Homemade Sour Cream - EASY

[Britesea]

maybe it would help homemade mayo, but I read somewhere that commercial mayo has been prepared in such a way that it doesn't even need refrigeration once it's been opened. It was an article about picnic foods like potato salad causing tummy upsets. Most people blame the mayo for their internal troubles, but apparently it's more likely to be caused by the raw onions, or hard boiled egg. Of course, I'm not sure commercial mayo even qualifies as real mayonnaise these days, lol

 

[k15n1]

I've read/heard the same. The stuff from the store must be basically sterile to keep on the shelf at RT.

The mayo that I've seen in the store seems to be the real thing. But it's mainly made with oils that I would prefer to avoid. Not saying I wouldn't eat a sandwich if you made one for me---but I still prefer to avoid the stuff. I've found that my kids and I are perfectly happy to have butter in their sandwich. Or sometimes I make mayo. I'll try it with sour cream next time. Though I wouldn't leave it on the counter...

 

[ORChick]

Sally Fallon, in her book "Nourishing Traditions" suggests putting a tablespoon of whey in homemade mayo, and leaving it on the counter for 7 hours to ferment a bit. I have done this with no apparent harm to either the mayo or myself, but I do have a couple of rules that I follow. I only use very fresh eggs, from that morning's gathering from the nest boxes, and I don't leave it out if it is very hot in the house - either a cool overcast day, or if the AC has been running. Also, it should go without saying, the whey needs to come from a fermented product with live cultures - not dead yogurt, or cheese set with vinegar. The theory makes sense to me - the little lacto bacilli are quite good at preserving milk (yogurt etc), and veggies (sauerkraut etc), so giving them a chance to colonize the mayo doesn't give me pause.

 

[Marianne]

So that's where that came from. Bet there were women doing that for years before, too.

 

[k15n1]

The theory makes sense to me - the little lacto bacilli are quite good at preserving milk (yogurt etc), and veggies (sauerkraut etc), so giving them a chance to colonize the mayo doesn't give me pause.

well, you're in good company. I recently bought Nourishing Traditions but I'm still in transition. Still trying to wean the family off canola and other vegetable oils. My sister tells me that the ginger carrots are bulletproof, so I might do that next. I've had several batches of sour kraut fail. Also, I'm experimenting with kimchi.

Come to think of it, everything is probably colonized with the exception of my in-use canning jars. So maybe it's not a big deal. But I think I'll pass on the semi-fermented mayo. The usual suspects for milk souring are bacteria that evolved (or were designed, to be religiously correct) to have their metabolism revved up for lactose (galactose-glucose). While other things can digest this particular sugar, the laco-bacilli have a heat start. And their acidic poo makes it hard for other stuff to grow. OK so far. But mayo basically is oil with egg yoke, which is mainly oil. I'm not seeing the point of adding culture that eats milk...

Anyhow, it's not a big deal. Do as you please. I'm just thinking out loud. I'm always surprised how much I learn from others on the forum.

 

[ORChick]

The theory makes sense to me - the little lacto bacilli are quite good at preserving milk (yogurt etc), and veggies (sauerkraut etc), so giving them a chance to colonize the mayo doesn't give me pause.

well, you're in good company. I recently bought Nourishing Traditions but I'm still in transition. Still trying to wean the family off canola and other vegetable oils. My sister tells me that the ginger carrots are bulletproof, so I might do that next. I've had several batches of sour kraut fail. Also, I'm experimenting with kimchi.

Come to think of it, everything is probably colonized with the exception of my in-use canning jars. So maybe it's not a big deal. But I think I'll pass on the semi-fermented mayo. The usual suspects for milk souring are bacteria that evolved (or were designed, to be religiously correct) to have their metabolism revved up for lactose (galactose-glucose). While other things can digest this particular sugar, the laco-bacilli have a heat start. And their acidic poo makes it hard for other stuff to grow. OK so far. But mayo basically is oil with egg yoke, which is mainly oil. I'm not seeing the point of adding culture that eats milk...

Anyhow, it's not a big deal. Do as you please. I'm just thinking out loud. I'm always surprised how much I learn from others on the forum.

I understand what you are saying, and it is a tough thing to get one's head around, I admit. We have been told for so long that eggs will kill you if left out for any time at all, its a leap of faith to try that experiment on one's own family. However, those same milk bacteria are the same ones that work on the kimchi and sauerkraut, also with no milk . On the other hand, in my house anyway, a one egg batch of mayo doesn't last long enough to really make the fermentation thing useful. I have done it more for curiosity's sake, and probably won't bother in future.

I haven't tried the NT gingered carrots, but have heard from others (I think it may have been in the long "What are you fermenting?" thread here on SS) that it is quite salty. I did try her recipe for fermented beets, and that, indeed, was very salty. I have read through the book, and found many interesting points, but I've only tried a very few recipes.

 

[KnittyGritty]

In my opinion, the NT recipes for ferments don't give enough time for the food/drink to ferment down to the tangy taste. She has you ferment sauerkraut for something like 7 days, but my ferments always take 2 - 3 weeks to get rid of the terribly salty taste and develop that tang. If it still tastes too salty after the required time, just keep it out and taste every few days until it has the taste you want.

 

[k15n1]

Ran across this article (below). Doesn't mention sour cream but it's fermented.

http://girlmeetsnourishment.com/gmnwordpress1/how-to-make-lacto-fermented-mayo/

I made mayo last night. I was going to use it on some slaw but between directing kids and trying to comply with DW's new dinners-done-by-7:30 demand, it broke and I didn't have time to re-start until after dinner. The mayo was getting a little stiff so I added sour cream instead of lemon juice and that helped. The mayo was thin enough to add some more oil AND it is sort of pre-fermented. It's a cop out compared to the fermented item but I prefer to think of it as a compromise

Oh, DD, who is 7, made whipped cream last night, cleaned a pound of strawberries with a pewter spoon, and cut them with a real knife. I was glad for the help and relieved that her safety training took and she didn't cut herself. But she was a lot happier about it than me. It was more rewarding than any video game or movie. She couldn't wait to tell Mom about it at dinner.

 

[ORChick]

Congrats to your DD! Nothing like a feeling of accomplishment to start her out right in the kitchen. And good for you that you have an up and coming helper/sous chef!