You might have seen sour cream, Smetana in Russian, accompanying traditional Russian cuisine. It is also very often served with Mexican food. In this article, we will explore everything about sour cream and all the ways it is used in dishes.
Sour cream, also called sour cream or cultured cream, is a white-colored dairy product you might have often seen with soups and sauces. It has a rich, tangy flavor and a smooth, thick, and creamy texture. Sour Cream has an acidic and creamy aroma. It is a versatile ingredient and is used in a variety of dishes.
1. What is a Condiment?
To begin with, whether sour cream is a condiment, we first need to figure out what exactly fits the definition of a condiment. A condiment is an ingredient added to a dish to add a specific flavor or enhance its taste.
Typically, condiments are added in a small amount after cooking and are served separately from the dish because they are supposed to complement the dish and serve the purpose of heeding people’s taste preferences. They also bring visual and textural appeal to a dish’s appearance.
2. All about Sour Cream
2.1. Origins of Sour Cream
Sour Cream’s origins are unclear, but it is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe. Leaving fresh milk for fermentation is one of the traditional farming practices that can be tracked to Eastern Europe. More specifically, sour cream is said to have been adopted in Russia.
Interestingly, the Russians might have been influenced by ”kumis,’‘ the alcoholic drink invented by the Mongols. Mongols used mare’s milk and fermented the milk using bacteria to make this drink called ”Kumis”.
Mongols later invaded several countries as they expanded their empires, and the kumis and their knowledge spread with them. Russians did something similar, except with cow’s milk. This eventually reached the West in the mid-1900s.
2.2. How Is Sour Cream Made?
Sour Cream is obtained after fermenting high-pasteurized Cream that contains at least 18 % fat content but not less than 14.4%.
The process of making sour cream can be dissected in the following parts:
2.2.1. Choosing Cream
The Cream used for making sour cream is usually from cow’s milk but may have variants varying from goat’s milk to sheep’s milk. But dairy cream is supposed to be fresh and contain a particular amount of fat.
2.2.2. Acidification
Before proceeding with fermentation, making the Cream more acidic is important, giving it the tangy taste that this ingredient is sought after. To make the Cream acidic, the pH of the Cream is lowered by adding lactic acid bacteria. The bacteria convert lactose to lactic acid.
2.2.3. Fermentation
Once the bacteria is added, the Cream is left for fermentation at a certain temperature for several hours. The ideal temperature for fermentation is 68°F/20°C. It would require fermenting the Cream at room temperature for about a day.
The lactic acid bacteria multiply during this time. The lactic acid produced causes proteins in the Cream to denature and coagulate. It gives the Cream a thicker consistency.
2.2.4. Cooling and Storage
The fermentation process ends once we reach the desired thickness, sourness, and consistency, and the fermented Cream undergoes the process of cooling. That happens by refrigerating the Cream and storing it there.
2.3. Types of Sour Cream
Types of sour creams differ based on the amount of fat present in them. There are three types of sour creams:
2.3.1. Regular or Traditional Sour Cream
Regular or traditional sour cream comprises about 14.4 to 18 percent milk fat. It is made of light Cream. Commercially, products like gelatin and guar gum are used for this.
2.3.2. Reduced-Fat Sour Cream
Reduced-fat sour cream is made with low-fat Cream. It typically has 25 percent less fat than regular sour cream. Markets have reduced fat sour cream by up to 40 percent.
2.3.3. Non-Fat Sour Cream
Non-fat sour cream only contains 0.5 grams of milk fat per serving. Corn starch and carrageenan are used as thickening agents to stabilize the Cream, but not in all the products.
2.4. Benefits of Sour Cream
When consumed with major dishes, Sour is consumed significantly but not considerably. You must know how sour cream is beneficial to the body. We will explore the health benefits of soured cream in brief. It is a dairy product, making it a rich calcium and phosphorus source. Also, sour cream has high vitamin B12 levels, too.
But most of the significant benefits of sour cream lie in its probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that live in our stomachs. They support the process of digestion and gut health and boost immunity. However, only some sour creams contain live probiotics due to pasteurization.
Probiotic-rich foods like sour cream may reduce upper respiratory infections and help with irritable bowel syndrome. Regarding fat intake concerns, other forms of sour cream may be considered for lower calorie intake.
3. Where is Sour Cream Used?
Sour Cream is used in a variety of dishes and in different ways. We will explore a few words where it is used and look at how it is used.
3.1. Tacos and Burritos
Sour Cream is quite often seen topping tacos and burritos. The burrito sauce contains sour cream, mayonnaise, chiles, and other spices. In America, tacos are frequently accompanied by sour cream; this is usually done to combat the dish’s spiciness with the rich, tangy flavor of the sour cream.
3.2. Baked Potatoes
Once done, the tender bake and potatoes were split open to create an aperture, willed with a dollop of sour cream. The sour cream seeps into the potatoes and adds a striking, memorable element to the natural taste of the baked potatoes.
3.3. Nachos
Nachos with sour cream is a classic combination. Sour Cream is either served separately, and you can dip the nachos in it, or sour cream is drizzled on the nachos. Since nachos are often packed with spicy and hot toppings like salsa, hot sauce, and jalapeños, sour cream is a perfect combination to balance the flavor
3.4. Stroganoff
Sour Cream is an essential part of the recipe for stroganoff. The stroganoff sauce often has sour cream to complement the warm, earthy flavor of this dish of sauteed beef, onions, and mushrooms. The sauce’s creaminess brings a velvety, unique taste to this dish.
3.5. Soups
Sour Cream garners the soup, providing a thick and creamy texture. However, sour cream can serve as a base for creamy soups, such as potato soup, mushroom soup, or tomato soup.
3.6. Pierogies
Sour Cream is used in versatile ways with pierogies. It is both a dipping sauce and a topping. It is quite similar to the way it is used with nachos. Traditionally, pierogies are eaten with melted butter, sour cream, or fried onions on top of it. Pierogies’ sweet, savory filling matches the creamy, tangy taste.
3.7. Mexican Enchiladas
The Mexican Enchiladas is a popular dish with a corn tortilla rolled around a filling. It is served with a sauce. Sour Cream is usually part of this Cream. It brings a visual appeal and the ability to complement hot, spicy food.
3.8. Cakes and Desserts
Sour creams do not just go well with spicy food but also desserts; that is just how versatile they are. Sour Cream is used to add moisture to cakes so that they do not become dry. It brings a subtly different taste when added to the sweetness of the cakes. It is a great binding agent between the elements of desserts as well.
Combined with powdered sugar and vanilla extract, its tangy contrast brings life to the desserts. Therefore, it is often used in cheesecakes and coffee cakes.
3.9. Swedish Pancakes
Unlike all the dishes above, sour cream isn’t’ a condiment in Swedish pancakes. It is employed in the batter for pancakes itself. Among the key ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and baking agents, sour cream brings moisture to the batter and makes it there. This Cream also magnifies the richness of the pancakes.
4. An Overview
Sour Cream is indeed a popular condiment. In all the dishes we’ve’ explored, sour cream is often used as a dressing or a dip alongside the main dish. Its distinct, signature tangy flavor, creamy texture, thick consistency, and visual appeal make it perfect for spicy dishes and sweet desserts.
Although sour cream is also a key ingredient in dishes, it is a condiment. You might as well want to buy sour cream from nearby grocery stores and try it with many recipes.
And if you think sour cream isn’t for you, you may want to try out bad cream substitutes. Coconut cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk, kefir, or cottage cheese can be a good substitute for it.
Last Updated on by Maryam J