I have to admit I thought about this one for at least 2 years. I checked into the fancy yogurt makers and kits, but everytime I got ready to buy one I got cold feet. I really didn't want to make a huge investment into more kitchen equipment I don't have time, money or space for. Greek yogurt is a staple in this house. We run out of it every 4 to 5 days and I buy it by the dozen single serve fruit flavor packs and by the quart in the plain or vanilla variety. Recently I decided to look at creating it from home again, but this time I took the plunge. I spent a few weeks researching the hows and ways and landed on the easiest and cheapest. If you follow the directions it is a NO FAIL way to make yogurt without ANY investment into new stuff for your kitchen.
The best way I could describe the taste is fresh yogurt vs. commercial brands is like fresh bread from the oven vs. store bought. The cost breakdown is $.29 per oz. for store bought vs. $.05 homemade per oz. If I haven't convinced you yet, it is only 2 ingredients: milk (ANY KIND!!!!) and a starter yogurt with live/active bacteria cultures. That is it! No crazy chemicals or preservatives, just milk and yogurt.
Here is the how to:
Ingredients• 1/2 gallon milk - whole or 2% are best, but any milk will work (i.e. coconut, almond, soy, or skim)
• 1/2 cup commercial yogurt - be sure that the yogurt contains active cultures
1. Heat the Milk - In your saucepan or dutch oven, heat the milk to right below boiling, 200°F. Stir the milk gently as it heats to make sure the bottom doesn't scorch and the milk doesn't boil over. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, this heating step is necessary to change the protein structure in the milk so it sets as a solid instead of separating. You are also killing off the bad bacteria so that only to good bacteria grows during the incubation period.
2. Cool the Milk - Let the milk cool until it is just hot to the touch, 112°F - 115°F. This goes faster if you set the pan over an ice bath in the kitchen sink and gently stir the milk.
3. Inoculate the Milk - Pour about a cup of the warm milk into a small bowl and whisk it with the yogurt. Once it's smooth, whisk this back into the pan of milk. ( I didn't do it like this, I just whisked it into the pan all at once and mine turned out just fine.)
4. Incubate the Yogurt - Now comes the long wait period where the milk actually transforms into yogurt. The trick is keeping the milk around 110°F until it has set, usually 4-6 hours. Commercial incubating equipment is handy for maintaining a consistent temperature, but not necessary. First, warm the oven to about 115° (an oven thermometer helps to know when the oven is heated). Put the lid on the dutch oven or saucepan with your inoculated milk and wrap the whole pot in a few layers of towels. These will insulate the pot and keep it warm. Set this bundle in the warmed (but turned off!) oven and set the timer. It's important not to jostle the milk too much as it's incubating so that it sets properly - the temptation to peek is so hard to resist! (I did peak and even removed it warmed it, rewrapped it and put it back and it worked just fine.)
The longer the yogurt sits, the thicker and more tangy it will become. Check it around the 4-hour mark and give it a taste. The texture should be creamy, like a barely-set custard, and the flavor will be tart yet milky. If you like it, pull it out. If you'd like it tangier, leave it for another hour or two. It would be good to make yogurt overnight, putting it in the oven around midnight and taking it out when you get up in the morning should be about right. It really is easier than you think to maintain the temperature without a fancy yogurt machine. There are many different ways to do it (like in a crock pot or with a heating pad) so, I suggest you do your own research before you begin.
5. Cool the Yogurt - If you cool the yogurt in the same container you incubated it in, you should end up with a smoother end result. Once it's completely chilled, transfer it to air tight containers for easier storage. Sometimes there will be a film of watery whey on top of the yogurt. You can strain or pour this off or just stir it back into the yogurt. Yogurt lasts about two weeks in the refrigerator.
I used pint mason jars and it was perfect, and nothing to transfer! Then, I can add different flavors with fruit preserves or leave it plain for cooking without disturbing the other jars.
Homemade yogurt taunted me with the fear of opening the jar and seeing (and smelling) something that would resemble a 2 week old sippy cup found under the couch with what looked like the cheese touch from Diary of a Wimpy Kid!!! What helped me decide to finally do it was reading a comment from a blogger that said "If you wouldn't try it, just throw it out and start over." I thought, well if a little milk and a starter yogurt are all I am wasting, I am willing to try it!
Most of all have fun trying it. I really did feel accomplished by finally conquering this recipe! There are so many blogs and how to's out there, check them out!
(This is the blog I followed for my first try: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-yogurt-at-home-125070)
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