How to Make Kefir

Kefir is a type of fermented milk that may help manage blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and boost digestive health (gut health), among other benefits.

Milk kefir is full of probiotics, which aid healthy digestion. The fermenting process also changes some of the protein structures in the milk, making it easier to digest. Some people who can’t tolerate milk often do better when drinking milk kefir.

Milk kefir is a fermented dairy product similar in many ways to yogurt and buttermilk. It’s how kefir is cultured that makes it really unique — instead of heating the milk, adding a culture, and keeping it warm as you do with yogurt, all you need to make milk kefir are kefir grains.

Kefir grains are not really grains at all (gluten-free!). These “grains” are actually tiny, rubbery, knobby-looking cell structures that are home to the bacteria and yeast that ferment the kefir.

Add about a teaspoon of these kefir grains (buy here) to a cup of milk in a glass jar (buy here), cover the glass jar lightly with plastic lid, and let it sit out at room temperature for about 24 hours. If your kitchen is cool, such as winter, it may take 36 hours to ferment. During this time, the healthy bacteria and yeast in the kefir grains will ferment the milk, preventing it from spoiling while transforming it into kefir.

When done, the kefir will have thickened to the consistency of buttermilk and taste noticeably tangy, like yogurt. Tighten lid, shake jar, and strain (use strainer like this) out the grains so you can use them in the next batch. Don’t throw away your grains! The kefir is ready to drink.

Store kefir in the refrigerator in a clean glass jar with plastic lid. If you have too many grains, store the extra grains in a little milk in refrigerator. The grains grow more in each batch. Every few days, feed the grains a little fresh milk. When you get too many grains, simply give them away, give to your animals, or throw in your garden.

The kefir grains work best with whole-fat animal milk, which is to say, whole fat milk from cows, goats, and sheep. You can successfully make kefir with 2% and reduced fat milk, but if you notice that your grains are behaving sluggishly or taking longer and longer to ferment the milk, pop them back in a jar of whole milk to refresh them. You can also use raw or pasteurized milk but avoid ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk.

Enjoy Good Health!

Start out drinking 1 oz a day and add a little every few days up to 4 oz. You can also use it cook with as you would buttermilk. Make delicious meals such as pancakes, bread, and smoothies. Store your kefir in the refrigerator in an easy-to-pour glass pitcher like this one (buy here).