The Catalan TableIngredients
Servings:
4
Ingredients
Step-by-step Guide
Kefir procedure of preparation
- Sterilize the glass jars by washing them with hot water and soap, then boil them in a pot with water for 10 minutes to ensure they are completely sterilized.
- Pour the milk into a large pot and heat it over low heat until it reaches a temperature of 85 °C, stirring occasionally to prevent a film from forming on the surface.
- Allow the milk to cool until it reaches about 20-25 °C, making sure to use a kitchen thermometer for precise temperature measurement, as it is important for the fermentation process.
- Incorporate the kefir into the pot with the milk, gently mixing with a wooden spoon, and cover the pot with a clean kitchen cloth or with paper towels secured with an elastic band.
- Leave the pot at room temperature in a draft-free place for about 24 hours, until the mixture has thickened and has a slightly sour taste.
- Once the time has elapsed, strain the kefir using a fine sieve or muslin to separate the kefir grains from the liquid, reserving the grains for future use.
- Store the prepared kefir in clean, airtight jars in the refrigerator, where it will stay fresh and consumable for approximately one week.
Kefir Preparation
- The kefir must be strained daily and the milk renewed to ensure its quality and freshness. It can be strained when observing that tilting the jar reveals the dense milk (typically after 24 hours it is ready) or when the whey has separated from the rest. In any case, do not leave the kefir without renewing the milk for more than 48 hours. If you cannot perform this step before the 48 hours, rinse the kefir grains and keep them submerged in water (see the section: what to do if you're going away for a few days).
- Clean the jar containing the kefir with rested water each time you strain the kefir. This should be done while the grains are in the sieve, thus avoiding unwanted residues and bacteria, keeping the container in optimal condition.
- Once you have recovered the thickened milk, you can rinse the kefir grains that remain in the sieve with rested water. It is not necessary to do this every time, but rinse the grains with rested water at least every three changes of milk to ensure they do not accumulate old milk residues or unhealthy bacteria.
- After changing the milk, place the jar in a dark and cool location at a temperature of about 20 ºC, ideally keeping the temperature constant to ensure optimal fermentation conditions.
- If a location meeting these conditions (dark, cool, and at 20 ºC) is not available, the kefir can be stored in the refrigerator. This will slow down the acidification process, requiring more time to achieve the desired consistency, potentially taking several days. However, refrigerating it may be a good option during the summer to prevent over-fermentation.
Straining the kefir and rinsing it
- Place a fine sieve over a clean bowl. Ensure the bowl is large enough to hold all of the kefir liquid.
- Slowly pour the kefir into the sieve, making sure the liquid passes through while trapping the kefir grains on top.
- Gently rinse the kefir grains under cold running water for about 15-20 seconds to remove any milk residues, taking care not to over-stir.
We Need
- We need a large pot where we can collect the thickened milk obtained after straining the kefir.
- A strainer made of plastic or stainless steel. Avoid using aluminum strainers, as kefir is acidic and may react with aluminum, generating toxic compounds.
- A wooden spoon to gently stir the kefir and avoid damaging the grains.
- To strain the kefir, pour the mixture into a fine plastic or stainless steel strainer placed over a large container to collect the liquid part of the strained kefir.
- Use the wooden spoon to stir very gently, from bottom to top, being careful not to break the kefir grains. Continue stirring until the lumps become visible. Note: To obtain settled water, always keep two one-and-a-half-liter bottles of tap water available, uncovered. When it's necessary to clean the kefir, use one of the bottles after letting the water sit for 48 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate. However, if ever required to clean directly with tap water, it is not a major issue.
Cleaning the Pot
- Occasionally, wash the container with warm water and soap. It is important to rinse it well under the tap for at least 30 seconds to ensure no soap residue remains. Finally, give it a last rinse with settled water to ensure there are no impurities.
What to do if we will be away from home for a few days
- Rinse the nodules well with mineral water or with water that you have let stand for at least 12 hours to remove impurities.
- Thoroughly wash the container with warm water and neutral soap, then rinse it first with running water and finally with settled water to ensure no soap residue remains.
- Reintroduce the clean nodules into the clean container and fill it with mineral water until the nodules are completely covered.
- The nodules can remain submerged in water for a maximum of 12 to 15 days. After this period, they may deteriorate and die.
- If you cannot change the milk for a period of 48 hours because you've run out or for any other reason, make sure to rinse the grains and keep them submerged in water to preserve them.
- When you return the grains to milk after having been submerged in water, the first batch of kefir will be more liquid and won't have the usual consistency, but this will normalize after a couple of preparations.
Can Kefir Die
- Yes, kefir can die from excessive acidity. When the grains die, they turn yellow and hard, and are no longer suitable for fermenting milk. To prevent this, ensure the fermentation time is kept between 12 and 24 hours in a room at ambient temperature, preferably between 20°C and 25°C.
Recommendations & Tricks
- Important note: Before starting to make kefir, it is important to be aware that the process requires daily commitment, as the milk needs to be refreshed every 24 hours. This becomes a routine that, if not maintained, may lead to discarding the grains.
- Ensure you have continuous access to someone who can supply you with kefir grains, as they are not available in stores. To start, you can search in local cooking communities or online forums.
- You can use any type of milk, but to obtain a more flavorful kefir, always use the freshest and whole milk possible. Avoid using raw milk to ensure food safety.
- The container for making kefir should be glass with a wide spout for easy pouring. It must seal tightly to prevent contamination, but be sure to leave enough air space for fermentation gases to dissipate.
- The ideal jar size is such that, if divided into 10 parts, 8 parts should be occupied by the grains and milk, leaving two parts for the necessary headspace. This will facilitate movement during fermentation.