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What is Quark?
Quark is a thick, soured, high-protein dairy curd that resembles French fromage blanc. This recipe is my kefir version of it but also check out my Super Quark (L. Reuteri Style) and see which you prefer. I used to make it kefir style more often, but lately, I’ve been opting for the L. Reuteri way. But I still love both of these probiotic Quarks, not only for their creamy texture but because they bring three metabolic weapons in one serving. Perhaps you are not yet a L. Reuteri yogurt maker, but you are a kefir maker. It makes sense then to start with the kefir version.
- Quark is “super” rich in a slow-digesting protein called casein that keeps amino acids on drip into your bloodstream for hours. This is fantastic for lowering blood sugar and feeding muscles over longer periods of not eating… such as the late evening and sleep hours. It is also a great option when you’re ready for something more substantial, such as taking TH ESSENTIAL after a workout. This keeps muscles fueled and happy for longer.
- Due to this very slow digestion of casein, it is also “super” satiating and keeps the snacking monster at bay for hours.
- Last but not least, “super” quality is its incredible probiotic benefits. This version of Quark is fermented with kefir grains, which means it nests all those super-healing strains into your gut with every yummy indulgence.
Why I Started Making Quark
I make lots of tasty treats like dips, etc., out of Super Quark these days, but the main reason I started making it is because I get hungry around 9:30 at night, especially on my heavier training session days. I needed something to eat before bed that would be highly fueling for my lean body mass but would be extremely FP. Oh, and it had to be creamy… because I love that! I can’t sleep as well when I go to bed hungry, and I also love another protein-fueling opportunity to get in before I sleep, especially one that is designed to thwart any breaking down of precious muscle tissue while I sleep. Super rich is “super” rich in calcium, too, which helps the brain turn tryptophan into the sleep hormone melatonin.
I’m not suggesting you do like I do and eat right before bed if you are not already in the habit of it. If you have not yet built back your CLBM, that may not be a good idea for your particular body. My CLBM is robust, however, so I need another fueling before sleep. On the other hand,… you can also look at it this way… even if you don’t have fully adequate CLBM, yet you find yourself snacking in the late evening… Super Quark is likely a far smarter option for your body in the evening than whatever else you may be snacking on. A ½ – 1 cup serving in the form of my Tricked Out Super Quark recipe could do your body amazingly good and perhaps help you reach your healthiest weight and body composition.
I don’t always have Super Quark made and ready for my late evenings, so for ease, I sometimes buy organic grass-fed casein protein powder to chug down before bed, but it is nowhere near as yummy, and it doesn’t have any probiotic benefits as my Quark does. Typically, I use raw, full-fat milk for my kefir from my farm animals, but for Super Quark… I do things differently and only use lean milk. Using 1% milk to make this strained casein treat keeps protein the majority of the fuel value and the calories low for a nighttime snack.
Of course… after all my words about having it before bed… there are many other times in the day you can eat it. It makes a great snack or protein addition to any meal. It is also great for those who take a no-special-ingredients approach and who don’t want to use powders to up their protein intake.
Note – I ferment a whole gallon of kefir at one time for this Quark and divide it into two double quart-sized jars. It takes quite a bit of milk to get enough of the end strained, high protein result. Both jars get fermented at the same time, then one of them gets to drain first while the other waits in the fridge for its turn. You’ll need a minimum of 2 Tbs kefir grains to ferment each double quart… I use even more grains than that.
Another Note – The powder options I give are to help the kefir separate into curds and whey more effectively. The most budget-friendly option out of the two powders is inulin powder, but I also love using Prebio Plus, found on our website. If these options are not available to you or you are really scrimping on your budget, then just leave the powder out and add a chunk of organic lemon or orange rind.
~ Serene
Super Quark ~ Kefir Style
Description
Quark is “super” rich in a slow-digesting protein called casein that keeps amino acids on drip into your bloodstream for hours. This is fantastic for lowering blood sugar and feeding muscles over longer periods of not eating… such as the late evening and sleep hours. It is also a great option when you’re ready for something more substantial, such as taking TH ESSENTIAL after a workout. This keeps muscles fueled and happy for longer. This recipe is part of the Wisdom Recipe Collection.
Kitchen Utensils Needed (see our brand recommendations HERE)
- 1 large cheesecloth
- 1 large fine mesh sieve
- Bowl with pouring spout
Ingredients
Multiple Servings
Instructions
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Once you have harvested your gallon of kefir, pour it back into your two double quart jars and stir 2 Tbs of the inulin or Prebio Plus powder into each jar (or add a hunk of lemon or orange rind to each if scrimping on a budget).
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Place a lid on each jar. Allow both jars to sit on the counter for around 8 hours or however many hours it takes for it to start majorly separating into curds and whey. Do not stir once it is ready! Allow things to stay separated; however, if you used chunks of rind in your jars, now is the time to remove those.
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Place one of the jars in the fridge to wait for its turn. Keep the other on the counter ready for Quark
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Line the sieve with a doubled-over square of cheesecloth and place it over a perfect-sized bowl or pot to catch the whey that will drip through. Carefully pour the kefir from the jar on your counter into the lined sieve, trying to keep as much of the separation intact as possible. The liquid whey should pour through first, allowing the white-colored curds to remain in the sieve. Do not stir the curds and whey in your sieve; just let it be.
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Make some room in your fridge for this ensemble and let it sit in the refrigerator to let all the whey slowly drip through. It takes about a 12 to 24-hour period for this to fully occur. If things are not going fast enough for you, after several hours, you can fold the cheesecloth over the curds and place a couple of cans over the top to weigh things down more. At the end of the straining process, if the Quark in your cheesecloth still feels a little too wet and loose for your liking (it should be thick and creamy), you may have to gather the sides of the cheesecloth and give it a gentle squeeze to help things along. Just make sure you are not squeezing actual curds through. The liquid you squeeze through should be extremely thin whey.
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Transfer this thick casein protein left in the cheesecloth into a smaller glass jar to keep in your fridge for when you want to make a muscle-nourishing, blood sugar-stabilizing, gut-healing treat (such as Tricked-out Super Quark). Pour the leftover whey in the bowl into a jar, and you can use it for other purposes, such as the Insulin-Sensitizing Mocktail.
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Now, make Quark out of the other double-quart jar of harvested, separated kefir. Take the jar out of the refrigerator, use the same bowl and the same cheesecloth (there is no need to wash it), pour the kefir into the cheesecloth, return everything to the refrigerator, and let the Quark forming begin again.
Note
More ideas for Super Quark
Aside from making it into my Tricked Out Super Quark recipe as a snack, you can substitute Super Quark for cottage cheese in our Cottage Berry Whip recipe.
*You can use it like a much more gut-healthy and metabolic-friendly version of Greek yogurt. Whip in any of your favorite optimized protein powders and sprinkle your fave yummy crunchies and treasures on top.
*Use it to stuff the Fermented Flatbread recipe, crepe style
*Simply add onion powder, black pepper, and salt to taste and get creative adding other savory additions like fresh chives or dill and make a savory dip for crunchy crudites, or try my dip recipes, Super Quark Tzatziki Dip, Super Quark Ranch Dip, and Darn Gorgeous Super Quark Dip. ~ Serene
