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What is Kefir and How Do I Make It? {Step by Step}

Name: What is Kefir and How Do I Make It?
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 tsp milk kefir grains; 2 cups cow's milk

Ellen Christian

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Last Updated on December 22, 2022 by Ellen Christian

If you have ever asked yourself “What is kefir and how do I make it?”, read on. A few months ago when I was shopping at the food coop, I discovered something new.

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Table of Contents

What is Kefir

In with all of the yogurt and dairy products was a bottled drink called kefir. Kefir is a fermented milk drink made with kefir “grains” that has its origins in the north Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe.

Since I have always loved yogurt, I decided to try kefir and see how I’d like it. Four months later, I am absolutely in love and enjoy a small glass each night.

One of the benefits of drinking kefir is that it is loaded with probiotic organisms. Probiotics do wonderful things for your health and especially your digestive system.

Since I’m on a quest to learn to make more of the things that we eat from scratch, I started wondering if I could actually make kefir myself.

After all, I make yogurt. At one point in our history, we made everything that we eat so it should be possible to make kefir as well. Right?

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There are two different types of kefir. There is a water kefir and a milk kefir. Since the kefir I enjoy drinking is milk based, that is the one I am focusing on. I may try the other one in the future.

Both types of kefir are started from grains but each type of grain is different. You need to make sure that you are starting with milk kefir grains.

What are kefir grains?

Milk kefir grains can be used with cow’s milk, goat’s milk or coconut milk. Since I have access to raw organic cow’s milk from a local farm, that’s what I am using.

You can use traditional milk from the store but PLEASE choose something organic and non-GMO. Kefir “grains” aren’t actually any type of grain at all, they are a combination of yeast and bacteria living happily together.

They are totally gluten and grain free. There are also powdered kefir cultures available but I have not tried using those.

Kefir grains can be used over and over again. Once you have your grains, if you care for them properly, you will be able to make a continuous supply of kefir.

What is Kefir and How to Make it

This is the process I followed for cow’s milk based kefir. Once you have extra kefir, you can use it to make ice cream, cheese, smoothies, frosting and many other dairy based products.

Have you ever tried kefir? Would you like to try making it yourself? Once you have, try serving it over this Downton Abbey Breakfast Porridge recipe.

Banana ice smoothie

Yield: 1

What is Kefir and How Do I Make It?

If you have ever asked yourself "What is kefir and how do I make it?", read on. A few months ago when I was shopping at the food coop, I discovered something new.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 tsp milk kefir grains
2 cups cow's milk

Instructions

Place the milk kefir grains in a Mason jar with two cups of cow's milk. Raw or pasteurized is fine. Put the top on.
Leave on your counter for at least 18 hours and up to 48 hours.
Make sure that the room is between 67F to 80F in temperature.
After 18 hours check the consistency of the kefir. I enjoy it when it is not as thick as yogurt but not as thin as milk.
When it is the consistency you like, drain the grains out of the milk using a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
You can drink the kefir as is or use it as a base for a smoothie.
Return the grains back into new milk on the counter. The approximate ratio is 1 tsp of grains per 1 cup of milk.
The kefir grains will grow each time you use them so you'll eventually have some to share.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 124Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 8g