Cultured Buttermilk and Sour Cream Starter Culture

With this wonderful culture, you can make both Buttermilk and Sour Cream.

Buttermilk is one of those things that are difficult to find in Thailand.  And if found, is pretty expensive!  Make your own cultured buttermilk easily and with this starter culture from Poland, it will taste REALLY good.  Start making those buttermilk biscuits and pancakes again.  Or drink it straight.

Sour Cream is more easily found but not so much in the less populated areas.  But making your own, you’ll find the taste superior and cheaper than store bought.

Each package will culture 5 liter of milk or cream to make delicious buttermilk or sour cream.  You can use a partial package for less.  For example, 1/5th for 1 liter.  Keep remaining culture in the freezer.

Just a note on the following recipes, you’ll have each recipe to let the buttermilk or sour cream sit at 25ºC.  In most parts of Thailand, this pretty much means room temperature.  Don’t worry if it’s a few degrees warmer or cooler.

You will need to keep an eye out during the culturing process to get the consistency you desire.  Especially with the buttermilk, if you let it culture for too long, it will develop a consistency of firm yogurt.  As soon as you get it the way you want, send it to the refrigerator to stop the culturing from firming it up more.

To make Cultured Buttermilk

(use partial package for lesser amounts of milk)

1. Heat 5 liters of milk to 25ºC
2. Add 1 packet of buttermilk culture to milk, let rehydrate for 1-3 minutes
3. Stir milk for 1-2 minutes
4. Cover with coffee filter or cloth
5. Let set for 12-24 hours
6. Store finished buttermilk in a refrigerator for up to one week

To make Sour Cream

(use partial package for lesser amounts of milk)

1. Heat 5 liters of heavy cream to 65°C and hold at that temperature for 45 minutes.
2. Cool cream to 25ºC.
3. Add 1 package of starter culture and stir gently until powder is fully dissolved.
4. Transfer to a glass jar; cover with a coffee filter or tight-weave cloth and secure with a rubber band.
5. Place the jar in a warm spot, 25°C, to culture for 16-18 hours.
6. Once the sour cream has set, place a tight lid on the jar and store in the refrigerator.
7. Sour cream will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.