HOW TO MAKE MILK KEFIR | Tips for Maintaining Kefir Grains
Vložit
- čas přidán 28. 07. 2024
- Learn how to make milk kefir in this easy tutorial and all my tips for maintaining your kefir grains. You can use kefir grains to make smoothies every day for a gut-healthy and probiotic rich breakfast or snack.
More details and instruction on the blog: theduvallhomestead.com/how-to...
Here's where I got my kefir grains: bit.ly/3MkhC6U
My 5 favorite kefir smoothie recipes FREE ebook: subscribepage.io/kefirsmoothi...
As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission off items you buy at no extra cost to you.
Quart Size Mason Jar -- amzn.to/3oOi8MR
Fine Mesh Strainer -- amzn.to/3cL2Nu8
Wooden Spoon -- amzn.to/3rrr24m
UPDATE: a reader pointed out in the video that I say not to use ultra-pasteurized milk because there is not enough bacteria for the kefir to feed off of. I misspoke here, what I MEANT to say was that ultra-pasteurized milk is stripped away from all the good bacteria for your gut. However, the kefir feeds off the lactose which does still exist in the U-P milk, so you could still use it, but I still wouldn't. Another reason is because I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the U-P milk out at room temperature, since it's lacking the bacteria to keep it safe. So, you'll want to do your own research on that. Personally I don't buy U-P milk at all for this reason because it just doesn't have the nutrients that raw milk or lightly pasteurized milk has.
Raw milk is my preferred milk for kefir. It not only tastes so much better than pasteurized, but it contains all the good bacteria and probiotics with every sip. If you don't have raw milk available to you, look for "VAT pasteurized" or "lightly pasteurized" on the label to get more health benefits. Also, goats milk is another great options!
I have spent many a day at the grocery store looking at foods that are labeled as "probiotic". I used to wonder what this meant. Why is it that you have normal milk, and then next to it you have kefir milk that has "probiotics"? Is this something that is fed to the cow? If it's so good then why isn't it in all milk?
These are all things I wondered. That's when I started doing some research into what kefir was.
I learned that bread made from sourdough uses the natural yeast in the grain to ferment it, which strips away certain components of the grain like phytic acid. These components make grain difficult to digest, which is why many people are grain intolerant today.
When I started reading similar benefits about kefir, it made a whole lot of sense. What kind of milk do we drink today? Well, for starters most milk at the grocery store is ultra-pasteurized. This means that the raw milk is boiled at a high temperature to kill any bad bacteria. The thing I found interesting is that this process also kills the good bacteria.
Adding kefir grains to your milk allows the grain to eat away at the lactose in the milk. The grains contain microorganisms called probiotics, and they multiple and grow inside milk. This helps the milk gain back some of it's good bacteria that is otherwise striped during pasteurization.
How to Make & Maintain Sourdough Starter: • HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH ...
Rustic Sourdough Bread: • HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH ...
Cheesy Sourdough Biscuits: • SOURDOUGH BISCUITS WIT...
Our Top 10 Most Used Farmhouse Essential Oils: • USING ESSENTIAL OILS A...
How We Got Started Homesteading: • How we Started Homeste...
#kefir #milkkefir #howtomakekefir #guthealthy #probiotic #milk #smoothies #kefirsmoothies #kefirmilk #kefirgrain #kefircultures #homestead #farmhouse #organic #healthy #cooking #foodie #farm #naturalliving #fromscratch #wholesome #countryliving - Jak na to + styl
Thank you so much! I purchased kefir grains from Etsy and have watched sooo many videos about Kefir. Out of all the videos I've seen, yours was the most detailed. I really appreciate it! Thanks 🙏
Well that’s so nice to hear!! Enjoy your kefir 😊
When there is a separation , kefir is over fermenterd , watery , acidic . Try to avoid thet by shortening fermentation time or lower the ambient temperature somehow . Im doing kefir for 20 years or so and I'm still experimenting , try to find ways to make kefir consistently thick , creamy. Making a good kefir all the time is very hard , there are so many factors , from weather to grain size.
Thank you for sharing!
My grains will arrive tomorrow and I am not sure which milk to use. I would love organic, but it is Ultra Pasteurized. I don't want to make frequent long trips to stores who might carry just Pasteurized ones. So, it looks like I have to decide if I want to use regular whole milk or the org. Ultra P. Milk. I also don't have Raw milk in my area. What kind of milk do you use? Thanks in advance! :)
@@ingridscott91 that’s tough! I would do a combination of both :) whatever you like best. Try to find local milk whether it’s sheep’s goat or cow milk, but if not maybe just alternate from what’s available at the store. You’ll probably find your favorite out at some point!
@@ingridscott91 Whatever you do, DON'T use ultra-pasteurized (UHT) milk. You can get satisfactory results from almost any other choice. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy.
@@RPRosen-ki2fk Thank you for your comment, it is appreciated. I made milk kefir before with regular milk and I had great success. Now I would like to use organic milk because it is a healthier choice. But all I can find in the store is the UHT organic milk. And I don't want to make frequent trips to faraway stores because of the milk I need. That is why I said that I have to choose between those two. :)
This was a great, informative video! Thanks! My friend is going to bring me some grains next time he has enough to thin it out a bit. I’m very excited to get started! Some people way over complicate it but this make it very simple.
Great, you will love them!
Thank you for your video. I live about 3 miles from Duvall. The goats’ milk I’ve been using hasn’t fermented as well as cows’ milk. Since you showed the label from your milk, I now can look for that brand. ❤
That’s so nice to hear from a local!! We don’t buy that anymore because our store stopped supplying it. But we enjoyed it while we had it :) I believe it’s Grace Harbor farms.
Kefir is so wonderful, I thought it would be so easy to get my health-loving friends into the goodness. I have had my grains since about 1998, and love your idea of getting it from your neighbors. Anyone in Zephyrhills want to start a healthful hobby?
Hope you find someone!! 😊
I am just starting to make kefir I raise dairy goats and get fresh milk daily thank you for this video was a lot of help.
Goat milk kefir sounds delicious!!
Thank you for great information. I have a new food weapon against possible ill health. Loved your video.
Same, that’s how I think of it too. Enjoy your kefir!!
Speaking of good timing! I’m ready to brew milk kefir after years of drinking regular water kefir! Thank you 😊
Haha perfect!!
Isn’t water kefir cheaper? Virtually free I’d you reuse the kefir grains?
@@MisterMister5893 but water kefir has nowhere near the number of different probiotics. With milk kefir grains, you may have 40 or 50 different species, each with a contribution to make to your health. At the cost of milk.
@@MisterMister5893 And water grains don't grow in just water... have you checked the price of sugar lately?
Your kefir is as pretty as you are. Great video. Thank you.
Great Production! Informing and pleasant to view unlike many other Kefir videos.
Haha well I’m glad you found it helpful!
Ty for saying it takes a few milk changes to develop the better grains ! Most everyone forgets and it gets very confusing in the beginning. Specially if one is going by what they see on CZcams. Also I pit on Facebook any local kefir groups or if anyone has local grains, no replies
A great video I have a question I’m putting about 3 tablespoons of kefir grains and let it sit on the counter for 24 hours about 72 to 78 temperature curds are forming on bottom of mason jar grains not rising to top. It’s like a milk like consistency on top of the curds, can you give me some advice please? I’m new to this.
Hi, I understand that Kefir shouldn´t touch any metal tools (steel, etc) so I use a wooden or plastic spoon and a plastic strainer. I put them in a glass recipient and cover with a cloth with an elastic. And I keep them in a dark and dry place (pantry). Hope this helps.
One thing that you did not mention is that Kefir along with aiding gut health also enhances your immune system and may protect against bowel cancer. We pronounce kefir differently over here in Europe which is phonetically keffeer rather than keefur I just thought I would share that with you. Best wishes
Yes I’ve heard that here too! So many great benefits to kefir…
how to make each grain bigger ... Mine has lots of small grains. I'm in Hawaii. Is it too warm here for big grains?
@@carolinekuo7715 I have had my grains since about 1998. I find the grains cluster better if I avoid stirring with the grains in the fluid. I scoop the grains out, then briskly stir or shake to dissolve the clots. If I ever do stir with the grains in, I stir slowly. I like having 2-3 medium-sized grain clumps, but that doesn't happen if I stir the grains.
I live in Florida, so I expect the temperature is similar to yours. My experience is that in warmer temperatures, I use less grain/milk and still get 1st stage fermentation done within 12-14 hours.
Paul: Yes, the immune response is clearly due to the immune system's #1 offender, the "gut", being populated with probiotics. No longer a source of the usual pathogens, the intestines no longer require so much "babysitting" from the immune system. If is freed to pursue other threats.
I have been making kefir for about 4 or 5 years now. I use quart canning jars and 12:09 make a quart of kefir every other day. I have found that after fermenting for 24hours depending on the room temperature. I prefer using a slotted serving spoon to fish out the kefir grains instead of a strainer. When the kefir is ready I first vigorously stir it ( carefully because of the glass jar) then I fish out the kefir grains and put into a clean quart jar and vigorously stir one more time before putting it into the refrigerator to thicken. Next I add milk to kefir grains and stir vigorously but carefully to clean the grains to begin the fermentation process again. I either put it in the refrigerator for a day or sit it on the counter to ferment again depending on how much kefir I have left ready to drink.
I didn’t know putting it in the fridge would thicken it! Good to know
Could you share your smoothie recipe please? It made me crave one! 😅 ~Charlotte
Yes! I am sharing several in an ebook that’s coming out soon actually :)
Hi there I've started making kefir for about a month or so and one day the grains stopped fermenting my milk... They rose to rhe top but the milk wasn't fermented... Do u know what happened? Same milk and same routine every night
Have they grown in size? Usually that means that they already fermented the milk and they are done. So they are hungry again.
I ordered some kefir grains from Etsy and I just got them. They were in small plastic bags that had a little bit of raw milk. I only have whole milk pasteurized (not ultra). Do I need to drain them first from the raw milk or can I just directly put them in my pasteurized milk?
I would rinse them under water first and then put them in your milk! Either way Just get them in the milk right away as they are probably thirsty.
@@TheDuvallHomestead When rinsing kefir grains with water, the water can't have chlorine in it. Many city water treatments use it, so tap water could kill the kefir grain. Well water is OK though.
@@RPRosen-ki2fk great point!! I never rinse mine, I just thoroughly strain them each time and don’t have a problem
I cultured my grains twice after rehydrating them but the milk smelled sour and turned curdled when strained. Was this the same for you when you started growing the grains. Am I on the right plan with them
It’s hard for me to say when I can’t see or smell the milk. The kefir smells sour when it’s done, but not the same sour as spoiled milk. And the milk does thicken up quite a bit, but it’s different than curdling
It was spoiled milk in smell as well as taste. Today it smelled like store bought kefir which is a bit cheesy in smell. I will taste it morning when it is cool to see what it like.
@@normaneudorf3251 it’s helpful to smell store bought kefir (unflavored) as a reference!
Hi, I recently started making kefir. It's been going well until the grains started to become sooo slimy and stringy and the kefir turn out sour. I've googled to see if this was normal, but now i'm sooo confused. Some articles say its a good sign and talked about kefiran or smth like that. Then other articles said its not a good thing but doesn't say how to fix it if it is fixable. What is your suggestion? am i killing my kefir grains?
If you are using a good milk to feed your kefir every day, chances are you’re not killing it. Be careful with ultra pasteurized milk as this does not work as well. Also, make sure that when you strain your kefir grains that you are using a spoon to push them up against the strainer to get any excess milk off. Sometimes the milk can build up around the grain and maybe that’s what’s happening. The milk should taste like a good sour kefir, but not like a spoiled milk. Hope that helps!
@@TheDuvallHomestead what milk am I supposed to use than if only stores sell pasteurized
@@97AshleyRose check for a label that says “pasteurized” but not “ultra-pasteurized”. If your local store only sells ultra pasteurized then I would look for a local dairy farm to find a better option for your kefir!
@@TheDuvallHomestead ok thanks
@@TheDuvallHomestead is whole milk grade A pasteurized milk good to use?
I’m currently using goat milk. The grains I started with have not grown much, it was a started kit. I’m using one cup of milk and it’s grown very little. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong? I thought I would have big curds of kefir by now, two weeks and it’s very small. Can you help me?
Does it smell like good sour kefir? I would say they are probably working just fine. It just takes time for them to grow. Try putting your kefir in a warm location like in front of the fireplace or on top of the oven. You want that nice sour kefir smell and taste. If you don’t get that after a few more weeks you may want to re-purchase grains.
How much milk do you use up in amonth? Seems like it gets expensive if making daily
I do about a quart a day for my family of 3… so almost two gallons per week. We drink smoothies every morning, so it’s cheaper than buying store bought kefir.
How do you find qood quality grains?
I got mine on Etsy!
Why do my new kefir grains look for like mushy ?
I’m new to making kefir and I’ve been told not to use metal strainers or spoons when you make it .
I noticed you’re using a metal strainer. Or is it a plastic one? What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.
I have heard this a few times but I have always used a metal strainer 😬 I do use only wooden spoons and glass jars though .
I suppose it doesn’t make much of a difference. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me.
@@Cozmo544 you’re welcome! Also, I use stainless steel. I’ve heard don’t use aluminum which makes sense.
I’m thinking of making a strainer out of a small plastic spice bottle.Drilling holes into it all around and top and bottom. Tie a string through one of the holes in the top and hang the string out of a mason jar. You could put as many grains into it as you like. Less work and not as messy.
Can you freeze the grains? Thanks
So I haven’t tried to, because if we leave for vacation or something I just keep them in the fridge. But my guess is yes, because I have also froze sourdough starter. I think for a short time they will be fine frozen but you may have to reactivate them a bit before using again. Hope that helps!
@@TheDuvallHomestead thank you
If you use Kifa in cooking does it destroy the bacteria
Yes, I believe anything over 115 degrees F will kill the good bacteria
How many litres of milk can 1 tablespoon of kefir gain make?
One tablespoon of kefir would probably make one litre of kefir!
Hi,
I'm on a ketogenic diet 3 years,
And I've been making and drinking milk kefir for two years now,
Here is a challenge, I did not find online :
how to make high fat kefir
&
how to make high fat cheese kefir ?
I would be happy if you prepare a guide on this subject,
And is it even possible ?
thank you very much
I have not tried that But it sounds good!
I use the fattest milk available in my area,
many thanks !!!
Thanks for the tutorial. I agree that our milk is over-processed today; far less beneficial than it used to be!
Right! Kefir is such a great way to get some of those probiotics back...
@@TheDuvallHomestead and also digest toxins in the milk, and turn them into usable food. They add nutrients to the system that were not present in the milk, including vitamins and amino acids. Kefiran, one of the products they synthesize, is, itself, a powerful healing substance. They effectively eliminate all sugar, provide more balanced minerals. Kefir has been shown to reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance from any lactose ingested from other foods. Every month there is a new discovery about things probiotics cure and prevent. We now know we can't live without their help, such as in synthesizing vitamin K and tryptophan. We need tryptophan, but we cannot synthesize it or get it from digestion (no matter how much turkey we eat). And we cannot synthesize or digest enough vitamin K, and until babies' probiotics are sufficiently developed, they are at risk of death from a small bruise, unless given vitamin k shots.
How do I get my grains to grow ? They r about 2 months old
They will grow on their own when fed! One thing you want to make sure to do is strain them properly. Use a wooden spon and fine mesh strainer, and really press the grains up against the strainer. You don't want any milk buildup on the grains as this will prevent them from growing properly. Other than that they should just grow! Are you leaving them out at room temp with high quality milk?
@@TheDuvallHomestead TU. I will follow your instructions
8:14 receiving grains
How many times can you use the grains?
I’ve used them every day for a few years! They don’t go bad as long as you keep feeding them
Thank you
Hi! I’m new to making kefir. Is it possible to make kefir without the grains? Can you just leave it in the counter top to ferment?
No, you need the grains. Kefir grains would be hard to make on your own. When searching for “how to make kefir grains”…. “From a scientific point of view, kefir grains are said to have formed from adding and removing milk in bottles of animal skins. The microorganisms in raw milk and those in the bottles would, eventually, have formed a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria in the form of small gelatinous grains.”
@@TheDuvallHomestead thank you for clarifying! :)
How do I start kefir from scratch instead of buying the grains? Thanks.
I don’t know, I have not seen anyone do this!
You can start kefir with milk and kefir without grains
The music!!!
can I use so delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk? Can't find raw milk where I live
Coconut milk, or any nut milk, is not actually milk and therefore has no lactose. So you cannot make kefir with it as kefir needs lactose to survive. You can use pasteurized cows milk
@@TheDuvallHomestead thanks for the info! After a thorough fermentation, how much sugar is actually left in the final kefir? I'm on the Keto diet so if I were to go with a whole milk, which has about 12g sugar in it, how much sugar will be left after the grains eat the lactose during fermentation? I need to keep the sugar as low as possible on the Keto diet.
@@electricblue73 Oh that is a really good question and I don’t know! If you find out please let me know!
Doesn't kefir eat the milk sugar? You mentioned it eats the bacteria. It makes bacteria by eating the milk sugar. That's my understanding at least.
Lactose is the sugar in milk, which the kefir grains eat, yes. I say that many times in the video but there was one time I misspoke and said that they eat the bacteria.. what I meant to say was that they are adding good bacteria back in. Not eating it. I also clarified this in the description box! 🐄
Use a plastic strainer instead of a metal one to keep your grains healthy.
These days, the metal is stainless steel. There's no reaction with stainless steel and it's fine to use :) What you need to avoid are reactive metals (as in copper, brass, zinc, iron, aluminium etc).
Thanks for very good information, why my kefir is very sour?… when I bought from supermarket it taste better 🤭
Do you leave it out on the counter? For how long?
No metal use & no cover must be use plastic or wood materials & clothing cover.
It's "khefeer" not "keyfur." And the stress is on the second syllable.
Yes I’ve heard it both ways. I think you’re right though 😉
Avoid mental spoons lids and strainers.
Surprised there's no Americans asking "where's the seasoning".
Kefir seasoning? 😂 🤔
Don't use metals that make them dead
The product kefir is pronounced "ka-feer" in English, including America, NOT "kee-fa".
It's pronounced "keh-FEER", not "KEE-fur". Its pronunciation is similar to the word "zephyr". The Arabic is کفیر
Yes I’ve heard that!
In Boston Massachusetts we call it KEE-fa
Why do my kefir grains never look like this. They are sludgy, runny. I am getting kefir, with a smooth yogurty like substance and that is the most important thing. I just can’t reach the cauliflower look that many of the videos portray.
What do you do with them in between uses? You want to make sure you’re getting the milk off of them or else it’ll form like a barrier around the grains. I strain the grains and massage them against the strainer to get the milk off. Have you tried rinsing them?
@@TheDuvallHomestead Rinsing is something I’ve never tried. I thought the grains loved milk and continue to culture with the milk love! Maybe I have contamination. I will try this. Many thanks for reply.
@@chrismacdonald.6295 they do love milk! I think it just can build up around the grain and get slimy.