How to Make Milk Kefir
Learn how to make traditional milk kefir at home with just milk and kefir grains. This easy fermented drink is creamy, tangy, and beginner-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp kefir grains
- 2 cups whole milk (raw or pasteurised)
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of kefir grains to a clean glass jar, then pour in 2 cups of milk. Cover loosely (a lid or breathable cover is fine) and leave at room temperature for 12–24 hours, until the milk has thickened slightly and tastes pleasantly tangy and creamy.
- Pour the kefir through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar to separate out the grains. You can also gently lift the grains out with a wooden spoon, although this method may leave behind some of the smaller grains in the kefir.
- Store your finished kefir in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. It will keep well for 1–2 weeks, although the flavour will gradually become more tangy over time.
- Use your strained-out grains to start a new batch of kefir by placing them straight into a jar of fresh raw or pasteurised milk. If you don’t want to make another batch immediately, store the grains in a small amount of fresh milk in a closed jar in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them again.