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How to Make Your Kefir Creamy Again
"Kefir is worth the trouble of making. Like all things virtuous, you have to struggle to gain the reward. Trust me, the rewards are many.”
Donna
In these summer months, has your kefir been fermenting faster and turning into curds and whey before you know it? In the summertime, kefir can change and many people think something is wrong with their kefir; then they throw it away which gives me complete anxiety! Don't throw it away, it's still good. Let me help you fix it. As your kefir grains grow and multiply and as the days get warmer, kefir starts fermenting really fast, and before you know it the kefir has passed the thick and creamy stage and turned into whey and curds. This does not look very appetizing and can often taste really sour.
Tips For Making Your Kefir Creamy Again
Let your kefir ferment for a shorter time and watch it closely to see when it gets thick, then strain it; or you can add more milk or fewer grains and this will help slow the fermenting down too. If your house is really warm it can be done in less than 24 hours. It can even be done in half the time, or just 16-18 hours. It just depends on the temperature. The best way to tell when it's done is to watch it and when you see little bubbles or pockets of whey forming, it's probably done. Open the jar and taste - sour or tart means it's fermented and can go in the refrigerator.
Here's more info:
If your kefir is turning out thin or has separated into whey and curds, don't freak out! I have had people tell me some things they have done to make it creamy again and these ideas work pretty well.
I have a wonderful editor in New York who became a great friend. I brought her kefir grains smuggled in my luggage when I went to New York, and she has been making kefir ever since. She sent me this message the other day when her kefir had been separating. I tried it and it worked great.
Hi Donna,
I made the best kefir I've ever made this week. After it separated I shook it up and just put it in the fridge with the grains in it overnight. I strained it the next day and it was the most creamy, thick consistency ever. Mmmm... ~ Laura
A member posted this on my Biotic Pro Membership forum and this too works great!
From Bikerkim,
I've been fermenting and following Donna for about a year now. It's so wonderful . . . changed my life. Now, on to a little secret way I found to make kefir super creamy. After separating out grains, just put the entire batch, usually 1/2 gallon, into my Vita Mixer and blend on low speed for 20 seconds. Pour back into 1/2 gallon canning jar, put on a plastic lid, and place in the fridge. Comes out super smooth and creamy. Seems the blending gets rid of the little lumps and changes the consistency to more like store-bought kefir . . . maybe they blend too? Then, before pouring out of the jar, stir with a spatula to get uniformity. Normally, the kefir will be thicker on top and thinner on the bottom. Don't bother with the second ferment anymore as this new procedure works so well. One more hint, if you see whey at the bottom of the jar when removing from the fridge, stir it versus shaking the jar. The shaking frees up CO2 in the kefir and it can spit at you when you open it. Hope this helps.
Here is another great tip. Give your kefir a prebiotic like Prebio Plus. Prebiotics are food for bacteria and they will give your kefir something to eat, which will help make your kefir creamy again. Give it a scoop of Prebio Plus (you can get it here). Shake it up, place it in the fridge, and let it do its thing. In the morning it will be creamy again!
We talked to one lady on our membership site who wanted really thick kefir (hers was turning out thin). She said that she added Larch powder, (which is a dietary supplement, similar to Prebio Plus) to her kefir, and it made it super thick. She was very happy with it.
Don't throw your kefir away if it separates into whey and curds! Use it to make a delicious smoothie. Add lots of frozen fruit for a really creamy smoothie that tastes like a shake. It can taste like ice cream with lots of frozen fruit blended in a blender. Summer kefir can be yummy kefir, even when it is fermenting faster.
Check out more tips for Summer Kefir!
Listen To My Podcast
In these summer months, has your kefir been fermenting faster and turning into curds and whey before you know it? In the summertime, kefir can change and many people think something is wrong with their kefir; then they throw it away which gives me complete anxiety! Don't throw it away, it's still good. Let me help you fix it. Check out the podcast for more info.
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