Sometimes I really make my life unnecessarily complicated! For all these months, what I’ve been doing to make and strain kefir is this: Calculate my milk needs for the week; ration accordingly. Put one tablespoon kefir into 1-litre mason jar. Pour milk from the 2-litre glass jar it came in, into a 1-litre jar. Cover with paper towel. Leave out. Shake up every 8 hours or so. After 24 hours, strain through really small holes in stainless steel sieve into really small bowl. (That last part took ages, even with me actively moving it through the holes by stirring.) Start new jar. Repeat seven times per week.
After awhile I realized I didn’t really have to shake the kefir every 8 hours, nor did I have to move a batch along after 24 hours. In my cool house, I started to ignore the kefir for up to 5 days (sometimes even 7, but that seemed dodgy) at a time. I also realized I could start and end all four litres at once, rather than do them all in progression. These realizations freed up a lot of time.
But what of Dom’s instructions to simply pour kefir into a big plastic colander and walk away until it had drained itself? Indeed, this wisdom kept rising to the top of my mind.
Finally, I did it – I bought a big plastic colander. I also made a couple of other changes. Wow! Here’s what I do now:
1. When I bring my raw milk home, simply add two tablespoons of kefir grains to each two-litre jar it came in. Shake gently. Cover with paper towel.
2. Leave out for several days, then shake.
3. Leave out another day or so, until I see the rivulets down the sides of the jars, and separation.
5. Shake again.
6. Set my giant plastic colander over a giant soup pot.
7. Pour into my giant plastic colander, which holds four litres of kefir and its grains (which have now multiplied to a cup or so). Allow it to drain.
8. Pour the kefir back into the jars the milk came in.
9. Set the grains into a little glass dish with lid; refrigerate until the next batch of milk comes in 2-3 days.
Now, I feel like I’m breaking a lot of rules here, but it’s working for me. Everything is faster and easier, I’m washing way less and my kefir is just as good as with the original process.
My point, though, is not to do it just like I am. My point is more about the lesson I’ve learned again in occasionally re-evaluating what I’m doing, to see if there might be a simpler way. When we first approach GAPS, everything is this huge learning curve, and often the wisest thing to do is to follow directions exactly as laid out, for maximum results. Once we’ve got some healing under our belt, though, and understand the general concepts and goals, we can start playing a bit.
For a step-by-step guide to getting going with kefir, see the printable guide here.
I really don’t think I’m doing kefir right lol. It’s just for my boyfriend right now so I’m not trying to follow GAPS instructions for it.
To make a batch, I take out a small jar of kefir grains (about 1/4 cup?) and place them in a large 1 liter jar using wooden chopsticks. I add milk and leave on the counter 24 hours without touching. I remove the grains with chopsticks and cover them in milk in a new small jar. I leave the kefir overnight on the counter before refrigerating.
I guess now I’m wondering if I want to start having kefir, do I need to be more careful? The grains seem to be doing well, multiplying and the kefir tastes very sour and is thick.
Hi Kat,
With those steps and those results, everything sounds great to me! Thick and sour kefir with multiplying grains – Yum!
Best,
Baden
Hello Baden – Thx for the kefir info and for your most helpful book. It’s very inspiring to read of your and your son’s recovery.
I am now at the stage where I am ready to introduce yogurt on the GAPS diet. SCD and GAPS emphatically state yogurt must be fermented at temps of 38-45C (100-112F) for 24 hrs, but kefir is fermented at lower temps. So does kefir have inherently less lactose that is eliminated at it’s lower fermentation temp?
I note Dr.NCM recommends starting with yogurt as kefir can provoke more intense die-off symptoms. Can you give me an idea of how long one should stick with the yogurt before introducing kefir?
Last question – after completing the intro diet how long is it advisable to continue having 1 cup of broth/veg soup per day?
Thanks and all the very best to you!
Hi Ann,
My computer and/or ISP seem determined not to let me reply to you tonight! I had a response all completed, but it disappeared! I’ll try again…
Re: lactose content of kefir vs yogurt. Great question! I don’t know for sure, but my sense would be that it all comes down to the bacteria -and, in the case of kefir, yeasts- involved. Most yogurts rely on very specific bacteria that happen to love warmer temperatures. Most of the bacteria and yeasts involved in kefir thrive in a lower range. So long as we’re providing the temperature that the involved culture thrives in, a low-lactose product should result.
I would do yogurt for at least 4 weeks before introducing kefir. Once you’re able to consume at least 1/4 cup of yogurt per day without die-off, introduce kefir -but, just as with the yogurt, start with the amount that would be on the tip of a knife and work up very slowly. (Continue the yogurt during this period.)
Broth – For the rest of your life
Really! The broth is so chock full of minerals, etc, that it is highly beneficial to consume some daily.
All my best to you, Ann.
Baden
Dear Baden – thanks so much for clearly answering my questions, it’s a big help!
Hi Baden,
I just attended our WAPF chapter meeting yesterday, it was a demonstration on kefir making. She has been doing this for years. She had a really great tip that will completely cut the straining part out of your routine (which is the worst part, right?) What a revelation it was to me to see this…
- You put your kefir grains into a pint jar with milk (3/4 full) and make a starter!!!!!!
- Let this sit at room temp for 48 hours, shake periodically.
- When nice & thick, store in refrig until ready to make kefir.
- When ready to make kefir, remove grains from the starter & place them in a new pint jar w/milk to start a new starter. (SO much easier to fish them out of such a small qty, no straining)
- Use the starter to do your kefir!!! Put 1/3-2/3 cup starter into quart jar, fill with milk. Stir.
- Let sit for 24 hours at room temp. Shake periodically.
- Refrigerate when it’s to your liking.
I was completely amazed to see it done this way. Such a little change, but to take the whole straining out of this process… pure genius!! Hope you can use it.
Cool, Gina! (I love that I’ve met you!) I will give this a go – Thank you!
Hugs,
Baden
Dear Baden and Gina,
Most useful tips for making the kefir! Will try both and see which works best inour house.
Question??? How do I get my kids to eat the kefir plain? I used to do fruit smoothies before GAPS. Now that we are doing GAPS I am not sure if I should do the smoothy route as we are only allowing a minimal amount of fruit at this point. Do I treat this as I have with the other foods… “If you eat this then you get that.” ?
Thanks much,
Ann
Hi Ann W,
I would go with the “if you eat this then you get that” approach, yes. I really like to see kids and adults develop tastes for foods in their pure form. My 5 yo *loves* plain kefir, requests it several times a day. That’s the only way either of us drinks it. He has no expectation that it will be sweetened or flavoured, which keeps our lives simple and with a wider range of options.
All my best,
Baden
Hi Baden, can you please, explain why do we have the kefir on GAPS when on SCD it is not Legal? Thank you, Teodora
Hi Teodora,
There are a handful of things permitted on GAPS not permitted on SCD. The difference lies in what Dr Natasha has found, in her clinical studies, to be well tolerated.
For the SCD perspective on kefir, one can read here:
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/kefir.htm
GAPS allows kefir because it is found to be well-tolerated by most. However, as with every single food listed for SCD or GAPS, use of a food is ultimately determined by one’s personal tolerance. So, if kefir is tolerated, you can use it on GAPS and if it’s not, you wouldn’t, at least until further healing is established. (Doing a secondary ferment can increase tolerance.)
Best,
Baden
Thank you Baden for the explanation!
Teodora
I’ve just bought my dehydrated Kefir grains 6 days ago. I’ve been putting in fresh raw milk every 24 hours. The milk has been coagulating for about 5 days now (it started on the second day of rehydrating). The taste is yeasty/sour and it appears to be slightly more runny than raw milk yogurt. Does this sound correct? Is it safe/GAPS legal to start eating? I notice here that shaking is mentioned, but in my kefir grains instructions, shaking was never mentioned. Is this an important step that I’ve been skipping?
Thank you
Hi criabenson,
Sounds right on track! Please start consuming, at one teaspoon and working up slowly.
The shaking (mixing) helps create a thicker consistency throughout, but these days I ignore mine for days and accept more liquid, runny product, which is fine too.
All my best,
Baden