Organic Cultured Buttermilk Starter

Please note that we do not send printed copies of instructions with your purchase. If you would like to have a printed version, you can open a printable PDF by clicking here.

Instructions

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• What to do once your Organic Certified Cultured Buttermilk Starter arrives
• What equipment do I need?
• What ingredients do I need?
• Activation Process
• Fermentation Process

What to do once your Organic Certified Cultured Buttermilk Starter arrives:

Organic buttermilk starters are freeze dried and can be stored at room temperature until the activation date on the back of the packet. If you do not plan to activate the buttermilk before that date, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 years.

What equipment do I need?

A glass jar and a breathable cover such as a muslin cloth or paper towel.

What ingredients do I need?

Pasteurised whole milk.

Activation Process:

To activate the organic buttermilk starter, boil 150ml of whole pasteurised milk and allow it to cool back to room temperature. We recommend boiling the milk for the activation stage so that any microbes in the milk are killed off, giving the starter the best chance of success, Put the milk into a jar (ideally 1 litre capacity). Place the sachet of freeze dried buttermilk into the milk and cover the jar to stop dust getting in. Do not cut off the airflow completely. A paper towel fastened with a rubber band works well. Leave it at room temperature for 24-72 hours until you notice that the milk has set. Then proceed with the steps listed below.

Fermentation Process:

• Add 850ml of milk to the jar already containing the activated buttermilk from the step listed above. The milk can be cold and straight from the fridge.
• Cover the jar again and leave it at room temperature for 12-48 hours until the buttermilk has set. The buttermilk is sensitive to temperature. The warmer it is, the faster it will set. During the summer, check the buttermilk every 12 hours. During the winter, it can take a couple of days to fully set.
• Once set, place the buttermilk in the fridge to cool. The cooling process will help the buttermilk to thicken.
  
• Before you eat it, remove some to reculture the next batch. You want roughly one tablespoon of the buttermilk per 500ml of milk you wish to culture.
• If you can’t eat all of the buttermilk that day, it will keep in the refrigerator for 7 days. You can use it to reculture other batches during that time.
• Ensure you reculture the buttermilk at least once every 7 days week to keep it healthy and active.