What is whey?

Jesse Rosado

Buttermilk calls in many recipes, but can easily be confused with milk. Here is a brief explanation of what is buttermilk and how used.See Transcript

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Transcript: What is whey?

Hello! This is Jesse Rosado for About.com, and today we are about what is talking buttermilk with a little help from the kitchen area of the house from About.com.

Definition of buttermilk

So what is the whey, and how is it? Whey is a residual liquid left over when done churning. And thus ended the "whey". Some people believe that whey butter in it, and is rich in fat and calories, but that's not true. Buttermilk has fewer calories and less fat than whole milk or cream. Sometimes you will see small yellow spots and discolorations on the whey. But that's just a bit of butter, which was not skimmed off. Buttermilk is slightly thicker than the milk, but not so thick as cream. And some people are surprised to discover that a liter of milk is needed to make just one liter of buttermilk.

An alternative way to produce buttermilk

Most Buttermilk nowadays no by-product of butter. Take normal milk, and add lactic acid and let stand for 12 to 14 hours. This comes as buttermilk. The acid is also what it is that the spicy acidity. Due to its acidity, the whey is easy to maintain. Stores up to two weeks, and sometimes can be used in baked goods after the expiry date, because it keeps well. It is also recommended that do not freeze because when they thaw, separate serum.

Ways to use buttermilk

Many recipes call for ingredients like fresh blueberries or nuts also call for buttermilk. This is because it prevents a chemical reaction that could cause a dull blue or gray baked product. Butter helps brown bakery products, and also contributes to the texture. Butter milk is sometimes recommended for people with digestive problems, as the whey is actually easier to digest than regular milk. There are many uses for whey! People use it in pancakes; times, dredge the meat in buttermilk and flour into a paste - think fried chicken. Bakeries use a lot of whey - think butter cookies!

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