HELP with homemade soy milk by hand

[Guest guest]

Hi Cyndi,

I can help with some of what you want to know. The milk tastes the same whether

you make it by hand or with the machine, if you make it the same way as the

machine does. Though the homemade milk is less stable to heat and fermentation

because it doesn't have any of the store-milk's carrageenan or other

stabilizers.

 

Basically you can make soy milk on the stove with two large pots, a blender or

better an immersion blender and a strainer or collander with a filter cloth. You

should definitely do that a few times to make sure you like the milk before

buying a machine.

 

Just imitate what the soy milk machine does.

 

For each one quart or liter of soy milk you want to make, use one half

cup (80 grams) dry soy beans, soaked for 5-8 hours or so. But be

careful because too much soaking of the beans can cause the milk to

curdle and separate as you cook it! Strain the soaked beans and put them in the

pot with the full amount of water (1 quart or liter per half cup beans) as well

as maybe 10% more water to be lost in cooking and straining.

 

GENTLY heat the water and the whole soaked beans to below a boil, maybe 180-190

F. Then blend them thoroughly. An immersion blender is really handy for this, if

not a slotted spoon can deliver the hot soaked beans into the blender with some

of the hot water then pour them back into the pot. Let the pot with water and

the blended beans cook for fifteen to twenty minutes or so, keeping the

temperature below a boil. Then you strain the ground bean bits (called okara)

out of the milk by pouring it through the strainer with a filter cloth into your

second pot or a large bowl. I used to use a new clean and washed, 14 " x 14 " shop

towel as a filter cloth and they did well and could be repeatedly used. The

whole processs is kind of like making coffee.

 

Adding one tablespoon of sugar (12 grams) or other sweetener and 1/2

teaspoon salt (2 grams) per quart or liter of soy milk after the milk

is made I think makes a good tasting milk. Some people add some

vanilla too. Without the salt and sweetening, I think the milk doesn't have much

of any taste at all, which maybe shows that what we taste in milk is the salt

and sugar.

 

If you google, I know you'll find tons of pages and many videos on You-tube

showing how to make soy milk. Near as I can tell everyone does it a little

differently. An easier way is to use the cold soaked beans directly in your

blender and then strain them into a single pot before cooking. This is Asian

style and makes a much more " beany " tasting milk than grinding the beans only

after they are heated. What is the beany taste? Chew up a couple of the cold,

SOAKED, whole soybeans. That's the taste. I've gotten to where I kinda like it.

 

Any questions ask.

 

Take care,

 

Slim

 

 

, " CR " <aceeross wrote:

>

> Hi,

>

> I'm looking into getting a soy milk machine...however, I have never tasted

homemade soy milk before, just store-bought. I know there is a way to make it

by hand without a machine, so I thought I would try making some to taste plain

and then add some flavorings, etc. to see if I like it before I purchase a

machine. Does anyone have a good recipe/directions for this? Or a good website

where I can find a good recipe.

>

> Also, has anyone tried both machine-made and handmade soy milk? Is it better

tasting from the machine or pretty much the same?...just so I know if I'm

getting an accurate comparison when I taste it after I make it by hand.

>

> Thanks!

> Cyndy

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks again, Slim! I think I will get to the store next week and try it out.

My sister's coming over and her daughter has a milk allergy, so I'll makes some

for her to try as well.

 

Cyndy

[Guest guest]

You're welcome Cyndy,

Write back and let us know how it goes. One thing I didn't mention about making

the milk all on your own, on the stove-top, you get to make it as thick and rich

as you want simply by using more soy beans, (or other legume) which is very

inexpensive. And you can also add in other grains like oats and rice to make

things richer and creamier. Using a half-cup of dry beans per liter of final

milk will give you a texture very close to the soymilk machines. Making the milk

with a blender is less efficient in getting the most stuffing out of the beans

vs. the soymilk maker, which grinds so fine the okara is like silt. I like the

more coarse okara 'cause you can just scoop it into a pot of rice.

 

Have fun,

 

Slim

 

 

, " CR " <aceeross wrote:

>

> Thanks again, Slim! I think I will get to the store next week and try it out.

My sister's coming over and her daughter has a milk allergy, so I'll makes some

for her to try as well.

>

> Cyndy

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cyndy,

 

I make soymilk in a blender like Slim. I soak my beans for several hours. In

warm weather they need to be in the frig so they don't sour if they are

setting out more than a couple of hours.

 

I drain them. My soymilk is made with 1 cup beans to 3 cups water. Usually I

blend the beans with part of the water and bring the rest to a boil at a

higher heat to speed up the process Then I cook over med heat, stirring

often. I bring it to a boil. If I'm not careful at this point the pot will

boil over. This is the trickiest part because if it comes to a boil when

you're not watching it will rise up in the pan fast and go over the top

making a big mess. Then I lower the heat and cook another 20 min. / as I

have an electric stove sometimes in order to prevent it continuing to boil

and going over I have to take it off the burner a for few minutes so the

heat comes down a little.

 

Then I let it cool some before straining. The okara or soy pulp I use in

granola recipes or when making seitan or other veggie type burgers I'll add

some. My favorite is a soysage with that as the base. You can also add it to

baked good recipes. I find it pretty easy to experiment with. The Farm

Cookbook is a good source of basic soy milk making and okara ideas.

 

Hope this wasn't too confusing.

 

Good luck,

 

Patt

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Patt,

Welcome to the discussion! I agree with what you say, indeed. It's important to

avoid boil-overs and be very careful when pouring and straining the hot milk. I

like to make (a lot!) of yogurt with my milk, though not usually the soymilk

nowadays, so it was helpful for me to be able to strain and handle the milk

while it was hot to avoid bacterial contamination. I'd use very thick gloves to

make a ball of the okara in the filter cloth and wring the milk out quickly,

then stir in my sugar and salt, mix in thickeners too, and cover the milk all

while it was above pasteurizing temperature, so any beasties I introduced to the

milk would be killed by the heat. I also loved making soysage with the coarse

okara I made, and I had a lot from making the milk very thick for the yogurt!

 

Glad you could join in,

 

Slim

 

 

, " Patt Akerlind " <Patt_Akerlind

wrote:

>... My soymilk is made with 1 cup beans to 3 cups water. Usually I

> blend the beans with part of the water and bring the rest to a boil at a

> higher heat to speed up the process Then I cook over med heat, stirring

> often. I bring it to a boil. If I'm not careful at this point the pot will

> boil over. This is the trickiest part because if it comes to a boil when

> you're not watching it will rise up in the pan fast and go over the top

> making a big mess. ......[!!!!]

> Good luck,

>

> Patt

>