Make your own Smooth Soy Milk

Lately I have been playing with making Soy Milk again.
Currently the beans are 1.40 a pound and the milk costs 43 cents a gallon before sweeteners and flavorings.

 

For this batch I used soaked 75 grams of soybeans and 2 tbsp Oatmeal. 

And yes, I put white sugar in this batch.  (Yuck, that was a mistake.)

My little boy promptly told me he likes Brown Sugar the best.

So we will go back.

(I have since read that you will get less beany milk if you rub the skins off of the beans, who knows if it works.)

This particular machine has a shoot for the beans, but I prefer just tossing the ingredients into the cup.  

I have had beans get lodged in the shoot.  (The machine has a plunger to push them with.) 

But, it is a matter of preference.  I just load the filter cup and work the blade down into it.

Many machines out there tout their filter-less design as being a benefit.

Okay, I can see their angle, no messy filter to scrub.  But....

Unless you are going for a bean smoothie you'll need to filter your milk.

More about that in a second.

The question of fortifying milk comes up when you start using Soy Milk.

My solution is I soak a Calcium pill and add it to the pitcher prior to turning on the machine.

You will lose a little bit of the calcium when you filter your milk.
(I recommend you do some research about nutritional value and form your own opinions about what to add.) 

If you have a mortar and pestal you can pulverize it and likely lose less.

Now, on to filtering.

I use a Gold Coffee Filter as a second stage filter for my Soy Milk.

If you have a filter-less machine (they come with strainers) you will need to strain your milk with a metal strainer like the one holding the gold filter.  If you can find a larger gold coffee filter and set it in the opening of your pitcher you will have fewer dishes to wash.  I was working against the learning curve when I bought this one.

 

Gently scrape the sides of the gold filter until the Okara is removed.

Finally add your sweetener and flavorings.  And after your milk has cooled refrigerate it.

Adding hot milk to your refrigerator will bring the temperature down in your refrigerator and is not recommended. 

Yes, I do remember something from that food handlers class I took over 20 years ago.

On to washing the dishes...

As I said before, I think the milk needs to be filtered in two stages.  

If you buy a machine without the first stage filter thinking you will get out of washing a filter think again.

The only benefit I can see, and it is a very valid one, is the filter will not have Okara cooked onto it.

I clean the machine with a blue scrubby sponge and this D.I.Y. Cleaner.
(I use the cleaner and a shake of salt for copper bottom pots too.)

Enjoy!