Milk kefir with kefir grains — tangy drinkable probiotic
4
Units:
Prep: 5 min
Ingredients
- 2 cup whole milk (cow, goat, or sheep)
- 1½ tbsp active milk kefir grains
A thin, drinkable probiotic yogurt made by adding milk kefir grains to any milk and letting it ferment at room temperature for a day. Kefir grains contain over 50 species of bacteria and yeast — far more diverse than yogurt — and are reusable indefinitely.
Instructions
- Add grains: Place kefir grains in a clean glass jar.
- Add milk: Pour cold milk over the grains.
- Cover loosely: Cover with a cloth or rest a lid on top without sealing. Kefir grains need airflow.
- Ferment: Leave at room temperature (68-75°F) for 24 hr.
- Strain: Pour through a plastic or nylon mesh strainer into a clean jar to separate the grains from the kefir.
- Next batch: Return grains to the original jar with fresh milk to start the next batch immediately.
- Chill: Refrigerate the strained kefir before drinking.
Tips
- Grains grow over time — share extras with friends or eat them (they are edible and nutritious).
- Whole milk produces the creamiest kefir; skim works but is thinner.
- 24 hr at 70°F = mild kefir; 48 hr or warmer = sharper, tangier kefir.
- Never use metal strainers or utensils with kefir grains — only plastic, nylon, wood, or silicone.
Created: 3/23/2026, 2:43:40 AM diytraditional
Glass jar (1 pt), plastic or nylon mesh strainer, cloth cover