How to make your own yogurt - An illustrated guide
96Why do you want to make yogurt at home?
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Euro Cuisine Yogurt Starter Packs 2-packs
Price: $2.85
List Price: $2.85 |
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Yogourmet Freeze Dried Yogurt Starter, 1 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)
Price: $14.40
List Price: $19.14 |
This what you'll need:
- a medium-large cooler
- 2-3 glass or plastic quart-sized containers (like pitchers, empty soda bottles, etc.)
- a kitchen thermometer
- about a dozen glass or ceramic cups for the yogurt
- 1/2 gallon - 1 gallon milk (lowfat to whole; I personally haven't had much luck with nonfat)
- small container of unsweetened, unflavored yogurt with live cultures (I've had the best luck with Stonyfield Farms) - for a more consistent result, you might want to try a commercially-available starter
- (optional) powdered milk, if you want your yogurt thicker - with a good starter, this usually isn't necessary. I do not use it.
1. Heat the milk
The milk needs to be heated to about 170-180F (76-82C). This is for two reasons:
- It kills any other bacteria that might be in the milk that would compete against the bacteria that convert milk to yogurt.
- It changes the milk protein in a way that allows it to culture and firm up.
Keep stirring the milk and do not let it go past 180F. If it scorches, your yogurt will taste bad.
2. Sterilize the containers
3. Cool the milk and inoculate
Once the milk reaches 170-180F (76-82C), turn off the burner and continue to stir it as it cools. You only need to stir it for another 2-3 minutes, to prevent any of the milk from scorching at the bottom of your pot.
Once it reaches 105-110F (40-43C), mix up your plain yogurt in its container until it's liquid, and add it to the pot of warm milk. Stir it for a couple of minutes for the yogurt to dissolve well into the milk. This will spread the bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidus, and other bacteria, depending on your source) throughout the milk and allow it to start to grow.
4. Pour into containers
Pour the inoculated milk into the containers.
5. Load into cooler and put in heat sources
Put all the containers into the cooler, along with the pitchers full of hot water from the tap. The heat from those containers will keep the containers warm. The heat should be maintained and stable throughout the process, so try to avoid opening the container at all until the end of the process. The fermentation takes anywhere from 4-8 hours (about 6 is ideal).
If the cooler/kitchen was a bit cool before you put everything in, you might want to quickly take those containers out at about the 1-2 hour point and refresh with hot water. But keep the cooler closed as much as possible, to avoid letting the temperature of the yogurt containers from dropping.
Also, avoid jostling the cooler, even if you have to open it up to refresh the hot water. It needs stillness to firm up.
6. Check yogurt to see if done
After about 6-8 hours (or a bit longer, if the temperature in your cooler is below 100F/39C), the yogurt should be firm. Test by gently turning it to see if it keeps its shape.
There will be some slightly yellowish, viscous liquid on the top. This is whey. You can either pour it off, or just mix it into the yogurt when you eat it.
7. Cover and refrigerate!
Cap or cover your yogurt and put them into your refrigerator. They'll last about 2 weeks.
If you want to use one of these yogurts as a starter for your next batch, use the yogurt within 5-7 days, or else freeze some of the fresh yogurt, and let it thaw before using it to inoculate the sterilized milk.
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Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker
Price: $54.00
List Price: $145.00 |
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Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, White
Price: $40.99
List Price: $90.00 |
If you like thick, Greek yogurt, which is strained, you can use a coffee filter to strain the resulting yogurt to drain away the excess whey and leave you with a much thicker product. The longer you strain it, the more it becomes almost like sour cream in consistency.
If you don't want to use a cooler, there are a few incubators you can buy to maintain the right temperature during the fermentation process. A couple of the best are available from Amazon.
Other How-to guides
Check out my How to Geocache guide and I Ching Guide if you like this one.
Savings
- I bought a gallon of 1% milk from Berkeley Bowl for $3.70.
- The container of yogurt was $1.30.
- All of the other things I needed I already had on hand, so no cost there.
- I made the equivalent of 16 cups of yogurt (so about a cup per day through the 2-week life of what I made)
I spent $5 for 16 yogurts, coming out to:
- 32 cents per yogurt, or
- a savings of almost $16 over what I would have paid for 16 pre-prepared yogurts
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Comments
Thanks! It really does taste good, too.
great information livelonger, can i ask though if there is a bad smell from the milk during the process?.....jimmy
Bravo - great job, this is the same process I've used, although I did add the dry milk. Added extra "body" to the finished product and also boosted the protein!
Hi Jimmy, thanks. While the milk is being heated, no smell. The incubation period makes the cooler smell a bit sour, like yogurt, but once you take the finished yogurt out, cover it and refrigerate it, you just need to air out the cooler to get rid of the smell. Unless it spilled, there shouldn't be any lingering odor.
Michael - I've had to use dry milk sometimes, and I agree about the protein, although I feel like I've "cheated" a bit. ;-)
I love homemade yogurt; it reminds me of my Grandmother, who made delicious yogurt over the kitchen radiator...Regards.
Hi my name is Courtney i live in willis texas and this yogurt is the best thing that i have ever taste thanks for the great oppertunity for helping me make the best yogurt
Thanks for the recipe. Now I can make my own yogurt.
Great Hub! I've been making yogurt for my restaurant for years. What I do to keep the temperature steady is fill a huge pot of water and heat it up to 38 degrees, and then add the yogurt milk mixture into this in ziplock bags. Your method seems a lot less messy!
Thanks for the informative hub. More people should be making their own yogurt. It tastes better, and is so easy!
I've made cheese from plain yogurt, but never yogurt itself. This looks to be very good; I'll have to give it a try.
Thanks for a very clear and thorough guide. I cannot wait to start my first batch ;-)
Thanks for the recipe - looks too good not to try as soon as possible. We bought an incubator and jars at a garage sale today, so here goes....
Just bought a yogurt maker and been looking for a good recipe. Will try this one during the weekend! Will come back and share results!
I've made yoghurt before and there really is nothing better than homemade yoghurt! This is very informative, thank you! Can you really freeze the yogurt and expect it to work as a starter on future batches? That would really help me!
Yes, freezing your yogurt to use as starters in the future should work just fine, for about one year. Keep in mind that the starter should not be too many generations away from the original batch, because certain bacterial strains will slowly overpower others, reducing the diversity of cultures that created the quality of the original.
I've always wanted to try this. I have an old book from the 60s that talks about making yogurt, but it didn't give clear details. Since I keep plain yogurt in the refrigerator always, I'm gonna give this a shot. Thanks for the excellent tutorial.
one thinh you haven't mentioned is the amount of yogurt for a gallon of milk. thanks.
I also use Stonyfield Farm yogurt as my starter. This brand is rather pricey, which is what motivated me to try making my own in the first place! In order to grow the additional "probiotic" bacteria included in this brand of yogurt, I do the following: After heating the milk to 185F in the microwave (faster and easier than the stovetop), I lower the temperature to about 80F and incubate it in an oven (with only a pilot light) which is 120-125F. I've read that probiotics need to slowly increase in temperature to multiply successfully. Also, most other recipes call for a lower temperature incubation environment, but I've had more consistent results at this higher temperature. I like my yogurt thick like Stonyfield sells it, and at lower temperatures it sometimes turns out runny even with the exact same recipe. A couple of tablespoons of yogurt per quart of milk seems to work just fine, assuming it's thoroughly stirred into the milk. Perhaps I could use less, but it's not worth my trouble to find out. I always add some powdered milk to increase the consistency and flavor. I've also made yogurt using nothing but powdered milk, and that turned out fine also. One last comment: Inexpensive spring-type oven thermometers aren't always accurate, so I use a candy thermometer instead. A digital thermometer should also work well.
Very nice! We were making homemade yoghurt regularly at home in Slovenia. It's so simple. Our milk contained 3.5% to 5% of milk fat (diferent sources). We just left milk in big pottery bowl in the kitchen by night and in the morning we had very gentle and delicious drink/food. We never bothered with measuring temperature, and preparing special glasses, because our kitchen was always warm and we simply used eventual waste to feed animals, but that was on the farm. By travelling through different countries I've noticed that every sample of milk has a bit different taste, so does every sample of yoghurt. I really like many tastes from very acid to very gentle.
Thank you for reminding me on my old home and old habits.
Interesting hub! I'm a yogurt fan so this is great :) Easier than I thought
I have to try this we eat yogurt regularly.
I have a question. I just pulled out my old yogurt maker from the 70's and made 2 batches. Both batches turned out runny like kefir. The first batch was made using some yogurt w/live cultures. Since that batch turned out runny, I bought some yogurt starter, and that batch also turned out runny. Any suggestions on what I need to do to make the yogurt thicker? The last time I used my yogurt maker was about 10yrs ago and the yogurt turned out fine.
Thanks for your help and great instructions.
Diane - I'm not sure. Did you sterilize your yogurt maker with boiling water? How long did you let it incubate? Kefir tends to be a bit "clumpy" - was yours clumpy? Otherwise, I'd suggest trying a different starter, or adding some evaporated milk to the milk you use.
thanks for such a quick answer. I did sterilze the jars and i let it incubate the first time 10hrs (according to the directions on the yogurt maker). The second batch, was incubated 7hrs and when i found it runny (not clumpy - more pourable than spoonable) I let it incubate another 8hrs(while i was at work). Still no change in thickness. But one interesting thing - the longer it incubated the more "tangy" it became. Perhaps my old yogurt maker (Salton brand, i think) is dying...it is 30yrs old. I'm thinking - based on John Mc's comment, that maybe it is not keeping the temperature high enough.
I'd welcome any other thoughts you or anyone else has.
My mother in law taught me the way to make yogurt the old fashioned way. I prepare the milk mixture same way mentioned on this site (stove-top), but without adding powdered milk. The incubating method is different, I wrap the milk mixture container in thick blankets and place it on the living room carpet overnight, 10 hrs. Next morning pour out the water that's formed on top of the container and refrigerate. Always same greate taste, I love it.
you really are a great help to me
thank you
I have made yogurt several time using pwd milk. The first time it was just great but then it turned out stringy and runny. any suggestions?
I started this recipe at 10:30pm, but didn't finish until one in the morning! It takes a long time to heat up and cool down a gallon of milk... I had no idea. :) I followed all the instructions just as directed and when I woke up this morning I had great yogurt as a result. Thanks for the instructions WITH photos!
Radish: I'm not sure. Was your temperature kept at a constant warm temperature? Did you sterilize your cups? Was anything different at all the 2nd time around?
Kristen: Congratulations! I'm glad you're enjoying your yogurt. Yes, cooling off the milk can take some time. You can speed that step up by stirring constantly, or transferring to a (sterilized) glass bowl that's sitting in a larger bowl full of ice.
Why can't I use plastic container (Tupperware) to incubate yogurt ?
I'm using them, it actually become yogurt, is that why I'm having some gas after eating it ?
You should be able to use a plastic/Tupperware container. I prefer not to use plastic when I can, because of the phthlates used in them, but if that's not a concern for you, then by all means use it. It should have no effect whatsoever on the gas-producing level, although the degree to which it's cultured does if you're lactose intolerant (if that's the case, let it culture a few more hours than you've been doing so far).
Hi,I tried your instructions and found when I added the culture to the warm milk after it had cooled down , it imedeatly became curdled ? but I poured it into a thermous flask (41c)anyway and it has continued to seperate ??... any sugestions ??
I love your yogurt! Usually I have trouble with regularity, now I run like a freight train.
THanks for your comment. My yogurt is no longer stringy. It seems that scalding the milk is critical.
thanks for the great info. I've been trying and trying, I bought a yogurt maker, but it's always so runny. what happens if you heat the milk too hot? Will it kill all the good bacteria?
My wife loves Yogurt and has it every day. I guess I am going to make some yogurt now.
Very shortly I will not have time to go to bed.
Still may be the yogurt will give me stamina
IF I wanted a lightly sweet yogurt, should I add the honey (or whatever) after it's set and ready to eat? I guess I wonder if I wanted to add things to the yogurt, if it's best to add after it's done... Thanks, I can't wait to try making the yogurt at home, as I do have a degree of lactose intolerance and have been told making it at home will help with that issue.
Definitely add honey or other ingredients *after* culturing your yogurt; they can interfere with the bacteria's culturing process. And if you are lactose intolerant, then culture it as long as possible, more like 10 hours. It will be more tart, but will have less lactose (lactose=sweet -> lactic acid=sour)
I've made yogurt a lot in the past. Wrapping the container of yogurt in a towel or blanket. then leaving it in a warm room works just fine if you don't feel like going through the hassle of the cooler and water. It is a little runnier than normal yogurt, about the consistency of Wallaby brand yogurt. It is PERFECT for smoothies!
Thanks for the great recipe! I needed to do a projet on fermentation for biology and not only did you give great illustarted instructions you explained some of the processes! Thanks!
This is the best yogurt I've ever tasted!! Thanks.
Funny, I was wondering about making my own yogurt the other day. My kids eat tons of it...and for some reason they won't eat it when I buy the large tubs, and always want their own individual containers. Being on a mission to be Greener in all I do as a mommy, this really bugs me. I would love to give it a try....I will let you know how it goes! Nice pictures and directions, well done you!
thanks for this thread! What has made it so useful for me is the conversations, tips and ideas after the recipe. I've bought a commercial contraption that looks like a giant thermos. The idea is you put boiling water in the bottom and the cultured milk is kept in a closed container which sits in the bath, keeping it all at a constant temp over 8-12 hours. I've made a few batches so far but only from the pre-mixed yoghurt sachets sold by the same company so I can't wait to make my own so I know what I'm putting in it! :)
Has anyone tried setting yoghurt over fruit pulp in the bottom of the pot? A lot of gourmet yoghurts are doing it in Australia and I wouldn't mind trying it. Any thoughts?
I think it would work Dave - as long as the two layers stay completely separate. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
i'd like to get started making my own yogurt and this looks like a wonderful guide to get me going. thanks so much for taking the time to put this together. i look forward to giving this a try. :)
I make my own yogurt all the time but the last few times it has turned out tasetless and slimmy, like snot. Any suggestions on what I should do differently? Thanks
New mommy: Did you change your culture or source yogurt at all? If not, then maybe the cups need extra sterilization - I'd boil them to make sure they're a "clean slate" for your cultured milk.
What if you want to make strawberry or blueberry yogurt? How and what would I do?
Angela - Definitely do NOT put the fruit in during the fermentation process. Fruit have plenty of yeasts that will ruin the culturing. You should wait until before step 7, and add it then.
hey this sounds great!! definately a plan for the weekend!
How much milk do you use thought? 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon? Also, the yogurt you add with the cultures should be 8 oz right?? Thank you!!
It doesn't matter - I use a gallon, but you can use a half-gallon as well. The amount of yogurt you add to culture it is about 1/2 to full cup. Not too important - it's not a recipe in the standard sense, so it doesn't need to be precise.
The whey on my yogurt is thick and slimey. The yogurt tastes fine but the slime puts me off. I wash all my cups and dishes with warm soapy water. How can I get rid of the slime?.
Thanks
Mohammad - that is normal. The whey has suspended proteins in it so it is viscous. You can just pour it off before eating.
Apparently I don't know how to use this Post Comment feature. I'll try again: Can I use instant powdered milk for a thickener in th yo-making process? Can I use instant milk to make yogurt? My recipe calls for non-instant milk, but it seems to be very hard to find.
Thanks
You can definitely use instant milk (meaning dried/powdered milk, and nothing else - no sweeteners, flavorings, thickeners, etc).
This is so funny ! I like it
I recently started making my own yogurt from scratch, The taste and the quality of the finished item is far superior than shop purchased yogurt.
I have started to experiment with thicker mixtures adding Dried milk and even putting in Gelatin sheets that where pre-soaked.
My family now prefer mine to shop bought pots. I am now starting to use different milks, IE, Goats, full fat & skimmed . Its not let me down yet.
I just can not keep up with the demand the whole family now raid the fridge and consume it in minutes.
For once I am not shouting at them for eating rubbish,
Experiment ! What have you to lose (nothing)! You have every thing to gain try introducing honey into the mixing procedure it changes the finished item...FANTASTIC !!
Great comment, Patrick - thanks! I'm surprised honey doesn't disturb the culturing process, but glad you tried it because it seems to be successful.
if i want to make sweet yogurt, when should i put sugar in the milk
Mike: You could try at two different times - BEFORE heating up the milk, or AFTER the yogurt has cultured/firmed up. I think if you introduce it in between, you run the risk of contaminating it and ruining the culturing process.
I've made yogurt many times. After you heat and cool the correct amount of milk and added the starter to the cooled milk, you can put it into a Walmart yogurt maker, turn on the switch to keep it heated overnight and next morning you have your yogurt. The yogurt maker is about $25. The maker keeps it heated at the proper temperature.
Making a purchase in Berkeley Bowl means you must be in Berkeley. Yeah Bay Area!!! Thanks for the tips on making yogurt!
i always make my own yougurt at home . when i add the plain yougurt and mix all together i close the pot and cover it with a blanket about 4to6 hours to keep it warm and sometimes all night long . then i put it in the refregirator to cool down before i use it .
ZoZoZo - Oakland, actually - right next door. :)
Sabine - that's a great way to make a big pot of yogurt and save yourself some work. The large pot of yogurt probably retains heat a bit better, too.
If you did it sabine's way (in a big bowl) you could later separate the yogurt into smaller containers, freeze some- correct? are there disadvantages of doing it this way?
thkx for this so simple 'n' clear recipe you gave to all of us.
I did try my own home made yougurt,'n' it worked for sure but not as this other procedure you just let me know from now going.
To every other internaut,would i say that ,i wasn't a professional soap producer untill a got to become it when i decided to.I went to the net 'n' started making reaserches some five years back. thkx to some people like our friends on this hubs,i'm today an experienced home made soap producer. I'm selling it well too.
therefore,i would like to share this good experience with all you so that any one who likes doing his own home made product can simply try this one as well as Jimy's.
Just go to google 'n' ckeck in the reaserches motor:HOW TO MAKE UR OWN HOMEMADE SOAP
thkx
I'll then give for next time, one of my own formula as a result of personal reaserches.
bye
This is such a great website. I've been making yogurt for years and still got some helpful tips. How thoughtful of you to take the time and share your knowledge; and in such a well organized and precise way!
Thanks!
Great website! Wish I had have found it before trying my first batch. I made it in an easiyo container but didn't add the boiling water in the bottom of the large easiyo container so it didn't retain the warmth. I put the 'failed' yoghurt/milk mixture in the fridge - is there any way to reuse it to get it to culture? Heating and leaving in container overnight again.... (with hot water in the easiyo container to maintain the temp). I'm guessing if you heat it too much you'll kill all the yoghurt culture... Any help appreciated. Thanks
thanks for this page. it really did help me understand the production of yogurt. how or is it the same way one can produce yogurt in large production
Thanks it is really helpful. I will give it a try over the week end.
When making frozen yogurt, do you simply putting it into freezer after step 6, even it is still warm, or it is better to use ice cream maker?
Those who wish to discuss and share all about effective way of teaching and teaching experiences are whole heartedly welcome to this page please feel free to share because it is said sharing is much better thn selfish enjoyment.My motto is ALL FOR YOU,YOU FOR ALL.
thank u very much the receipe was absolute correct since i am from hotel industry i am really appreciated. keep it up
awesome recipe it taste great thanxs
i'll try it, i used to eat sweet yogurt.. Nice hub..
I just tried my first batch of homemade yogurt. I prefer it very creamy and not very tangy. How can I keep it from being so tangy? I only let it sit for 10 hrs.
Dana - I would let it sit for a shorter period. You might have to experiment a bit, but 6 hours is typically enough time for it to firm up enough. Anything beyond that will just make the yogurt more sour.
What jars are you using and where did you get them from? They look like the perfect thing for yogurt!
Jenny - The brownish earthenware jars are from a local yogurt company called St Benoit. The glass jars with blue lids are from a very old yogurt-making set that my parents gave me. I'm not sure where they got that from.
Sure enough, I googled "yogurt jar" and there were similar ones. I'll have to order some and then try this out!
This doesn't look that hard. I always imagined huge vats of stuff fermenting for weeks.
Wow, wouldn't have thought to try and make this! Thanks for the instructions and recipes :)
Well I started to make my own bread... now this as insoired me to make some yogat, yummy
Can you make yogurt in a glass pot?
I can't wait to try this recipe - who would have thought!! Thanks for the very detailed recipe. The photos are superb!
This has been the arabic way of making yogourt for years. You can wrap the pot in a blanket and it will stay warm.....much easier. To make spreadable cheeze, put some into a cloth bag and hang it for a day or two...depends how sour you want it....or put it in a strainer with paper towels.
congratulations
I made this last night and it worked perefctly! I used 3 tablespoons of starter yogurt to 1/2 gallon of full-fat milk. It is in the fridge being strained now. I love Fage full-fat yogurt, but, since I live in Wisconsin it seemed really silly to pay that much for a dairy product imported from Greece. Thanks for helping me to make my own!
I goofed and was making yogurt from memory (which was off!) I mixed the starter into the warm milk and put it directly into the refrigerator!! It's still liquid. What should I do? Is there any way to salvage it? I have more starter. Yikes!!
Koss: Yes, by all means.
Dena: Sure. Just reheat it to 180 degrees, let it cool to 110, and add the starter you have left. Then keep it warm for 6-8 hours. :)
Someone mentioned keeping the yogurt warm in an oven. If I did this rather than the cooler, what temp would I use? I believe the person who posted used a gas oven with just the pilot and said 125 degrees? I have an electric oven.
If I use the cooler with hot water, what temp do you recommend the water be when starting? In other words what temp are you trying to keep the cooler?
K
Fantastic advice, I've not got a coolerbox so I've improvised and lined a shoebox with newspaper and bubblewrap for insulation. Ive put a 2litre icecream tub in the centre to hold my yoghurt milk mix. Its going on the radiator overnight. Fingers crossed! I havent made yoghurt for years, I used to help my mum make it in an electric yoghurt maker, so this has brought back memories! Two toptips I have got off another site, if you haven't got a thermometer, the milk should be heated until it steams and small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan, secondly, the milk is cooled enough to add the yoghurt when you can place a (very clean) finger into it for approx 20 seconds without undue pain! <br>
Happy yoghurt making!!
Thanks,
I have made before [ages ago] bur was a littel vague on the temps to use and your great guide helped.
We have a herd of goats and I wonder if I can make yoghurt with goats milk? Have you done this before? Do you have any additional suggestions for me?
Also I was wondering why you cure your yoghurt in small containers. Can I cure in my 1 gallon bucket?
I am pleased to have found your site, and would like to connect my yoghurt making blog entry to this page. I this fine?
Many thanks for your great efforts, your posting is very well laid out and your constant responses to comments is a great additional resource. I read it all!!!
Blessings
Carle
i'm not sure how to make goat milk yogurt, actually. I would imagine if you use a goat milk yogurt starter, then it should work more or less the same way. But I am pretty sure you can cure your yogurt in larger containers. In fact, the temperature might stay more stable that way, giving you a more consistent result.
And to think when mum said "lets stick it under the blankets" I thought she was being dirty! No! She was just making yogurt!
You can make goat's milk yogurt the same way you make cow's milk yogurt, just use goat's milk yogurt as the starter, although I am pretty sure you can use cow's milk yogurt as the starter as well.
I do like my yogurt to set up thicker than what you will get with only yogurt as a starter so I add powdered milk. I was going to say as a tip that if you place your jar (I make yogurt a couple of times a week in two quart jars at a time) on top of your cable box or any other small appliance that generates a small amount of heat over night, you will have nicely set wonderful tasting yogurt when you get up in the morning.
sometimes my yogurt is so slimy and stringy it is disgusting,other times it is perfect . I can't work out how to get it right each time....Help !!
I make my own yogurt, too, but a bit messier :)
Thanks.Youghurt is sweet
If you use soy milk instead of regular milk you'll get soy yogurt!
hi livelonger! in what step should i add the dried milk if i want to add some? thanks!!
I bought one of those yogurt from the 70's (salton) with 5 little cups at a yard sale, I use to have one back in the late 70's and thought I get into doing this again. Well, I made it up , and put in the maker, but I forgot about it and left in the maker for about 20 hrs......will it be ok to eat?
best of all youqot keep it up, it is a good idea
Sarah: I'd add it before you heat up the milk (to make sure the powder is dissolved well and sterilized).
Sharon: I'd smell it and check the texture. If it smells funny at all, I'd probably discard it. Better safe than sorry!
yeah! its very good oppurtunity..........
Great Hub livelonger
thanx i tried it. it's yummy
Hi,
I have a question, You have to let it stay at 110 for 4 to 6 hours to incubate, but you can leave it 10 to 12 hours, so my question is this; Do you have to leave it at the 110 temperature for the full 10 to 12 hours? Thanks for any answers to this question:)
very tedious process.. better go to shop and buy..
Haha! Does take some time, but some of us think it's fun. :)
I make my own yoghurt in a wide neck thermos flask. I put warm water in the flask for 5 minutes to warm it up. Do not use water which is too hot or the thermos will be too hot. I pour my heated milk and yoghurt into the flask and leave for 8 hours. It works everytime.
Here's a summary of some things to keep in mind when making yogurt. I can't explain all the technical reasons these things help, but they seem to work for me.
1. Experimentation will teach you new things: Humidity, weather, room temp (ac or heat) make a difference, attention to detail, and quality of your ingredients will affect your result. What works one day may work different the next day. Keep a batch notebook to log your results.
2. Incubation time changes the taste results: Longer = more tart, Shorter=Less tart. Try shorter or longer times to find your desired amount of tart.
3. Scald the milk to 180F, and hold it at that temp for a period of time to develop the proteins before cooling and adding your starter: Holding longer = thicker product, holding shorter=thinner result. Faster cooling also helps keep the flavor better, use some ice water in the sink to quickly cool the milk after doing the scald/hold time.
Start with 10-15 minutes hold time then try 20-30. (a double boiler works best for this, turn off the flame and keep it over the hot water, you can add more heat if it starts to cool off.) Use a good thermometer.
4. Add milk powder to increase the solids = thicker end product (start with 1/3 cup per quart of milk. Try more or less for different texture. This must be added to the cool milk before you heat it.
5. Incubate at a higher temperature. Try 120F-125F. (but not over 130F) The bacteria are thermophilic, they love heat. The warmer temps get the bacteria working faster (see number 2 above). I made a batch last night that is almost too hard to scoop out of the jar. I added lots of milk powder and hit close to 130 degrees at one point. (a quick add of a few ice cubes to the water bath solved my over heating)
I have two heat methods that work good for my purpose. If I leave the cover off, my crockpot hits 125-127degrees on low. I put the jars in a 120F water bath and cover loosly. Then I put a few towels on top to keep the heat in. I turn the heat off as it climbs over 124 degrees, I leave it for about 30-45 minutes. I check it to see if I need to add more heat to maintain that temp. A batch takes about 4-6 hours incubation time.
My other method is to use my turkey roasting pan (lg blue enamel type) on the stove burner. I put a hot water bath in this to sterilize the jars before I fill them. After filling, I pour out some of the hot water and add cold to hit 125F. stand the filled jars in the water, cover the pan, and add some towels on top for insulation. If the water starts to cool, I can simply turn the burner on for about 15 -20 seconds to add more heat. You will need a good thermometer since you are keeping the temp closeer to the kill temp for the culture. Never walk away while the heat is on, you will forget it every time!
I also made a box heater with a light bulb when I was in college, but that was harder to store when I was not using it. The above methods work better for me now because I already own everyhthing I used and it can all go in the dishwasher to clean up.
Doug - THANK YOU for such incredibly insightful and detailed advice!
Where were you 3 years ago when I was trying to make yogurt using a kitchen thermometer a metal bowl, some aluminum foil, a kitchen towel and.....my car!!! In order to keep the tempurature consistant I had to put my bowl in the car to keep it "around 98 degrees"F because the AC in my house was set to 78. Thank you SO MUCH. The yogurt I made 3 years ago tasted great, but just wasn't the right consistancy, and never tried it again! Now I can DIM:)
i love yogurt so much and have always wish to make it my self ,and when i do it my self i know it will be tasty thanks ''
I LIKE UR APPROUCH
that is graet i love it.
Hi All,
I wanted to tell you about a plastic container I found, I really like the way they work for making yogurt. I don't know if it's a new product, or if they've been around a while. I thought they were economical, under $3 for 4 of them. I've heated them in the boiling water and run them in the dishwasher a few times with no ill effects. Since they are made by canning folks, I'm guessing they are made for such.
These are made by the people who make the "ball" brand jars. I picked them up at Wmart in the canning section near the glass jars. They came in a few sizes, I got the pint size. They have a screw on lid. The lid and bottoms can also snap together for putting in the dishwasher, storing or stacking them. The lids on mine are bright lime green. I'll be making the 3rd batch using these jars later today.
im a yugort adddict..instead of buying at a grocery shop, i can now make my own...thanks for the info..
NIce job in this hub, thanks.
Livelonger: How can I make yogurt using an oven? I have a gas oven with a pilot and the temperature inside the oven is 100 degrees.
Zorator: I think so. 100 degrees sounds right, as long as there isn't a draft and it stays a constant temperature.
I tried to make it last week but it came out a bit running. I guess the temp wasn't right.
I LIKE YOGURT VERY MUCH. IT PROVIDE MORE USEFUL INFORMATION &KNOWELDGE.
I like yogurt very much.But I don't know how to make it.It provide useful information and knowledge.I will make it, because now I know how to make it.
I THINK , YOUGURT MAKING MAKE ME INTEREST AND HAPPY!
well well well!!! I thought I`d find someone who can teach me how to make yogurts because my family just loves eating them.But now its the best thing thats ever happened to me!!!!!! thank you............................................ keep up the good work........................................
Thank you very much. Does anyone know when is the best time to add fruit or other ingredients? Peace, Maga
Hello and Thank you for this hub, it's great. My sister and I made your yogurt recipe today and it turned out wonderful, just a little tart for me but a touch on honey did the trick. Then we put mandarin oranges in a small batch,it was great,there are so many possibilities with this,,, I just love it,and I know all the health benefits of yogurt to so thank you again.. we did not have a cooler so we tried the oven but mine was to hot?? then we used the heating pad method let it set for 7 hours and it was ready,,can't wait till it's chilled and I have some in the morning,,,this was fun.Jane Wardhttp://www.mysuccesstree.net/JaneWard
Hello again, I must say that I'm excited about this yogurt and I have been experimenting with it some, here is what I did, after the yogurt was set up and firm. The plain was too tart so I added honey ,then it was fine, I used some more plain with no honey and added fresh strawberries crushed and mixed with some sugar to make it sweet,man it was the best...took some more then did the same with fresh black raspberries...oh wow..I don't have any bananas or I would do that also,, It did thin the mix some so I hope that it will set up some more over night, this is so much fun and good for your health, hay mom's I bet your little ones would like this as a smoothie,,the list could go on and on...so cool.Jane Wardhttp://www.mysuccesstree.net/JaneWard
Maga - I think you should add fruit/preserves at the end of the culturing process, when the yogurt is already firmed up and ready to go in the fridge. Otherwise, you'll have the fruit fermenting at a warm temperature for 6 hrs, and also possibly mixing with the yogurt and disrupting that fermentation process.
Ok, so I can use my oven. I am going to make the yogurt in a 1.2 Q Pirex that came with a cover, my question is, do I cover the yogurt in the oven with its cover or towel or something while in the oven making?
IT IS DELICIOUS
Really nice page; very well explained.
Sorry about adding my url link, I have a habit of putting it on everything, but I won't do it again, thanks
it is a nice procedure thank you
Its really fantastic to save bucks especially to survive in recession.
Yogurt is good for womens health and diabetic too. Thanks from all diabetics and womens to help boots their health.
Sounds like a great idea. I have never tried to make yogurt. My grandchildren eat a lot of yogurt ...I should try to make it. Thank you for sharing ...my best to you.
what happens if you incubate your yogurst too long, we forgot about ours and left it in incubation for 16 hrs, it has a great consistency just a bit more tangy like kefir do you think its safe to eat still
Yes, it's still safe to eat!
Thanks! This is just what I was looking for! I especially like the comments, questions, answers and suggestions after!! Can't wait to try this!!
i'm so proud to be as one of the member of this..
this is something i"ll be interested in ,so thank you for the interest.
can you heat up the milk using a microwave or does it have to be by stove?
Don - I don't see why not, although you won't have the ability to continuously monitor the temperature, or stir it, so you run a much higher risk of scalding the milk. You can do it in short bursts, though, stirring in between.
I have made yogurt 4 times already! The 4 batches were a sucess! I put mine in a gas oven since it has a pilot. I made with dannon plain yogurt the first 3 times but had better results(thicker yogurt) with Stonyfield Farms organic yogurt as the starter. If there was somewhere to post a picture I would. Thanks for the ideas!
Hello, love the info you shared with us! I tried to make yogurt this afternoon and used 1/2 g of raw goat milk. I didn't heat it up to 180, only about 160 and let it cool to 110. For the culture, I added kefir, but don't know if I used enough. I probably should have used 1/2 to 3/4 c of kefir, but I think I only used 1/4 c. I also added sugar ( less than 1/4c) after I added the kefir and just went back to the website and found out that it should have either been before adding the kefir or after the yogut cultured for 4-8 hrs. Is there any way I can salvage what I have done? It's still liquid after 3 hrs. Maybe it hasn't been long enough?? Thanks for ANY help!!
zorator - GREAT! Love hearing stories like yours.
Donna - I really have no idea, although you have several deviations (goat milk instead of cow milk, 160F instead of 180F, the addition of sugar, kefir instead of yogurt culture) from my process, so I have no idea. I'd wait a bit longer. If it doesn't firm up by 8 hrs, I'd probably say it's not salvageable. :(
very informational i always like to collect new recipes and try them i like it GOOD INNOVATION
Wow! What a great page. Thanks for this info. I made my first succesful batch of yogurt last night and I know what to do now for the next time to make it that much better.
My first batch was a complete flop - I didn't realize until afterwards that I burned the milk (and boy did the yogurt sure taste awful.) I used a better pot the second time. I also wasn't aware that you should add the powdered milk when the milk is cool. Thanks for all the great tips!
thanks so much for all these tips everyone. I have just made my first two batches using a wide mouth thermos as one person suggested and it works! Can't believe how easy it is. Still going to experiment a bit to get it just right but I'm delighted that I can make my own as I use yogurt everyday in my smoothies. Great webpage- thanks for sharing!!
dear rachel ray,
i am always seeing gizmos and gadgets being sold to aid in opening jars. I have never had to use anything or call a man to open a jar for me in 52 years. Simply take your jar, tilt it, and rap the edge of the lid on the counter. It pops the seal and opens like a charm. Sometimes a second or third rap is needed if the lid egde wasn't raped sharp enough, but it always, always works. And it's free.
You are very organized, instructions very easy to follow, thanks....I do plan to try it out and when I do I'll be sure to share my opinion. I'm sure it will be great... I do love yogult.
My yogurt is apparently ready now.. I let it set for about 10 hours... but it is slimmy... WHY???? it tastes ok... but its the texture that I don't like.. what do i do now? throw it? :(
Hi in the uk we get our milk in sealed plastic bottles,to make yoghurt I simply pour out enough milk from a freshly opened bottle to allow the live culture yogurt to be added,then I heat the milk while still in the bottle using the microwave, I monitor it till to the hand it feel hot but not boiling maybe 75 c,I do not use a thermometer,once there I add the live yogurt, probiotic replace the cap and then wrap in a blanket overnight being careful to keep the bottle upright,it takes about ten minutes alltold and the results are a smooth semi thick yogurt that tastes great.
Saumya: Try refrigerating it first. Does the texture approach what you're used to? If not, then you can throw it out. Make sure the milk was fully heated, and you're using the right culture.
Barry UK: A clever way to do it very easily and quickly! Great method.
Thanks so much this is very interesting!
I will make the yogurt
I was told by an Indian lady in the supermarket this morning that she puts the heated milk and yogurt together in a glass on her counter, covers it and lets it sit. She makes it in the morning and it is ready by dinner time. As we live in Florida and our home is not that cool, would this work? She says she leaves it til morning when it is cooler. Daily temps are now in the high and humid 80s to low 90s outside (low to middle 80s inside) while in "winter" it is in the high 70's inside (outside can be high 50s to low 80s).
Hello, was wondering if one is making yogurt JUST from dry milk powder, does one still need to scald/heat the milk made from dry milk powder? I know with fresh milks, one must heat it to about 180 degrees before adding yogurt starter, to kill bacteria. But perhaps it would be different with powdered milks?
Thanks for any tips!
Dena - I'm not sure, actually. To be safe, you should bring it up to 180F; not only to sterilize it, but also because at that temperature the milk proteins change in a way that allows them to firm up when it's cultured.
You could always try without it but you run the risk of spoiling your batch of yogurt if it doesn't turn out like it's supposed to.
I landed here looking for information on how to make yoghurt. The reason? I have 8 dogs and some of them are suffering from yeast infection (in the gut). Among many other things I had read that yoghurt is good for them (1 or 2 tblsps a day). I bought some at the store just to see how they take it. I just spoon it on top of their food. They love it. But 1 container will only last me 2 feedings (since anything good for them I will give to all, not just the ones with problems). After reading some of the comments, I figure I can start eating yoghurt again myself. As a child I loved yoghurt and ate lots. Some years ago I started having problems consuming anything with milk (lactose intolerance). I recently tried soymilk and it's quite good. And if curing the yoghurt longer will make it so lactose intolerant folks can eat it, then this is for me. Thanks for all the good info here.
This sounds great, i will guve it a try! Great hub
Bec
i like your recipe but i'm in nigeria. how do you i get some ingredients & equipment to make this nice yogurt?
yeah, we were also using the same process in making although we inoculated the starter culture before incubating the milk and culture for 6-8 hours at 42-45C... it does taste good and lot of Lactic Acid bacteria can be obtained from this... well, thanks for the different method in doing so.. it helped me in finishing my report for my food microbiology class... thaks a lot!
its very usefull thanks
I have been dreaming of being a yourgat maker all mylife and thank you for very comprehensive information. I must try this weekend. Please forward me any further info on the same. Kudos
great hub, i have always wanted to make yogurt but it seemed too confusing. This is a great simple guide, thank you! I will let you know how my yogurt turns out!
I LOVE YOUGURT AND THANX FOR THESE EXCELLENT TIPS.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I've just started making my own bread (sometimes almost $5 loaf!!) and have been thinking about yogurt also. This is great timing.
Sounds easy to make and delicious too. 'will have to try it. Thanks for the info.
Hey. I just learned from my sister-in-law that she freezes yoghurt by just placing it in the freezer when she comes home from shopping. She buys it when on sale, then puts some of the 8 oz sized containers into the freezer (for hot day treats). I tried one fruit-on-the-botttom type...yummy. I am sure it would work for your homemade yogurt. Will try and let you know.
Thanks again for sharing. I think you have started a movement.
Wonderful article and I love reading all the helpful comments too! Thanks for putting so much effort and cheerfulness into this page. I've just made my first batch of homemade yogurt last night using many of your tips. I bought a very inexpensive yogurt maker (I live in Shanghai and found one for just $5.00) and I used some gorgeous organic milk from a small farm here. The yogurt is delicious! I put it in the machine for about 9 hours. I didn't add powdered milk, but perhaps because the milk is full-fat, it still came out pretty thick and firm, which is how I like it. I ate it with a spoonfull of rose jelly and a bit of sweetened condensed milk on top. Yummmmm.
My question is: is it possible and practical to home-make yogurt with that thick cream layer on top, like you can buy from Stonyfield or Brown Cow in the States? Since a child, I have always loved that slightly gooey deeply creamy top layer and would love to replicate it at home. Thanks!
CYM: you'll have to find unhomogenized (non-homogenized?) milk, if it's available in Shanghai.
Great. I think Home Made yougrt is far better than the market or processd one .
at least u r satisfied the hygienic way u made it.
thanks for the great instructions. quick question though; how warm should it be inside the cooler?
If you use UHT milk you don't need to heat the milk (only mix and incubate). You save time and you need less cooking utensils. Really good.
Thanks, livelonger, I made yogurt years ago, used powdered milk and it turned out wonderful. I always wanted to find a way to make sweetened lemon yogurt, if anyone has any suggestions, please advise. I took a class, and the woman made this delicious, dark raisin pound cake and she took a container of lemon yogurt, let it drain overnight in cheesecloth and it was the best spreading lemon cheese for this dessert cake. I used to buy lemon yogurt, but it is hard to find. Thanks for the website.
Hey, yogurt is sweet and will always be my favorite.
brenda
Looks great and thank for the info. I never knew how to make Yogurt.
thanks for your great instructions
I have to confess that I've never had homemade yogurt. I've got to try it.
I just made my third batch today-- I actually bought a neat little yogurt maker. I got tired of throwing away those little plastic containers all the time-- and homemade is better.
We just started milking our own cow and are looking forward to using it to make lots of homemade dairy products. We eat a lot of yogurt and are excited at the prospect of making our own. Thanks for the info and the great instructions.
Nichole Patrick, Georgia
i really luv your home made yogurt idea and will deffinately be trying it!
will you be doing any more money saving food pages?
Great site! For all lactose sensitive folks, other animal milks (as well as soy, rice and almond milk) can be used. I have used full fat sheep's milk to great acclaim. Just follow the general directions at top. Use what is available where ever you live in the world!
We use one big pot for incubating - it does keep temp more stable. You can then transfer to whatever container you want for storing in fridge. We also make "Greek" strained yogurt, by putting the finished incubated yogurt in a clean pillowcase to hang in the shower or over the sink; cheesecloth or other clean material also works in a strainer or colander. The longer it hangs the thicker it gets and the great benefit of this is that you can make yogurt with low- or non- fat milk and after straining it is as creamy and thick as full fat yogurt, just less calories and saturated fat! And also exponentially less cost than commercial strained yogurt. Straining the longest gives a product similar to spreadable cream cheese. We find it more consistant to add any sweeteners and/or fruit after the incubation. Dry milk DOES boost protein, but is not necessary if your starter culture is vibrant and fresh. We use organic local when needed.
What's not to like about something so wholesome and good as your own (local!!!) yogurt!
The taste of yogurt would be fantastic. mainly because this is a home made prduct, the taste will be pure and satisfied. Now everybody will be trying to make yogurt at home. thanks.
I used to make my own yogurt back in 1971-'73, but haven't since. Back then I used a quart sized thermos bottle with a removable sleeve inside for the fermentation process. I don't even know if these are available any more, but they used to be very popular. This kept the temperature constant and the yogurt came out great every time. I did use the powdered milk which did make the yogurt taste somewhat less tart. Then when it was ready all I had to do was take out the sleeve and put it in the fridge. The yogurt wasn't in separate containers, but it was easy to spoon out as needed.
How to make tomato yogurt?? Tomato slices unlike strawberries and peaches seem to mess with the incubation proces....
Reply back to me at dg1@austin.rr.com
I have been using 2% milk to make my yogurt, but I get this nasty skin on it. I try to remove it, but there seems to be more on the bottom of the pot which comes up when I whisk it to help cool it down. Any suggestions on getting rid of the skin? Can I strain the heated milk?
Thanks!
Barb - make sure you are whisking like crazy up to and down from 180 degrees. That sounds like scalding. At any rate, yes, you can strain any skin that forms if you find that texture too disturbing. :)
I have been using Dannon Activia for regularity. The active cultures are L.bulgaricus, S.Thermophilus and Bifidobacterium It does not come unflavored. My past homemade yogurts never thicken. After reading all the posts, I realize I have done several things wrong. After I correct these procedures, is there any problem with using the flavored yogurt for my culture?
Shoogiemom: I don't think Dannon Activia has the sort of cultures that will thicken yogurt (judging by the consistency of the product). I could be wrong, but at any rate, you might want to try a commercial yogurt that does thicken in the cup.
I bought one of those yogurt makers that makes 7 small jars at once-- very easy and good, and ames me feel better about not tossing all of those plastic containers in the trash.
The incubator takes the guesswork out for me. I do strain the heated milk.
A little dab of jam or berry syrup is nice on the finished product.
I started with a commercial "starter". It recommends that you only use the yogurt you make as a starter once-- but I think this is just to get you to buy more starter culture.
livelonger,
Thanks for the tip about stirring the milk up and down to 180. I prepared my first batch since reading your advice and I had had neither skin nor any sign of scalding. The yogurt maker that I have has recipes included. Some of them add honey and/or vanilla extract immediately after the milk reaches 180. I have made several batches and they all cultured fine. The recipe I tried today which is still culturing had honey and vanilla added before culturing. It also included adding a heaping tablespoon of fruit preserves at the bottom of each jar before pouring in the milk and culturing it. From what I can see through the yogurt maker lid, it appears to be culturing fine. I will let you know how it turns out.
BTW, the recipes that came with the yogurt maker recommend adding non-fat dry milk. All the yogurt that I've made has come out very thick and tangy. I like to eat it with a bit of honey.
thanks for maintaining this site!
Barb
The yogurt I made with the preserves on the bottom came out great. It is smooth, creamy, and delicious. I also used Yage fat free plain as a starter for the first time. I was not optimistic to begin with because it is a strained yogurt, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Barb
Barb - I'm as (pleasantly) surprised as you are! I'm glad that Fage can be used as a starter, and that you can make it with preserves at the bottom. Cheers!
Hi; I make yogurt using a 1 1/2 quart Anchor-Hocking clear glass bowl about 7" diameter, 3 1/2" high from Wal-Mart with a tight-fitting plastic cover.( I only use it when I refrigerate the yogurt ) I mix a 3.1 ounce bottle of Dan Active IMMUNITY probiotic dairy drink. It comes in a 4 or 8 pack, near where the yogurt is kept, with a quart of 1/2 & 1/2. I put this on a heating pad on high for about 9 or 10 hours with a plate over it to exclude the cats, & it comes out nice,thick & creamy. I use a little drink mixer powered by 2 AA batteries, to stir up the mix before incubating it & after it's done before refrigerating it. this stops the yogurt from "curing" any further. The mixer can be bought in many stores like Dollar tree, etc. Anything that'll stir up the yogurt will work; even an egg-beater. The result is delicious, creamy yogurt that I don't even want to flavor with anything ! I don't know about the fat content, but I'm sure it's high. I'm slim at 63, so don't anticipate any weight gain as a result. Neither ingredient needs Pasteurization as they are already pasteurizied. The bowl is sterilized before use,so I don't see any need for that. I've been doing this for years. It's so much easier doing it this way. I've never taken a temperature reading, as it always comes out perfect.
Peace ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike.
Home-made yogurt would taste better.
im doing a science project on yogurt and nutrition and i wanted to know how long will it take for the whole process of making yogurt and can i make only a few cups of yogurt
scienceproj: from beginning to end, assuming you have your materials (milk, clean cups, etc) it will take about 8 hrs at a minimum to create yogurt ready to be chilled in your refrigerator. And yes, by all means, you can make just a few cups of yogurt - adjust the recipe accordingly.
I think I will try this, am a yogurt person myself. But let me ask, Is there any health implication from taking so much yogurt?
lankomaryziggar: Well, there are people who will argue that too much of anything isn't good for you, so I suppose there is a limit to how much you should eat. I do know that if you're lactose intolerant, you might have a problem since some lactose does remain in the yogurt (not all of it is digested by the bacteria).
I made kefir for many years and then stopped as I just got too busy with work. Reading your blog on yogurt reminded me of how necessary it is to make your own yogurt if you eat it on a regular basis, as it is more cost effective giving the downhill financial trend we are all facing. I give Stonyfield yogurt to my dog as well and we do go through it rather quickly. I also purchased a yogurt maker which has been unused for over a year LOL but your instructions on making yogurt are easy enough to follow and I will definitely buy out the time to make some.
This is a cool blog since it reminded me on why I have to make own yogurt since it is my daughter's favorite. I do usually buy it on markets and some groceries.
Very informative hub. I have never made yougurt before, but if I ever decided to this hub would make it less daunting for me.
yogurt was found in turkey and now im telling u the original way of making yogurt.
heat milk -after the milk cools about 10-15 minutes add some pure yogurt(for 1L milk 100g yogurt) and mix it gently.after covering the pot,use at least 2 or 3 towels to cover up the pot totally.rest the pot for 2 days at a warm place -near the oven in the kitchen or else-do not open or mix during the resting time.after 2 days u will find a delicious home made yogurt the original way.better is 3,5% milk.
there are many recipes with yogurt. you can make a delicious sauce or dip for the bbq.mix enough pressed garlic and some salt in the yogurt if you like 1ts of olive oil and ready is the cheapest and best sauce for grilled meat or even for fried vegetable.try and u will lick your finger :-P
It is a detailed and very practical info.
Now I know how to make yogurt.
Thanks
Dear livelonger, thanks so much for posting this! I want to make some yogurt but was just wondering if I can use Stonyfield Farm vanilla yogurt as a starter. Would the vanilla in it cause the milk not to firm up? Thanks for your help.
Dear lankomaryzimmar, there is a possibility of overloading your gallbladder by eating too much yogurt, but you would have to eat something like a quart a day for an extended period of time to do that.
Gemmasmomma - thank you for stopping by. I think using a little bit of vanilla yogurt should be fine. The issue is usually the sugar, which favors the growth of other types of bacteria and yeast. But since you're only using a little, I'd imagine it'd be fine. Try it out and let me know!
Yay it worked!! I'm so proud of myself since I didn't use a thermometer for any of it and it was my first time. The vanilla yogurt didn't cause a problem at all, and I just wrapped my warm pot in a towel and left it on top of a radiator for 4 hours and made sure the pot didn't get hotter than what was comfortable for my hand. This is so much fun and so easy too with a double boiler. Thanks so much for all your help. You've made a yogurt-maker out of me!
Hello. I have made homemade yogurt for a long time as I am such a fan of it. To incubate mine i wrap it in a couple towels and place it in the oven with the light on over night and it comes out nice. i had to switch from cows milk to soy, due to a dairy allergy and am wondering if anyone has tried it with soy. I have had some trouble with it coming out quite runny on me. I am not able to add powdered milk to it. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for how i can thicken it up a bit.
Kaytee, You should strain the yoghurt with a tea towel in a sieve. This will get rid of some of the whey and the yoghurt will be firmer.
Kaytee,
Do you know that you can buy powdered soy milk from the health food store? That is what I use and it works great and makes a nice, thick yogurt.
Debbie - great advice. Do you need to use soy yogurt as a starter, or can you use regular/standard yogurt? I'd imagine the cultures would be different.
Can I use Yakult as a starter?
Lily: I don't think so. If Yakult can't even firm up the milk that it's packaged with (it's a liquid), then it probably won't firm up milk for yogurt. It's best to choose a culture that has already proven that it can firm up yogurt on its own.
that was the worst yogurt i had ever tasted in my life it tastes like year old garbage does any one no what i should do? i poured in the milk i rinsted the jars and i did it all like the recipe but it tastes like garbage as i remember my milk i put in was only 2 months old
2 months old? That's pretty old milk. Use fresh milk, and try a different starter. Make sure you use a high-quality unflavored yogurt with live, active cultures.
livelonger do you know any frozen yogurt recipes i dont know how to make frozen yogurt
flying pie: I've made it once. You need an ice cream maker, that churns the froyo while it's freezing, to prevent the formation of crunchy ice crystals. It really is as easy as adding yogurt, sugar and any other flavorings you want to.
Wow, I did not know you could make yogurt from yogurt ... what a great way to save money ... reminds me of the friendship cake my mother used to do.. Great article!
Hi livelonger! Thank you so much; this is the best guide for making yogurt that I found online. I tried making my first batch yesterday. I was hesitant at first because I did not have a thermometer but I just had to try it. :) So I followed the tips I found here (esp. those of nuttygirl) on how to wing it when it came to temperature and my first attempt was a success! I used towels to keep the milk-yogurt warm. It didn't just taste good, it was also cheaper than buying from the store, but it also gave me a great sense of accomplishment to see that thickened yogurt which I made all by myself and waited 6 hours for. I'll be making yogurt for a long, long time. Thanks a lot for making this girl a believer.
What agreat idea! I am gonna make some today. How can you add fruits if you want to/
FATHERS: I recommend adding the fruit after the final step. Any yeasts/bacteria in the fruit might ruin the culturing process otherwise. An alternative is to cook the fruit completely to sterilize it, although any sugars that leach out into the inoculated milk might also disturb the culturing process, which focuses on the lactose in the milk and not other sugars.
Does the milk need to be uncapped while it is culturing?
Sharon - if it's capped, the top might create a lot of condensation, which will likely drip in your yogurt and create a layer of water (not whey) which you will have to pour off.
i have never used it so far. i will definately try it. thanks.
Hi! I made your yogurt twice and it came out amazing!!!! Now I made it a third time and the consistency is not as good. The first two batches were perfectly smooth. This batch is a little broken up, almost like it curdled just the tiniest amount. I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong. I have been using the yogurt I made for next starter. also - should I not use this yogurt for the next starter since the texture is not as good?
thanks for a great website!
Hi Lynne - Not sure. I have read that you shouldn't continue to reuse starters, or use too many generations from a single starter, because certain more dominant cultures will crowd out some of the "weaker" ones that still contribute to a good taste and texture. I would start with a fresh starter next time.
Nice tutorial. A great motivation to experiment in the kitchen
I just completed my first batch of homemade yogurt. It took quite a while because I brought the temperature of the milk up very slowly. I just sampled the first one this morning after sitting in the refrigerator over night. It came out wonderful. The texture and flavor are much better than I could have hoped for. The yogurt was set up nicely in 4 hours but I waited for6 hours before putting in the refrigerator. I will continue to make my own yogurt but next time, I'll put the fruit in the bottom of the cup before pouring in the liquid.
Fantastic hub ! Me and my family have been doing home made yoghurt for more than twenty years now. It is so gratifying to see that someone has shared his / her experience and knowledge to teach others how to do it.. You are indeed very well commended.
All the best,
SiaM108
This site is fantastic, I made my first batch last night, and am pleased with my first effort. I would like it a bit sweeter, and am not sure when to add the sugar, some say b4 leaving it to set and others say to add it after it has set. I left the lid on during the culturing period, should I have left it off, as it's not 100% smooth. Your site is great
Awesome information. I have been too intimidated to even attempt yoghurt and your directions are clear and easy to follow, or at least they look clear and eeasy to follow as I haven't tried it yet so can't say for sure. Tour hub recipe was well written, easy to read, and the details in the directions are things I as a completely horrific cook need in order to succeed in the kitchen are all there and simplified enough for someone like me. Thank you for the information and inspiration! Cheers! Now, does anyone know how to EASILY make a good lassi with this home made yoghurt?
Let me give you a simple recipe on how to use your yoghurt with this little salad, rather than just eating it plain.
Cut cucumber in small cubes, add thinly minced garlic, lemon juice, a good splash of olive or other vegetable oil, dry mint (powdered), and plain yoghurt to make sort of a thick soup.
You can dip your bread in, or just use a teaspoon to eat it. You definitely need pita, or french bread for dipping. It's a very common light dish in the Middle East, Greece, Bulgary, etc. It saved my butt a few times when I want something quick and delicious and I was really hungry.
Try it and give me your comment here or on my blog:
My yogurt came out great and it was delicious!!! When I made mine, I placed my innoculated milk in a container and put it in the microwave oven, I then took a very large empty mayonaise jar and filled it with the hottest water from the tap and capped that jar. I placed it in the microwave beside the open container of milk and left it there till the yogurt was a good consistency (6 to 8 hrs). I refilled the water jar with fresh hot water about half way through the process. I do this when I am making bread...the microwave works great for proofing in breadmaking and negates the need to make your own proofing box. I was also thinking that there is a lot of heat generated on top of the refrigerater and that might work if you wrapped your container. I sprout my garden seeds there because of the heat that the refrigerator generates and that works really well. I will have to try it to see if it works for yogurt. When my yogurt was finished and had chilled I mixed in some blueberry preserves and it was amazing.
I tried making yogurt last night using the top of the refrigerator. I took a rubbermaid 1/2 gallon thermal jug (retails for about 6 - 8 dollars) and prepped it by pouring boiling water from the tea kettle into it and then dumping the water out. I poured my innoculated milk into the jug wrapped the jug in a nice thick towel and placed it on top of the refrigerator late last night before I went to bed. When I woke up this morning I had a really nice batch of yogurt. I like this method...no mess, no fuss and great results.
Right on cue! while I was just thinking of buying a "yoghurt-maker". Now I shall use what you have suggested! I also like Beezy's method - sounds incredibly simple and satisfying!!Great idea these hubs aren't they?!
I am new to Hubpages - most impressed with the information and what a great recipe for homemade yogurt!!!! Well done. Have you ever tried Green Tea yogurt? Make it at home and it is to die for!
Cheers!
I made my first batch of yogurt 5 days ago and have made 2 more since. I came here to find some insight and share some tips. I researched quite a bit of recipes (including this one) before trying, and I think the combination of them all is what gave me great results.
1. Use a thermometer! It's the only way to tell the exact temps and avoid issues. Later when you become a pro, you can put it away, but for your first couple of batches it's imperative.
2. I used one big sterilized pot on a stove to make a gallon of milk into yogurt. I did no transferring etc in the process. The more transferring, the higher the risk of contamination.
3. As Doug said, when the milk reached 180F, cook it (uncovered) at that temp for at least 10 min (I used 15min) stirring very gently from the bottom making sure the milk doesn't burn at bottom. Do not let milk reach above 200F. At about the 10 min mark, I added a tablespoon of stevia. I've read that you may add sugar, splenda etc at this point and once dissolved completely into milk, you may add any flavoring extract you desire also - once again making sure to stir gently to dissolve completely. YMMV, I can only attest to adding the stevia with no issues.
4. After you have cooked the milk, allow it to cool down (uncovered) to 110F. I just turned off the burner and let it happen naturally - took about an hour to cool down. The optimal temperature for adding starter yogurt is between 110F - 112F. My thermometer is not precise, so I added the starter (one cup of room temp Erivan live yogurt). somewhere between 115F and 110F (if a skin forms on top the milk, you can just skim and discard), and stirred very gently making sure to distribute and dissolve.
Note: My starter yogurt Erivan is naturally very runny, so I didn't need to add any sterilized milk to make it so. If using a thicker yogurt like Fage, before adding starter to batch, stir in some sterilized milk to the starter to make it runny. This helps the cultures distribute easier and makes pouring/dissolving into the batch easy.
5. Cover the pot and put it in gas oven which has a natural temperature of 100F. I left it in for 12 hours, but anywhere from 6-18 hrs is fine, some even say 24 for very tart yogurt. Can also be done with an electric oven by leaving the lightbulb on.
6. Took the covered pot and put it in fridge for approx 2 hrs before eating.
Voila! Thick creamy Fage like yogurt!
My only caveats:
I used 2% milk, but I've heard anything besides fat free should work. If using fat free, most suggest adding powerdered milk also.
When I took it out of the oven, I had a soft, delicate cottage cheese like layer on top, separated by the whey (yellowish liquid) and then thick yogurt on the bottom. I got scared and thought I may have failed - but it was so rich and tasty lol! I have since learned that the layer is actually a good thing and is basically fat/cream that can either be discarded, used for something else if you are watching fat or you can just stir it in (after it cools) making the yogurt creamier.
I had very little whey, but drained it with a spoon anyway, as I like my yogurt thick. After 3 hrs of setting in the fridge, I added about 3 sheets of paper towel to top of yogurt to absorb any condensation from the pot lid.
I am new to Hubpages - most impressed with the information and what a great recipe for homemade yogurt!!!! Well done. Have you ever tried Green Tea yogurt? Make it at home and it is to die for!
thanks for this info - been contemplating the hows' of this process as I have been wanting to make some for a while now.
your yogurt is simply just the best that I have ever tasted.
I love yogurt and have recently considered buying a yogurt maker from eBay, as years ago, I used one of those appliances (5 glass cups with plastic lids). I always had great results before, but by the time you pay postage, the price was over $25. I'm trying to SAVE money, not spend more. I've got some Stoneyfield plain yogurt and am going to try this recipe NOW.
I have used a comination of your wonderful recipe along with dougs and have wonderful tasting thick and creamy yogurt. My only problem is that each time it has a cottage cheese texture the whole way trhough. I havemade 3 batches now and each has improved the thickness and taste. I just now need to refine the ricotta/cottage cheese texture. Everythign is sterilized, I am using the correct temps etc etc. Anyone have any suggestions how to get rid of the texture to make it really smooth?ps. I have succesfully fermented in a plastic old yogurt container not only glass jars and I have fermented after adding fruit with sugar just before the fermentation stage for those of you wanting to try :-) I am now going to try using Bk Babes suggestion of adding the flavour at 180 degree mark including fruits and sugars. Will let you know how I go.
looks great.I love yogurt & buy alot of it so I think I will try thins to save some $$.
I'd like to try this, but I like my yogurt thick. Can I use Total Yogurt (Fage) as my starter instead of Stoneyfield?
My coworker showed me how to make yogurt while at work. It was very simple and tasted really good. I came home and tried it and ended up w/a container full of slightly thicker milk. Not sure what I did wrong, but I'm going to try this recipe and follow it Very Carefully. Thanks.
One of the ingredients of Fage Yogurt is Cream. What kind of cream would I use? How much and when do you add it? Can it be used instead of or along with powdered milk? Thanks!
thanks for the tip about the greek yogurt- it's my favorite and costs $3.00 at the farmers market for a 1/2 pint!
I appreciate this helpful recipe and the pictures. I would like to start making yogurt right away since I love it! I also love saving money and eating better! The only thing is I don't yet have the jars. Where did you get those cute little jars with the blue lids? Also anyone have suggestions for really cheap jars with lids? Thanks!
Wow! My first yogurt batch ever. Followed your instruction to the letter and it worked perfectly. One gallon of whole milk and now I have 4 liters of perfect yogurt. I thank you for the precise and easy to follow instructions. It really is so easy.
I have a yogurt maker from Salton (it's 30 years old and never used) and I followed the directions in the book. This was the first time I ever used the machine but I wasn't sure what temperature the machine was supposed to be at. Even though the machine is 30 years old it is brand new so I wasn't sure. I noticed you said to keep the temp around 100 in the cooler. My yogurt when after the 10 your mark (that's what it called for) was a little loose on top but the bottom was thick. What went wrong if anything? I didn't mix the Dannon Plain Yogurt I used for a starter (its unpasturized and has live active cultures what I was supposed to use) could this have made the difference? I'm willing to try again and I'll take your directions here and applythem too but I was curious about the consistancy of my 1st batch of yogurt. It was also a little tart. After I tossed it I tasted the starter yogurt and it tasted just as tart. Can I use Dannon's Vanilla Yogurt with active live cultures and no pasturization or does it have to be plain. thanks tina
Tina: I'm having a little trouble understanding all of your comment, but plain yogurt is what you would want to use, and the consistency is probably OK if it's somewhat firm (it will firm up more when you put it in the fridge). I would avoid using vanilla yogurt, since it has sugar, and this can favor different microorganisms than the ones you want to foster the growth of.
Hi, i love yogurt and i hope to try some soon. Thanks for the tips.
I am so happy to have found this site! I just got my Eurocuisine YM100 auto shutoff yogurt maker and made my first batch. I thought I was setting the timer to 10 hours ( it appears to go from 10 to 20 ) but I'm not sure that stands for hours, and the manual doesn't say anything about it. I saw that after about 6 hours it turned off. I checked the yogurt and noticed some clearish liquid on the sides of the jar, but the yogurt appeared to be solidified. I covered the jars and put them in the fridge (hope this was ok???). I had bought raspberries, and decided to open one of the containers and mix in small handful of them, and the yogurt appeared very slightly mildy grainy looking. I did take a quick taste, and it did taste amazing. I would love any tips, hints, suggestions, since I'm not entirely sure everything came out as it was supposed to!
The best yogurt is from Bulgaria, may be more of you don't know this that some bacterias grow only in this place: culture (the beneficial bacteria L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, and B. Bifidum). L.Bulgaricus make the yogurt most healthy, so most important is the culture if you realy want to keep healthy life style, that contains absolutely no added chemicals, ph modifiers, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, stabilizers or thickening agents of any kind.
I am from Bulgaria but last years i am living in different countries, so i make my yogurt in home all time. Bring with me dried "Lactobacillus Bulgaricus" but if i don't have i use yogurt with LIVE "Lactobacillus Bulgaricus" which not contain sugar. The recept is from my grandmother,
1 gallon of milk (1%, 2% or whole milk) 1 lb. plain yogurt (make sure that the label says "with active bacteria", no garrantee for success otherwise) Put milk in large saucepan and heat it over medium heat till boiling. Put the milk aside and let cool for about 35-45 min. You can check the milk with small finger -- it (the milk) should be warm, but not very hot (If you wish you can use termometer: 43-45 C). Beat yogurt with fork or steel wrisk in a bowl. Add 1 cup warm milk, mix well. Little by little add yogurt-milk mixture to the rest of the milk. Mix again. Pour milk into glass jars or ceramic bowls with lids. Put jars on a flat surface. Cover with something that will keep it warm, as a folded blanket or a sleeping bag and living for a night.
Next day is ready and can put in the frige.
The real yogurt is very sour from which i make summer Bulgarian soup "tarator":To prepare tarator you need 1 fresh cucumber or 4-5 pickles, 1/2 kilogram of yoghurt, 1-2 cloves of garlic, several walnuts, some dill, salt, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil of your choice (sunflower oil is typically used), and water.
Preparation: Grate or finely chop the cucumber(s) and place in a large bowl. Mash the garlic with salt and add to the cucumber. Add ground walnuts and finely chopped fresh dill. Pour in the yoghurt. Then gradually add water - the thickness is down to taste. Finally, add the vegetable oil.
you can read more about Bulgarian yogurt here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoghurt
I reuse 1 liter turkish yoghurt tubs- PP5 for those interested. When they come out of the dishwasher they are sterile.
I take about a cup of yoghurt as a starter, add a similar volume of UHT milk, and whisk to mix and aerate.
Heat a pot on flames for 30 seconds with the lid on to sterilse the interior, then chuck in the rest of the 1 liter of UHT milk, 2-4 heaped tablespoons of powdered milk, stir and whisk.
I test the temperaure by taking a spoon, stirring to get it the same temperature as the milk, then pour some down into my mouth. It should be warm, slighly more than body temperature. DO NOT PUT SPOON IN MOUTH!!! If you lack co-ordination, this method provides an impromptu milk shower.
When the temp is right I pour in the whisked Yoghurt, and whisk all for 30 seconds or so. This is all with a Braun electric whisk.
Then pour the mix back into the Yoghurt pot. There will be some left over, which I usually pour into a spare dishwashed jar, and which will likely be the next starter. Put the lids on the jar and tub.
I put the jar and tub on top of our hot water heater in its cupboard. I put a CLEAN plastic bag over the cultures just to keep off any dust, and close the doors. This provides a very good ambient temperature. If you want to test your heater for this purpose, put a plastic bottle of water on it and leave for a few hours, then judge the temperature when it comes out- aim for a little over body temperature.
Leave for about 10 hours, maybe more. Then I let them cool in the open for about an hour and thence to the fridge.
The preheating to 80°Celsius, and the rapid cooling are techniques I haven't tried. My yoghurt is MOSTLY firm, sometimes a little runny, but thats just the whey separating. It tastes fine. I am no expert, but some people here clearly are. Well done to you all, try this if you haven't, and
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
right on.
Malcolm
XXX
Well said and shown in a clean and hygienic way in the process of making Yoghurt(fermentation way).
Can i add lemon juice to make yogurt? How I get culture to make it? I am not clear as well. Pls help to make yummy yogurt.
Many years ago I was given a Yoghurt tree, and told to look after it as they are as rare as Hens teeth. It looked just like a piece of cauliflower, except it was very delicate. You kept it in a sealed jar of clean fresh water, in the fridge, until needed. Then all you did was take it out of the water, and, put it into the milk, after it had converted the milk to a very good class of Yoghurt, you put it back into the jar of fresh clean water. Each time you used it, it would grow very slightly, so you could divide it up and pass some on to someone else.
Does anybody know where I can get another piece, please.
Barrie - that sounds exactly like a kefir grain, which creates kefir, similar to yogurt but not the same. I would check eBay.
Thanks so much! I just discovered your hub after buying a used yogurt maker from a second-hand store. The containers were still wrapped in bubble wrap. Your information about temperatures and proportions was excellent. One question: In china we loved their "suan nai" literally sour milk yogurt. It is meant to be runny and you drink it with a straw out of the pottery mugs it was cultured in. It is refreshingly sweet and tart. This first batch of yogurt was great but can you help me reproduce our favorite breakfast beverage?
I love this, I wonder if you can add fresh fruits to this recipe?
I hope it tastes a good as it sounds because I am going to try making it too. Peaches are in season so I think I will have to peach yogurt. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much! I just discovered your hub after buying a used yogurt maker from a second-hand store. The containers were still wrapped in bubble wrap. Your information about temperatures and proportions was excellent. One question: In china we loved their "suan nai" literally sour milk yogurt. It is meant to be runny and you drink it with a straw out of the pottery mugs it was cultured in. It is refreshingly sweet and tart. This first batch of yogurt was great but can you help me reproduce our favorite breakfast beverage?
I reuse 1 liter turkish yoghurt tubs- PP5 for those interested. When they come out of the dishwasher they are sterile.
I take about a cup of yoghurt as a starter, add a similar volume of UHT milk, and whisk to mix and aerate.
Heat a pot on flames for 30 seconds with the lid on to sterilse the interior, then chuck in the rest of the 1 liter of UHT milk, 2-4 heaped tablespoons of powdered milk, stir and whisk.
I test the temperaure by taking a spoon, stirring to get it the same temperature as the milk, then pour some down into my mouth. It should be warm, slighly more than body temperature. DO NOT PUT SPOON IN MOUTH!!! If you lack co-ordination, this method provides an impromptu milk shower.
When the temp is right I pour in the whisked Yoghurt, and whisk all for 30 seconds or so. This is all with a Braun electric whisk.
Then pour the mix back into the Yoghurt pot. There will be some left over, which I usually pour into a spare dishwashed jar, and which will likely be the next starter. Put the lids on the jar and tub.
I put the jar and tub on top of our hot water heater in its cupboard. I put a CLEAN plastic bag over the cultures just to keep off any dust, and close the doors. This provides a very good ambient temperature. If you want to test your heater for this purpose, put a plastic bottle of water on it and leave for a few hours, then judge the temperature when it comes out- aim for a little over body temperature.
Leave for about 10 hours, maybe more. Then I let them cool in the open for about an hour and thence to the fridge.
The preheating to 80°Celsius, and the rapid cooling are techniques I haven't tried. My yoghurt is MOSTLY firm, sometimes a little runny, but thats just the whey separating. It tastes fine. I am no expert, but some people here clearly are. Well done to you all, try this if you haven't, and
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
right on.
The best yogurt is from Bulgaria, may be more of you don't know this that some bacterias grow only in this place: culture (the beneficial bacteria L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, and B. Bifidum). L.Bulgaricus make the yogurt most healthy, so most important is the culture if you realy want to keep healthy life style, that contains absolutely no added chemicals, ph modifiers, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, stabilizers or thickening agents of any kind.
I am from Bulgaria but last years i am living in different countries, so i make my yogurt in home all time. Bring with me dried "Lactobacillus Bulgaricus" but if i don't have i use yogurt with LIVE "Lactobacillus Bulgaricus" which not contain sugar. The recept is from my grandmother,
1 gallon of milk (1%, 2% or whole milk) 1 lb. plain yogurt (make sure that the label says "with active bacteria", no garrantee for success otherwise) Put milk in large saucepan and heat it over medium heat till boiling. Put the milk aside and let cool for about 35-45 min. You can check the milk with small finger -- it (the milk) should be warm, but not very hot (If you wish you can use termometer: 43-45 C). Beat yogurt with fork or steel wrisk in a bowl. Add 1 cup warm milk, mix well. Little by little add yogurt-milk mixture to the rest of the milk. Mix again. Pour milk into glass jars or ceramic bowls with lids. Put jars on a flat surface. Cover with something that will keep it warm, as a folded blanket or a sleeping bag and living for a night.
Next day is ready and can put in the frige.
The real yogurt is very sour from which i make summer Bulgarian soup "tarator":To prepare tarator you need 1 fresh cucumber or 4-5 pickles, 1/2 kilogram of yoghurt, 1-2 cloves of garlic, several walnuts, some dill, salt, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil of your choice (sunflower oil is typically used), and water.
Preparation: Grate or finely chop the cucumber(s) and place in a large bowl. Mash the garlic with salt and add to the cucumber. Add ground walnuts and finely chopped fresh dill. Pour in the yoghurt. Then gradually add water - the thickness is down to taste. Finally, add the vegetable oil.
you can read more about Bulgarian yogurt here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoghurt
So I just made yogurt for the first time. It looks great, set up nicely but if the water bath it was in (in an ice chest) ended up at 95 degrees when I checked on it after 6 hours, does that mean anything? Or if I ended up with thick yogurt and whey then that means the 95 degree water bath sufficed? Next time I will add some hot water half way through to keep the temp at 100-110 but I just wanted to make sure this won't pose a huge problem for the batch I just made. Thank you so much!
I made the yoghurt sucessfully.It tasted differently from supermarket's yoghurt but it was fun making it.
Planning to make this, but question first: Do you think you could use a dehydrator as the incubator? OR would the gas stove with just an oven light on work better or the same? Thanks for this great hub.
SBMom: Good question. I believe dehydrators work in the 100-110F (about 40-45C) range, so that would be appropriate. As for the oven with the light on, that depends on what temperature is actually maintained in your oven (how drafty it is, etc.). If it does maintain a stable 100F/40C or so, then yes, it'd be great.
I use LIVE "Lactobacillus Bulgaricus" to make yogurt, but it grows and reproduces quite rapidly. If I use more than two teaspoons/per liter of milk it turns too acidic and it produces too much whey. Would you help me figure out what is the right proportion of live bacteria and milk. Also, could I avoid the whey formation. Thanks
Love the idea with the cooler box and hot water. I used to make mine in a flask, but this enables you to make much more.
Hi-great instructions! Like one of the previous posters, I've been eating Activia. Is it possible to use plain Kefir--which has many, many bacteria including the good digestive ones--as a starter for yogurt???
blkperl123: No, if you use kefir as a starter, it will create...kefir. :) It is delicious and nutritious, though, so by all means try it. It just won't have that custard-like texture of yogurt; it's more like a clumpy milkshake.
what about probiotic capsules?
My family eats lots of store-bought yogurt. Being a young man in my early 50s, I am finding the desire to start eating right (or at least better than in the past). Thank you for this very informative, easy-to-understand web site. I will check in periodically to share my results, and likely ask lots of questions. The history of comments is really helpful. Several questions I had were answered in previous posts.
I had a rich aunt who used to make her own yogurt. She did it because she felt it was healthier not because she was cheap.
Wow, this looks so much easier than I had imagined it would be! I like to make my own live natural foods, like Kombucha. Think I'll give making yogurt a try now too! My grand kids love yogurt and I'd love to make them some without all of the chemicals and preservatives in the commercial stuff. If I wanted to add fruit or flavorings would you suggest doing it before refrigerating or just before eating?
Thanks!
That seems pretty easy to me. I think since Im in the Lactose group I'll go by some sheep milk also. This would be a great family recipe to make together also. Thanks livelonger.
vic says:
3 years ago
That yogurt in step six sure looks delicious. Thank you for an informative Hub.