Go Back
Print

How To Dehydrate Kefir Grains

You might wonder why'd you want to learn how to dehydrate kefir grains. For one, if you want to ship them. But two, and much more personally practical, you should dehydrate grains as backup cultures for the future. Perhaps your raw milk source dries up and you need to save grains for when milk is in season again.
Course Cultured
Author Wardee Harmon

Instructions

  1. Rinse the grains thoroughly with good water: well water or mineral-rich spring water.
  2. Don't use chlorinated city water.
  3. Water from a filter is okay, even though it strips out minerals; as minerals are not so much of a concern for making the grains dormant.
  4. Lay out to drip off on a clean towel or paper towel.
  5. Lay the grains on a piece of unbleached parchment paper, cover with a loose paper towel (to keep dust off), and dry at room temperature until they are hard and yellowish.

  6. Or use an Excalibur dehydrator at the lowest temperature. The ParaFlexx sheets will work, too.

  7. I chose to use parchment paper because I knew it was sterile.

  8. Turn the dial to where it barely turns on. According to Julie, this is the perfect temperature.

  9. Drying time will be 3 to 5 days for the largest grains; smaller grains will be done sooner.
  10. Store in cool storage, the refrigerator, or freezer when dry.