# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/21 "2009-04-29T21:15:41Z")
I have used buttermilk to make French toast when I was out of regular milk. Just add a bit of sugar to the mix. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/22 "2009-04-29T21:18:26Z")
Here’s a dedicated [Buttermilk Cookbook](http://www.amazon.com/Buttermilk-Cookbook-Carton-Susan-Costello/dp/1566250609). ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/23 "2009-04-29T21:19:00Z")
Use buttermilk in a variety of salad dressings not just “ranch” dressing. If you are really hard core (like my dear departed mother), drink a little ice cold buttermilk on a steamy hot day. Great thirst quencher. If not so hard core, I’ve seen it as an ingredient in some smoothie recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/24 "2009-04-29T21:19:08Z")
> [@Winsling](#): > > 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. I prefer to mix milk and lemon juice. Specifically, I use a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of milk, mix it, and let it stand for at least 10 minutes. It’s not as strong as buttermilk, but it’s a decent approximation. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/25 "2009-04-29T21:23:50Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > 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 🙂 I found a recipe for drop biscuits that taste reminiscent of KFC biscuits, except better. I got it from America’s Test Kitchen, and I don’t have it with me, but I can post it later. The secret is to pour the melted butter into the cold buttermilk and let it clump into chunks before mixing with the dry ingredients. It is DIVINE. I do love Popeye’s when I’m in the mood for biscuits that are sweeter. Mmmm-mmm. :d ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/26 "2009-04-29T21:29:53Z")
Take your choice of [buttermilk pie](http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-00,buttermilk_pie,FF.html) recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/27 "2009-04-29T21:40:31Z")
Mix buttermilk with mango puree to make delicious mango lassi. Proportions are to taste, but 1/3 pulp to 2/3 buttermilk is about right. Tangy, sour, sweet, creamy, fruity and delicious. Heck, I should pick up some buttermilk on my way home tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/28 "2009-04-30T06:48:03Z")
Fried chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/29 "2009-04-30T08:25:50Z")
Make Koldskål! (lit. “cold dish”) - a very popular Danish summer dish. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious: This is the simplest recipe I can think of Whisk two egg yolks with 2-4 large tablespoons of sugar (to taste, basically) + the seeds from one vanilla pod. Mix with 1 litre of buttermilk and the juice and grated peel of a lemon. Chill and serve cold. Every family has their own recipe, and this basic version can be expanded in several ways. Some add 200ml of cream, some add yoghurt, some vanilla ice. You can also whisk a few egg whites and mix in. Or blended fruit. Or… It is traditionally served with kammerjunkere, a small, crispy and sweet biscuit. [Image](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koldsk%C3%A5l.jpg) Koldskål is absolutely wonderful on a hot day. And it doesn’t really taste of buttermilk - most people I know loathe buttermilk and love koldskål, so give it a go. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/30 "2009-04-30T09:32:36Z")
Buttermilk is something quite new to me. A couple of weeks ago I bought some to make pancakes. They were very yummy but I ended up with left over buttermilk and no plan. I tried Nigella’s buttermilk chicken and it was awesome! Basically marinade chicken (she uses a whole chicken, I used thighs) in buttermilk, garlic, oil (she says “flavourless oil”) I used olive oill, salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and wee bit of maple syrup. She marinades for “up to 2 days”. I marinaded for about 5 hours. Then roast. It was DELISH! ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/31 "2009-04-30T09:48:14Z")
Drink it! Cold buttermilk is awesome on a hot day. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/32 "2009-04-30T11:12:42Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Drink it! Cold buttermilk is awesome on a hot day. EWWWW It might be just be me but it looks like vomit! I had enough of an issue marinading chicken in it but drinking it…sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/33 "2009-04-30T11:18:49Z")
Try it anyway. It is very refreshing. Or make koldskål as I suggested, and drink that instead. No reason to waste good buttermilk. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/34 "2009-04-30T12:10:25Z")
It pretty much looks like a glass of milk or a yogurt drink. ---
**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 30, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/35 "2009-04-30T12:32:36Z")
I drink it, too. I don’t see what the ewww-ness is. It’s like a nutty, not so tart liquid yogurt. Good stuff, especially when very ice-cold. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/36 "2009-04-30T13:28:54Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > It pretty much looks like a glass of milk or a yogurt drink. Perhaps New Zealand Buttermilk is odd BUT it looked NOTHING like yoghurt or milk…well it kind of looked like milk you left in the sun for a while…milky-ish but lumpy-ish. The pancakes were awesome and it did very good things to the chicken BUT I’m not drinking lumpy milk 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/37 "2009-04-30T14:44:56Z")
You can also buttermilk in scones! Scones are really simple to make, too. And [lemon bars](http://bakingbites.com/2009/03/buttermilk-lemon-bars/), yum! This [chocolate cake](http://honeyandjam.blogspot.com/2009/03/just-say-yes-to-this-cake.html) is tasty, and it uses buttermilk. Also, buttermilk is common in red velvet cake - but you could mix it up and make [red velvet cheesecake](http://www.recipegirl.com/2009/01/05/red-velvet-cheesecake/). ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/38 "2009-04-30T16:35:15Z")
Southern Jam Cake 3 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup raisins or chopped dates, optional 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup blackberry jam 1 cup buttermilk Pour into three 9 in. layer cake pans, bake at 350 for 20 -25 mins. Frost with brown sugar frosting. ---
**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 30, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/39 "2009-04-30T17:23:29Z")
> [@Godfrey\_Daniels](#): > > Southern Jam Cake > > 3 cups sifted flour > 1 teaspoon soda > 1/4 teaspoon salt > 1 teaspoon ground allspice > 1 teaspoon ground cloves > 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon > 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg > 1 cup chopped pecans > 1 cup raisins or chopped dates, optional > 1 cup butter > 1 1/2 cups sugar > 3 eggs, beaten > 1 cup blackberry jam > 1 cup buttermilk > > Pour into three 9 in. layer cake pans, bake at 350 for 20 -25 mins. Frost with brown sugar frosting. Sounds interesting! Do you melt the butter, or cream it with the sugar? I might try this one (without nuts, due to allergies), with some strawberry jam I’ve got in the freezer. ---
**Author:** ![Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tool_of_the_Conspiracy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745/40 "2009-04-30T23:24:18Z")
Another vote for marinating chicken in it: buttermilk, Tabasco, and minced garlic. Dredge it in a mix of flour, cornmeal, paprika, and salt & pepper, then fry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makin-biscuits-other-uses-for-buttermilk/494745.md?page=3)