instant buttermilk for biscuits - it tastes fine baked, and it keeps in the refrigerator forever. ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/11 "2009-04-29T19:02:43Z")
Ooh, make [these](http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/oatmeal_buttermilk_pancakes.htm) oatmeal buttermilk pancakes! They are SO GOOD, especially with a little whipped cream on them… ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/12 "2009-04-29T19:06:02Z")
I love drinking buttermilk. Yum. My parents/grandparents like crumbling cornbread into a glass of buttermilk and eating it with a spoon – sort of like Southern milktoast, LOL BTW, buttermilk keeps for a long time, far beyond the “sell by” date. You can also freeze it. Other ideas, some of which have been mentioned: smoothies pancakes/waffles cornbread mashed potatoes (instead of milk/butter) marinade for chicken esp. for frying ice cream / sherbet chess pie Ranch dressing (from scratch or from the packets – both are much better than bottled) more biscuits! Use in place of any baking recipe that calls for yogurt Use in place of any cake/quickbread recipe that calls for milk, adding 1/4 teaspoon of baking SODA for every 1/2 cup of buttermilk (if you don’t do this, the acidity of the buttermilk can interfere with the other leaveners) For specific recipes, check out [http://search.myrecipes.com/search.html?Ntt=buttermilk](http://search.myrecipes.com/search.html?Ntt=buttermilk) In addition to providing a nice tangy flavor, buttermilk (and other acidic dairy, like yogurt and sour cream) tenderize baked goods. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/13 "2009-04-29T19:13:33Z")
Given the amounts in discussion, this might not be helpful, but… If you’re social friends with Ted Nugent, or someone else delights you with a slab of venison steak, soak it overnight in buttermilk and then grill to taste ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/14 "2009-04-29T19:22:27Z")
[Make fresh ricotta](http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000282.html) I’ve used this recipe and it’s quite easy. I fudged it a bit since I didn’t have either a full quart of buttermilk (like you, I used some for a recipe and then had most of a quart left over), so I just used a tad less milk, maybe a cup or so. Also, instead of buying cheesecloth, I just used some heavy-duty paper towels and a mesh strainer to drain it, and it worked great. Beats the store-bought stuff by a mile, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/15 "2009-04-29T19:30:22Z")
> [@stargazer](#): > > Ooh, make [these](http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/oatmeal_buttermilk_pancakes.htm) oatmeal buttermilk pancakes! They are SO GOOD, especially with a little whipped cream on them… This is another especially intriguing one - we’ve got rolled oats left over from our cookie-jar-fest last December (we made 48 jars of oatmeal cookie mix for gifts). And this is just a bit _different_ from regular pancakes. Actually all the ideas folks are posting sound good!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/16 "2009-04-29T19:36:35Z")
I have a good recipe for buttermilk cheese bread; it’s at home, but if anybody wants it I can post later. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/17 "2009-04-29T19:42:37Z")
The best catfish I’ve ever eaten had a nice soak in buttermilk before frying. Poke around on the web, recipes abound. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/18 "2009-04-29T19:44:21Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I have a good recipe for buttermilk cheese bread; it’s at home, but if anybody wants it I can post later. Nah, not interested, I doubt it’s even remotely yummy 😉 (translation: post it, please!! As a side note, I’ll also have leftover shredded cheddar to use up!) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/19 "2009-04-29T20:19:09Z")
I use buttermilk primarily for cinnamon biscuits - they’re just like cinnamon rolls, except you don’t have to wait for the dough to rise. They’re great. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/20 "2009-04-29T20:34:18Z")
Mix up one part buttermilk and one part mayo (that’s right, just like starting some Hidden Valley Ranch dressing). Add to it a judicious amount of crumbled bleu cheese of your choice. I like roquefort because the flavor is strong and it stands up to the buttermilk mixture. Reserve a few nuggets of cheese to add at the last minute. Mix it up, mashing the cheese a little so it starts to dissolve into the mixture, then taste it and add a little salt and pepper and maybe a fleck each of cayenne pepper and onion powder to add some zip. Add the reserved cheese nuggets. Serve over iceberg lettuce wedges and top with crumbled crisp bacon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745.md?page=2)