Here is how to do it. It is very easy. Line a colander with either a couple layers of good quality cheesecloth, a piece of muslin, or in my case, I use an old square flat birdseye diaper. Now, I have to confess that this diaper is at least 27 years old (blush) as it is leftover from my diapering days. But it occured to me just this morning that if I wanted to, I could buy some new ones! Yes! I am so excited! I ordered a dozen unbleached square flat birdseye diapers just this morning from HERE. I only have 2 of the old ones left, and they are rather sad looking. OK, back to the instructions. Line your colander and use about 4 clothespins to make sure your cloth stays in place. Put it all onto a large pot to drain initially, or if you don't want the whey (I usually save it) you could just set it in the sink.
Pour in your liquid kefir, let it drain for a little while, and then gather up the corners of the cloth and tie it up so it can drain, like this:
As you can see, I first drain it over a large pot, but as it progresses and the drainage calms down, I move it out of the way and hang it over a bowl.
I collect and save the whey (it has some good uses ~ future post on that.) You can see the bag gets smaller and smaller:
It takes about 48 hours. When there is almost no more whey coming out, then I take it down and open the cloth and it looks like this:
And then I scoop it into a container, put on a lid and keep it in the refrigerator. If you stir it once a week or so, it will stay very nice and keep almost indefinitely. I have a small amount left that I made 6 months ago, and it is still perfectly good!
This product is smooth and very thick and versatile. I use it in place of cream cheese and sour cream, to make dips, to spread on toast (think sourdough toast with this - oh yummy!) or crackers. Great for Hors d'oevres.
This stuff is amazing and SO easy to make!
Just this week a friend gave me some kefir grains and I made my 1st batch with some raw milk from another friend. I left it out for about 36 hours as what I thought I was looking for was some thickness to the milk. It never got thick, just grainy. And LOTS of whey! I strained it and put it in a jar in the fridge. VERY sour tasting. Might end up giving it to the chickens! The next batch I started in a quart of low heat pasteurized organic milk from our health food store. This one I only left out for 24 hours. Not very thick, (not even as thick as buttermilk) but definitely not as sour as the 1st batch! It is cooling in the fridge now and I thought about using it in some homemade ice cream. I put the kefir grains in a small amt. of milk in a jar and put it in the fridge for another batch in a couple of days. Any idea what went "wrong"?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cindy
And I couldn't imagine making cheese out of this stuff. I think it would all run out of the cheesecloth right straight!
Have you read through any of my other "chapters?" One of them has basic instructions. When I sell grains, I package up about 1/4 cup (50) grams and suggest the customer start with just enough milk to cover the grains. Cover loosely and let sit on the counter for 24 hours. Drain and repeat. After that, within 24 hours your kefir should be working good unless there is something wrong with the grains. Do google for Dom's Kefir Making site and look at his pictures and read the information. Please don't give up!
ReplyDeleteOh, and when you drain the kefir, it needs to sit at room temperature for another 24 hours, more or less and then should be refrigerated.
ReplyDeleteI have looked at all your other "chapters", but figured since the kefir grains I had been given were fresh from another gal, I never even thought to let them just sit with a bit of milk. And the 2nd batch did come out better. Also, lots of extra grains...I think more than double. Why let the drained kefir sit at room temp for another 24 hours? Won't that make it extra sour? So...should I take it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter now that I have had it in the fridge for a few hours?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cindy
Farmgirl Cyn, Here is what Dom says about it: "1 to 2 days storage in the fridge or ripened at room temperature improves flavour and increases nutritional value. Vitamins B6, B3 and B9 [folic acid] increase during storage, due to bio-synthesis of those vitamins mostly by yeasts of kefir grain organisms."
ReplyDeleteHe also says that when you either let it sit out, or put it in the fridge, you should put on a tight lid. I didn't realize that when I leave it out. Yes, it does become more sour as time goes on. If you like it after 24 hours, there is no rule against using it then. You will find that your kefir changes over time and with the seasons. When the weather turns cold here, mine sometimes gets thin and grainy like you described. I still save up the extra, and of course it sits in the fridge for quite a while until I get a gallon or so. My post said half a gallon, but that was a mistake. You can make the kefir cheese with as little or as much as you like. As it sits in the fridge it ripens and will thicken over time. Just experiment and see what you like! Best wishes to you!
I just finished reading the chapters on Kefir, and the comments between you and Farmgirl Cyn. I am still a little confused on making it. After you drain it are you drinking the liquid that drains off? Then if I am understanding everything the grains are the white stuff in your pictures, so this is what you keep adding liquid to? What if you don't have a source for whole milk is there any kind from the store that will work?
ReplyDeleteCheryl, yes, when you drain the liquid off, that is what you drink. It is best to let it sit for a while longer to let it mature, up to 24 more hours, but I don't always do that. Then add more milk to your grains. Put the lid on loosely, let it sit on the counter for another 24 hours and so it all over again. Any kind of dairy milk will work, even powdered. Of course, whole milk makes "creamier" kefir, but it is not necessary. The grains will keep growing and you'll have plenty to give away to friends or eat or whatever you like.
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