Got Leftover Buttermilk? Freeze It!

Buttermilk makes the best biscuits and marinade for fried chicken, but it’s hard to find a container smaller than a quart. A specialty grocery store near me used to sell perfect 1-cup portions, but abruptly stopped awhile ago, much to my disappointment.

So what should you do after you’re done with that buttermilk recipe but there’s still some left in the carton? Freeze it!

Luckily, buttermilk freezes really well so you never have to throw out an half-empty expired carton again. If you have a favorite recipe that uses buttermilk, freeze the amount called for in the recipe so that it’s ready to go and you don’t have to measure it again.

If you don’t really have plans for the buttermilk in the future, freeze it in 1 tablespoon portions in ice cube trays instead. Once frozen, the cubes can be stored in a freezer bag, and since they’re already measured, you can just pull out the number of tablespoon-cubes called for in a recipe.

Thaw the cubes overnight in the refrigerator or melt them at a low power in the microwave.

Freezing will cause the solids and the whey in the buttermilk to separate. Before using in your recipe, whisk the buttermilk or run it in a blender until the solids and the whey reincorporate.

• 5 Ways to Use Leftover Buttermilk
• Food Science: What is Buttermilk?