Name: Homemade Kefir
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 24 h
Total time: 24 h 5 min
Ingredients: half gallon whole milk; 1 Tablespoon milk kefir grains

Homemade Kefir

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5 from 1 review

Creamy, tangy and packed with probiotics, homemade kefir is amazing. It's so simple to make and can be enjoyed as a drink or used in countless recipes.

Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 24 hours
Total Time: 24 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 1/2 gallon 1x

Ingredients

Scale

half gallon whole milk
1 Tablespoon milk kefir grains

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Instructions

1. First, pour your milk into a clean glass jar. I use a half gallon size.
2. Then, add the kefir grains to the milk and mix to combine. I like to add the kefir to a small cup and mix it up separately with some of the milk and then pour it into the jar with the rest of the milk. It's easier to mix it better this way.
3. Cover the jar. I use a vented lid that is great for kefir or sourdough starter. You can use a paper towel, a thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth and put a rubber band over it to keep it in place. You want the kefir to be open to air.
4. Strain the kefir through a fine mesh strainer (non metal) or a nut milk bag. Remove all the kefir grains and store in the refrigerator or start a new batch of kefir.
5. Leave the mixture at room temperature for 24-48 hours. The kefir grains will ferment the milk. The milk will get thicker and set, similar to yogurt and you can see curds and whey separating.The time will depend on how cold your milk was to begin with and also the temperature of your house. The warmer your house, the faster the kefir will be ready.
6. Transfer the kefir to a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. Store the ready kefir in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Notes

Use Kefir Instead of Buttermilk

I use kefir interchangeably with buttermilk. I use it in buttermilk pancakes, biscuits, scones, waffles, dressings and so much more.

Make Flavored Kefir

Some of our favorite flavors:

Any collection of berries - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.
Peaches, apricots, nectarines, mango, pineapple.
Strawberry Banana
Banana Peach

Storing Kefir Grains

You can immediately use the kefir grains and add it to more fresh milk to make your next batch of kefir, or store the kefir grains in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you're ready to make more kefir, up to several weeks.

For longer storage, store the kefir grains in the freezer. The kefir grains will multiply, so you can share them with friends and family.

Find it online: https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/recipes/miscellaneous/beverages/homemade-kefir/