Instant Pot Kefir Recipes

HOMEMADE INSTANT POT VEGAN KEFIR

Steps:

• Add starter to bottom of Instant Pot inner pot. Add soy milk and stir until dissolved. Cook in Instant Pot on Yogurt setting for 15 hours. Make sure vent is set to venting so that moisture doesn't build up inside.
• To make a kefir smoothie, add 12 oz of kefir, the raspberries, hemp seeds, almond butter, banana and blend in blender.

INSTANT POT YOGURT

Steps:

• Pour the milk in a 6-quart Instant Pot® and put on yogurt setting. Press the adjust setting to boil (see Cook's Note). Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. After the boil cycle is complete follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid.
• Stir the milk and check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer. The milk must reach a temperature of at least 180 degrees F. If the milk is not yet hot enough, repeat the boil cycle until the milk comes up to the correct temperature.
• Remove the pot insert and allow the milk to cool until it reaches a temperature of 110 to 115 degrees F. (To speed up this process, place pot in an ice water bath and stir, being careful not to get any water into the milk.) Place 1/2 cup of the milk in a small bowl and stir in the store-bought yogurt until combined. Stir the yogurt mixture back into the milk mixture in the pot.
• Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Put on the yogurt setting and set the time for 9 to 12 hours (9 for a looser, milder yogurt and 12 for a thicker, tarter yogurt).
• Remove the lid (there will be no pressure, so no pressure release is required). Carefully remove the yogurt and transfer to resealable containers.
• Refrigerate until completely chilled and set, about 4 hours.

KEFIR YOGURT (SANA)

Steps:

• Preheat a yogurt maker or slow cooker on Low.
• Whisk milk and dry milk powder together in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, about 4 minutes. Cool milk to lukewarm (100 to 110 degrees F/38 to 45 degrees C).
• Gently stir kefir into milk mixture until just blended. Pour mixture into yogurt containers or slow cooker. Cook on Low
• Cook on Low until desired level of tartness and yogurt consistency is reached, 4 to 10 hours. Chill yogurt in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours.

INSTANT POT KEFIR

Steps:

• Remove the sealing ring and thoroughly wash the sealing ring, inner pot and the lid with very hot water, and put the sealing ring back on. This is a cultured product so it is important that everything is clean.
• Add 1-4 quarts of milk to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
• If you have decided to boil the milk first, place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock. Check that the valve is in the sealed position. Select the "yogurt" setting and adjust it to "high" where the display reads "Boil". When the program has finished press cancel until it reads off.
• Release the valve, open the pot and remove the inner pot.
• Cover the pot with plastic wrap and allow the temperature of the milk to drop. Allow the temperature to drop to 70 degrees F before adding the starter culture. This could take a while, but you could place the bowl on ice to speed it up.
• Remove the plastic wrap, add the starter culture and whisk it in for a few seconds.
• Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock. The valve can be in either the sealed or unsealed position. Select the "yogurt" setting. The kefir starter culture is mesophilic, so change the setting to "low" and the time to 24 hours and push start.
• Check the thickness of the kefir a few hours before the time when it's supposed to be ready, since the time required can vary. When it has thickened and pulls away from the side of the bowl, transfer it to a glass container and store it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for 2-3 weeks.
• The kefir can also be strained using a fine mesh strainer to remove some of the water (whey) which will make it thicker.

HOMEMADE KEFIR

Steps:

• Put kefir in glass jar and fill almost full with the whole milk (organic, non-pasteurized is preferable).
• Cover with a clean cloth and place on the counter.
• Wait 1 to 2 days, stirring periodically with a PLASTIC spoon (not metal).
• When thick, strain out the kefir grains with a plastic strainer. Don't smash the grains.
• Place grains in a clean jar and repeat.
• You can cut down the tang of the kefir by '2nd fermenting': After removing grains, put 1-2 slices of lemon or lime peel or a vanilla bean back in the jar with the kefir. Cover and let sit on counter another day. After removing the peel/bean, taste the kefir. If it is to your liking, then cover with a plastic lid and put in fridge until ready to drink. If not, let sit a little longer with the peel/bean.
• NOTE: If you run out of milk or will be out of town, place grains in a glass jar and cover with milk. Put a lid on jar and keep in fridge until ready to use again (they should be okay for a week or two, but will need fresh milk to feed on then.).