Generality
The buttermilk it is a derivative of milk obtained as processing waste during the production of butter. Since it contains significant amounts of lactose (3-5g / 100ml), buttermilk is considered a dairy product.
Buttermilk is a clear liquid, more transparent and acidic than milk, much more similar to the WHEY obtained from the production of cheese. In fact, this similarity is due to a manufacturing process which, although quite different, has the same chemical-physical objective.
Buttermilk is NOT a product typically consumed in Italy. On the contrary, it seems very common in Anglo-Saxon countries (with the name of buttermilk), in Scandinavian ones, in some countries of Eastern Europe and in certain areas of the Middle East. It should then be specified that under the name "buttermilk" or "buttermilk "a whole series of drinks is grouped which, to tell the truth, do NOT have the same characteristics or the same processing as the" traditional "one. In general," buttermilk "are defined as all clear drinks obtained from (or with) milk or acidified cream. Below we will understand WHY "this definition is to be considered totally approximate.
Production
As anticipated, buttermilk is a waste product, albeit edible, of buttermaking.
During the production of the butter, the MECHANICAL separation of some CASEIN proteins and the FATS contained in the MILK CREAM takes place. The latter, which is the fatty part of the food, can be obtained by spontaneous surfacing or centrifugation. In the first case, the milk is left to rest for several hours, during which the lactic bacteria acidify the product; in the second, however, the cream is obtained quickly through a mechanical centrifugation process. Since the activity of lactic bacteria is important for the final flavor of the butter, the cream obtained by centrifugation is grafted with selected microbial strains and left to mature for a few hours. The one obtained by surfacing, on the other hand, is already fermented, even if this process, not being standardized, can also give unpleasant aromas to the product and make it less storable. For this reason, the butter obtained from centrifuged cream is now considered better than that obtained from the surfacing of the cream.
Once the cream is obtained, the separation of fats and proteins from the buttermilk takes place by mechanical stress (whipping) of the product which, consequently, develops a real protein network stabilized by fats (present in abundance). The result is the formation of rather compact granules (of fat and proteins) well separated from the residual serous liquid; the first, washed and pressed, will give rise to butter, the second, is precisely the unripe buttermilk.
Obviously, the lowering of the pH following the acidification of the milk cream is NOT without consequences on the protein portion of the buttermilk; a part of it, due to the presence of lactic acid, coagulates and precipitates in the whey of the buttermilk. In fact, with buttermaking ONLY the casein proteins necessary to make up a saturated fat network are separated, while the others remain dispersed and will form the definitive buttermilk.
Now, if traditional buttermilk can be defined as ready, the one made from INTEGRA (non-acidic) cream, for example by centrifugation of the cream, is still "unripe"; only after the inoculation of certain bacteria (Lactococcus lactis and / or Lactobacillus bulgaricus) which ferment lactose with the production of lactic acid, the drink acquires the right acidity content. This type of buttermilk is also called "artificial" buttermilk.
Precisely based on the nature of these last two steps it is possible to distinguish two types of buttermilk: the traditional one, more granular than milk but still liquid, and the inoculated one, less grainy, more viscous and more acid than the previous one (therefore more similar to yogurt) .
At this point it is undoubtedly much clearer what can be the difference between the production of buttermilk and that of whey. While the former is obtained by churning the butter, obtained mechanically, the latter represents the waste of the curd, obtained by acidification with rennet and / or fermentation and / or by thermal coagulation, therefore free from the mechanical process To put it simply, buttermilk represents the waste of the butter while the whey represents the waste of the cheese.
Self Production of Buttermilk
The butter making system just described, applied automatically in the food industry sector, can be easily reproduced at home level → watch the video recipe "Homemade butter"
Buttermilk can in fact be produced by subjecting fresh or inoculated (refrigerated) cream to mechanical stirring with an electric whisk, for about 15/20 minutes. In this way you will get the butter on one side and the buttermilk on the other. The latter can be kept for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
There is also a "fake" version of buttermilk obtained by mixing skim milk, low-fat yogurt and an acid base (isolated acids or lemon juice or vinegar). There is also a commercial version better known as "acidified buttermilk".
Homemade Buttermilk
Problems with playing the video? Reload the video from youtube.
- Go to the Video Page
- Go to the Video Recipes Section
- Watch the video on youtube
CURIOSITY
Buttermilk is an essential and irreplaceable ingredient in the traditional Irish recipe soda Bread, or the leavened bread with chemical yeast. This baked product exploits the carbon dioxide release reaction by interaction between sodium bicarbonate (another essential ingredient) and the lactic acid of buttermilk.
In the territory of Southern India and in the surrounding areas, buttermilk with the addition of water, sugar and / or salt, asafoetida and curry is a food of daily consumption.
In American cuisine, buttermilk is used in pancake making and for marinating fried chicken.
Property
Buttermilk is considered a PROBIOTIC food, therefore it is beneficial for the health of the large intestine; however, it is not clear how many bacteria are able to actually cross the acid barrier of the stomach.
Buttermilk is said to be beneficial for the skin and gastric mucosa, but its main feature is the LOW percentage of fat compared to whole milk, its curd and the whey that remains.
Furthermore, buttermilk boasts an excellent content in mineral salts (calcium, potassium and phosphorus).
Buttermilk provides about 40kcal per 100g of liquid, provided mostly by lactose (3-5g / 100g), then by proteins (just over 3g / 100g) and finally by fats (mainly saturated, less than 0.9g / 100g ). Calcium reaches and can exceed 100mg / 100g.
Ultimately, the nutritional composition of buttermilk is very similar to that of low-fat milk, with 91-92% water, 3-3.4% proteins, 0.1-0.5% fats, 0.7% salts, lactose and lactic acid in different proportions depending on whether or not (and in what quantity) acidification (of the milk cream or of the buttermilk itself) has already occurred.
We remind you that buttermilk is not indicated in the diet of lactose intolerant subjects.
Milk, Dairy Products and Cheeses Asiago Brie Burrata Caciocavallo Rennet Camembert Cheddar Milk Cream Crescenza Emmental Feta Milk Flakes Fontina Herbal Cheeses Lean Cheeses Cheeses rich in calcium Gorgonzola Gouda Grana Padano Gruyere Kéfalair Adapted milk Artificial milk Condensed milk Asphyxiated milk Goat's milk Sheep's milk Rice milk Soy milk Powdered milk and concentrated milk Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk Lactose-free milk Milk Vegetable milk Dairy products Lerdammer Mascarpone Montasio Buffalo mozzarella Mozzarella Whipped cream Cooking cream Fresh cream Parmigiano Reggiano Pecorino Philadelphia Primo Sale Provolone Ricotta Robiola Roquefort Scamorza Sottilette Squacquerone Taleggio Tomino Yogurt OTHER ARTICLES MILK AND DERIVATIVES Categories Alcoholic foods Meat Cereals and derivatives Sweeteners Sweets Offal Fruit Dried fruit Milk and derivatives Legumes Oils and fats Fish and fishery products Cold cuts S pezie Vegetables Health recipes Appetizers Bread, Pizza and Brioche First courses Second courses Vegetables and Salads Sweets and Desserts Ice creams and sorbets Syrups, liqueurs and grappa Basic preparations ---- In the kitchen with leftovers Carnival recipes Christmas recipes Light diet recipes Women's Day, Mum, Dad Recipes Functional Recipes International Recipes Easter Recipes Recipes for Celiacs Recipes for Diabetics Recipes for Holidays Recipes for Valentine's Day Recipes for Vegetarians Protein Recipes Regional Recipes Vegan Recipes
