Milk Kefir Recipe

Straining milk kefir through a non-metallic, fine mesh strainer.

Milk kefir is a healthy, probiotic, yogurt-like drink that can be used in smoothies, salad dressings, dips and more.

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Course: Dairy

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: quart milk kefir

Calories: 81kcal

Author: Full of Days

Ingredients

1 quart raw milk or pasteurized milk, read why we prefer raw milk here
1-2 Tbs. kefir grains or 1 pack kefir starter

Instructions

Pour 1 quart milk into a clean jar.
Add milk kefir grains. Stir gently with a non-metallic spoon and cover with a coffee filter or paper towel secured with a rubber band.
Wait 24-48 hours.
Using a non-metallic spoon or spatula, strain your milk kefir through a fine mesh strainer (must be non-metallic) into a bowl. Your kefir is now ready to enjoy or can be stored in the fridge for later.
For a thicker, milk kefir yogurt, place milk kefir into a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and allow it to strain for 6-12 hours. (This allows excess whey to drain off, giving you a thicker yogurt.)

Notes

Milk kefir, like other ferments, prefer temperatures between 68-85℉, the warmer they are, the quicker they’ll ferment. If your grains were “hibernating”, or this is your first real batch after hydrating them, it may take them slightly longer to “wake up” and get active.
For a thicker, milk kefir yogurt, place milk kefir into a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and allow it to strain for 6-12 hours. (This allows excess whey to drain off, giving you a thicker yogurt.)
It’s important to note the difference between milk kefir grains and milk kefir starter or culture. Kefir grains will continue to ferment batch after batch, whereas a starter culture will only make one batch of kefir. The following recipe uses kefir grains, if you have a kefir culture, the process will be similar, but you should reference the directions on your package for accuracy.
If 1 quart of milk kefir every 24-48 hours is too much, gift half your grains to a friend and only make 1 pint at a time.
If you need to stop making kefir for a week or more, let your grains "hibernate" in the refrigerator in a glass of milk. Don't neglect them too long without refreshing the milk (every month should do). I have successfully brought my grains back from over 6 months of hibernation with no adverse results.
What happens if you let your kefir ferment longer than 48 hours? Chances are it's just fine. However, if there is any visible mold, you will need to discard your grains and start again. Kefir left out for up to a week should be fine (this is how they extended the "shelf life" of dairy thousands of years ago!). Your kefir will be rather tart, if it's not palatable, your best bet would be to strain out your grains and start a fresh batch.

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