Buttermilk is a useful ingredient in cooking and baking, but like all dairy products, it's perishable. If you use buttermilk regularly, keep a supply of dehydrated buttermilk powder in an airtight bag or container. The powder will keep for several months if properly sealed, giving you ready access to buttermilk when you want it, without any concerns about spoilage. Buttermilk powder can be purchased at most bulk food stores, or if you wish, you can make your own at home.
Step 1
Pour your buttermilk into a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan. Bring it up to a simmer over moderate heat. Using higher heat increases the risk of scorching.
Step 2
Simmer the buttermilk gently until it is reduced to 1/4 of its original volume or less, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. This may take two hours or more.
Step 3
Stir more often and reduce the burner's heat as the buttermilk becomes concentrated. Stop when it is about the consistency of yogurt.
Step 4
Set up your dehydrator while the buttermilk is cooling, and cover each of its trays with a tray liner, as you would to make fruit leather or dried yogurt.
Step 5
Fill one or more dehydrator trays as necessary with a thin layer of the concentrated buttermilk. Set the dehydrator to low heat, and run it until the buttermilk is dry and leathery.
Step 6
Pull the leathery buttermilk from the trays, and cut it into strips. Remove the tray liners, and return the strays to your dehydrator. Continue drying the buttermilk until it is hard and brittle.
Step 7
Pulverize the dried buttermilk by putting the strips in your food processor and pulsing it until you have a fine powder. If you don't have a food processor, put the buttermilk in a heavy plastic bag and break it up with a rolling pin.
Step 8
Package your powdered buttermilk in heavy-duty bags or airtight plastic containers for storage. Use the powder exactly as you would for commercially dried buttermilk.
Tips and Warnings
- Store your buttermilk in a cool, dark place to maintain the best flavor. Sweeten the buttermilk or add fruit, and dry it just to the leathery stage for a healthy, chewy yogurt-like snack.
Things You'll Need
- Buttermilk
- Heavy-bottomed sauce pan
- Wooden spoon or silicon spatula
- Dehydrator
- Dehydrator tray liners
- Rolling pin or food processor
- Airtight bag or storage container
References
- "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen"; Harold S. McGee; 2004
- Excalibur Dehydrators: Turn Your Fresh Fruit Into Fruit Leather With a Fruit Dehydrator
- University of Cincinnati Clermont College; Making Buttermilk; David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D.; June 2007
- "The Mother Earth News"; Choosing a Food Dehydrator; David Cavagnaro; June/July 2003
