Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Kefir grains do not like stainless steel for some reason (or any other metal). Use a plastic strainer. Rose Re: Kefir Thanks rose! Okay one more question I heard somewhere in the back of my head your suppose to use a certain strainer for straining them is that true? If so what should I use? I use to do this you would think I could remember, but Nooooooooo! Brittanyrose marie belforti <todo2usadatanet (DOT) net> wrote: You did fine Brittany. Just to cover it is the best way to start with kefir grains. Do that a few more times after you strain them, and then you can get them going with a little bit more milk. Doms kefir site says that ideally the ration of milk to kefir grains should be 7 to 1. But I would start just as you are at first, going real slow to get the kefir introduced to your kitchen. Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Brittany, grains to milk ratio also depends on climate.. however, 1:10-30 should be fine. In fact, I use one spoon of grain each liter of milk (1:30). Another thing: it's best if you use a plastic or a stainless strainer, NOT a metallic one. You can find all the info you need here: http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#milkvolume how to strain: http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#straining on metal objects and kefir: http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html#*Note nna Pisa, Italy Check my ***NEW*** Blog: http://a-fat-chance.blogspot.com ---------- " Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have. " - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 When you say stainless you mean stainless steel right? Now isn't that a metal? It is very hard to find a plastic strainer one small enough so the grains don't fall through. I do have a stainless steel strainer, and have been using that. Just out of curiousity why doesn't the kefir not like metal? I really missed kefir because I tell you it makes me sleep like a baby don't know why and don't care just glad it does! Thanks BrittanyRo' wrote: Brittany,grains to milk ratio also depends on climate..however, 1:10-30 should be fine. In fact, I use onespoon of grain each liter of milk (1:30).Another thing: it's best if you use a plastic or astainless strainer, NOT a metallic one.You can find all the info you need here:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#milkvolumehow to strain:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#strainingon metal objects and kefir:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html#*NotennaPisa, ItalyCheck my ***NEW*** Blog: http://a-fat-chance.blogspot.com ----------"Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have."- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Rose, That is so interesting. I wonder now...I tried to make the banana bread recipe from the Nourishing Traditions book. I used mostly kefir to soak the kamut and I did so in a stainless steel bowl. Would this have had an effect on how the bread turned out? This was my first attempt at any of the recipes in the book and it isn't going over very well in my house... Kathy Re: Kefir Kefir grains do not like stainless steel for some reason (or any other metal). Use a plastic strainer. Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Kefir has been enormously beneficial to my health and to my son-in-law. I wish I could get my wife and all our kids to enjoy it like he and I do. I've experimented with it in many ways of making and straining and here's what I've come up with... Time to make it has everything to do with ambient temperature and quantity of milk that the grains are put in. Below 70F, slower fermentation; above 80F, much faster. Little milk, fast, lot of milk, slow. I like slowed brewed kefir so I use a small amount of grains and a lot of milk. I'm talking 3 days of fermentation before whey separation. You can't mess up grains by overfeeding them, which is what you're doing by putting them in a lot of milk, but you sure can kill them by underfeeding them. If you have a lot of grains in a little milk, the time window for grain starvation becomes critical. If you have a few grains in a lot of milk, that window is much larger. That allows you to not be so worried about when you have to strain the kefir and start a new batch. Metal kills microbes by ionization, that's why metal contact should be minimized. But plastic strainers with small holes can make kefir making a chore. I now pour mine through a stainless steel deep fryer strainer made of wires with about a 5/16 " grid. The small grains pass through and the big ones stay. That's fine with me because the other way yielded too many grains to save. I was staying up to my ears in extra kefir grains by using a plastic strainer. The total contact time with metal for my grains is about 5 seconds; it doesn't hurt them, especially when they get get fed well for the next three days. I blend my kefir after straining, so the small grains get blended in; it just makes for more probiotics for me. Daddybob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 I don't know where you are located, I am in the states, but, I found my plastic strainer at Target. The grains are so big that they do not go through the holes. I have also been told that you can find them at Asian markets too! Taaron -------------- Original message -------------- When you say stainless you mean stainless steel right? Now isn't that a metal? It is very hard to find a plastic strainer one small enough so the grains don't fall through. I do have a stainless steel strainer, and have been using that. Just out of curiousity why doesn't the kefir not like metal? I really missed kefir because I tell you it makes me sleep like a baby don't know why and don't care just glad it does! Thanks BrittanyRo' <gionnetto> wrote: Brittany,grains to milk ratio also depends on climate..however, 1:10-30 should be fine. In fact, I use onespoon of grain each liter of milk (1:30).Another thing: it's best if you use a plastic or astainless strainer, NOT a metallic one.You can find all the info you need here:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#milkvolumehow to strain:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#strainingon metal objects and kefir:http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html#*NotennaPisa, ItalyCheck my ***NEW*** Blog: http://a-fat-chance.blogspot.com ----------"Support b acteria - they're the only culture some people have."- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Thanks daddybob and taaron that helps me out alot. I will just continue using my stainless steel strainer. I used it before, and to my knowledge had no problems. Thanks Brittanyransley wrote: Kefir has been enormously beneficial to my health and to my son-in-law. Iwish I could get my wife and all our kids to enjoy it like he and I do.I've experimented with it in many ways of making and straining and here'swhat I've come up with...Time to make it has everything to do with ambient temperature and quantityof milk that the grains are put in. Below 70F, slower fermentation; above80F, much faster. Little milk, fast, lot of milk, slow. I like slowed brewedkefir so I use a small amount of grains and a lot of milk. I'm talking 3days of fermentation before whey separation. You can't mess up grains byoverfeeding them, which is what you're doing by putting them in a lot ofmilk, but you sure can kill them by underfeeding them. If you have a lot ofgrains in a little milk, the time window for grain starvation becomescritical. If you have a few grains in a lot of milk, that window is muchlarger. That allows you to not be so worried about when you have to strainthe kefir and start a new batch.Metal kills microbes by ionization, that's why metal contact should beminimized. But plastic strainers with small holes can make kefir making achore. I now pour mine through a stainless steel deep fryer strainer made ofwires with about a 5/16" grid. The small grains pass through and the bigones stay. That's fine with me because the other way yielded too many grainsto save. I was staying up to my ears in extra kefir grains by using aplastic strainer. The total contact time with metal for my grains is about 5seconds; it doesn't hurt them, especially when they get get fed well for thenext three days. I blend my kefir after straining, so the small grains get blended in; itjust makes for more probiotics for me.Daddybob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Yeah, the stuff's really hard to kill. I've done it but it takes a lot of abuse. Belinda > > > > Hi, > > Just wondering how long kefir would last in the fridge? > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 I have had some odd kefir the last few days. Lots of whey and curd. More like uncooked cottage cheese than kefir. This is cows milk. Any ideas? Debbie Chikousky Manitoba, Canada gdchik@... http://www.winnipegbeach.com/chikouskyfarms/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 I buy the commercial stuff = " Liberty " brand from Quebec. Even though it's sealed, its consistency varies according to the weather and the time of year. ============== > > I have had some odd kefir the last few days. Lots of whey and curd. More > like uncooked cottage cheese than kefir. This is cows milk. Any ideas? > Debbie Chikousky > Manitoba, Canada > gdchik@... > http://www.winnipegbeach.com/chikouskyfarms/ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 It may be 'overcooked'. That can happen when there are too many grains for the ratio of milk, or when it cultures at a faster rate than normal but you still leave it for the same amount of time. Have you tried Doms site??Sita > > I have had some odd kefir the last few days. Lots of whey and curd. More > like uncooked cottage cheese than kefir. This is cows milk. Any ideas? > Debbie Chikousky > Manitoba, Canada > gdchik@... > http://www.winnipegbeach.com/chikouskyfarms/ > Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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