Buttermilk questions and suggestions/

[Our7Wonders]

I made buttermilk for the first time this past week. At first I thought it didn't turn out, didn't seem as though it had thickened any at all after 36 hours. I put it in the fridge to give to the chickens the next morning. As I was pouring it over their feed I could smell good buttermilk smell - tasted it, and sure enough tasted like buttermilk. So I cut the chickens short of what they were going to get and saved the rest for us. We've been using it this week - it's much stronger than the Organic Valley cultured buttermilk that we were using (which is what I used to start this batch with) is that pretty typical with homemade buttermilk? I'm culturing raw goats milk, perhaps that makes a difference? It's also gotten thicker in just the few days that we've been using it - even had some little "chunks" when I pour it - but I think I had occasional chunks from my store bought stuff. Does this all sound normal?

The only think I've ever used buttermilk for has been to soak our grains in. What else do you use it in? I've never made it, but I know it's common to use it for biscuits and pancakes -what else?

 

[gettinaclue]

I've read you can make soap with it. Also, marinate your catfish in it for 24 hours before you cook it. Makes it nommy.

ETA - I don't eat fish, but my MIL who is a cooking goru said so. LOL

 

[Our7Wonders]

do you think it getting thicker over the course of a few days in the fridge and a few lumps are normal? It smells strong - sour, but not bad milk sour, just strong buttermilk smell. Good? Bad?

 

[Wannabefree]

It sounds good to me! I use buttermilk to roll meat in before battering too. I use it on chicken mostly, put all the spices in, and marinate the chicken in the buttermilk and spices, then roll in flour, and fry or bake it. Buttermilk and cornbread is good too, and it's good to drink straight sometimes as well. Use it in pancakes, some cakes, and I use it exclusively in my cornbread and biscuits. It makes all kinds of great breads! I always have buttermilk on hand. I couldn't cook a meal without it hardly.