Clabber: Sour Milk

[Legion Para]

In 2016 few Americans are probably familiar with the term 'Clabber' and the many uses of sour milk.

 

[Legion Para]

Here is a great article on Clabber and how to use it in cooking.


20 WAYS TO USE SOUR RAW MILK

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/05/20-ways-to-use-sour-raw-milk.html

 

[Legion Para]

Some additional non cooking uses of sour milk.

--Soak dull looking silverware in it for at least 30 minutes and then rinse for a beautiful shine.

--Use it as a conditioner for your hair.

--Repair fine cracks in your china by boiling them in the soured raw milk (the milk reacts with a chemical in the china to seal the crack). I've never done this myself but it supposedly works.

--Use ice cold to sooth the discomfort of poison ivy.

--Dab some on mild sunburn for instant, cooling relief.

--Rub dry skin patches with it several times a day to make skin soft again.

 

[nc native]

I've never tried this product out but some of the older generation have mentioned eating
and using this product before where I live. My wife's father mentioned his parents would
have Clabber for breakfast sometimes. I don't have the stomach for Clabber, the smell of
sour milk is enough to tell me I'm not going to like it. I'll stick to chitlins and hog brains
in my scrambled eggs.

 

[MissREP]

My chickens are pretty fond of clabber...

 

[Northern Light]

It is illegal to sell or give away raw milk where I live. I don't have a cow so I guess I am SOL.

 

[James B White]

It is illegal to sell or give away raw milk where I live. I don't have a cow so I guess I am SOL.

Raw milk generally has enough extra lactic acid bacteria to outcompete other bacteria and cause souring rather than spoiling. Pasteurizing kills most of all the bacteria and any could win the competition, including harmful ones.

The way to get around it is to add a lactic acid bacteria starter culture, available from cheesemaking supply places. It's not cheap, especially if you have to add shipping. The other way is as the Wikipedia article above says, add buttermilk that has live active cultures. I've not tried the buttermilk way, but have used mesophilic cheesemaking culture and it works well, souring faster or slower the more or less you add.

If you want to go all the way... I tried this to duplicate period milk for reenactments and it did the job: inoculate fat-free milk with a starter and pour in a small carton of cream. It can be kept at cool room temperature (or warm but it won't last as long). The cream will rise and the milk will slowly sour, so the cream can be skimmed off for use, the milk drunk sweet, then used for baking after it sours in a couple days.

 

[Northern Light]

Raw milk generally has enough extra lactic acid bacteria to outcompete other bacteria and cause souring rather than spoiling. Pasteurizing kills most of all the bacteria and any could win the competition, including harmful ones.

The way to get around it is to add a lactic acid bacteria starter culture, available from cheesemaking supply places. It's not cheap, especially if you have to add shipping. The other way is as the Wikipedia article above says, add buttermilk that has live active cultures. I've not tried the buttermilk way, but have used mesophilic cheesemaking culture and it works well, souring faster or slower the more or less you add.

If you want to go all the way... I tried this to duplicate period milk for reenactments and it did the job: inoculate fat-free milk with a starter and pour in a small carton of cream. It can be kept at cool room temperature (or warm but it won't last as long). The cream will rise and the milk will slowly sour, so the cream can be skimmed off for use, the milk drunk sweet, then used for baking after it sours in a couple days.

Wow! This is interesting. I'll have to try it! Thanks, James B.!

 

[donna]

Interesting thread on clabbered or sour milk.

 

[donna]

Thread on sour milk.