Milk Kefir
Kefir is fermented milk with a drinkable, pourable consistency — tangier than yogurt, slightly effervescent, and packed with a wider variety of probiotic strains. It's made with kefir grains — rubbery, cauliflower-like clusters of bacteria and yeast that ferment milk at room temperature.
Yield: About 1 quart
Ingredients
- ●1 quart whole milk (any type except ultra-pasteurized)
- ●1-2 tablespoons milk kefir grains (buy online or get from a kefir-making friend — they multiply, so people share them freely)
Method
- Place the kefir grains in a clean quart jar. Pour the milk over them.
- Cover loosely with a lid or cloth. Do not seal tightly — kefir produces a small amount of CO2.
- Leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours, giving the jar a gentle swirl once or twice.
- **At 24 hours:** The kefir should be slightly thickened and tangy. If you like it mild, strain now. For a stronger, tangier kefir, let it go another 12-24 hours.
- Strain through a plastic or stainless steel mesh strainer (not fine — the grains are visible) into a clean jar. The grains stay in the strainer — they look like small, soft cauliflower pieces.
- Place the grains back in a jar with fresh milk to start the next batch. Repeat daily (or every other day in the fridge for a slower cycle).
- Drink the kefir straight, or let it sit sealed in the fridge for a day for a slightly fizzier result.
Note: Kefir grains grow and multiply. Within a few weeks, you'll have more than you need. Share them, freeze extras, or blend them into smoothies (yes, you can eat them). If you go on vacation, put the grains in fresh milk and place in the fridge. They'll go dormant and keep for 2-3 weeks. Feed them when you return — they may take a batch or two to wake up. Kefir contains more probiotic diversity than yogurt — typically 30-50 strains of bacteria and yeast vs. yogurt's 2-7.
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