I know there are a lot of blog entries out there about this subject, but I want to chime in since making homemade yogurt is something that I really enjoy and it can have so many uses. All of three of us adore yogurt. We mix some up with mostly mashed carrots for our little guy and we eat it with fresh organic fruit and local honey drizzled on top. Yogurt is such a versatile food that is ridiculously good for you. You can even make your own yogurt cheese which can be used as a substitute for cream cheese, mayo, etc.
Today, I'm just going to give you a basic run down of how we make yogurt. Soon, I'll post a yogurt cheesecake recipe!
What you need to make yogurt:
- 1 cup starter organic yogurt (PLAIN and whole milk...make sure it has ACTIVE cultures)
- 1 half PASTEURIZED (*NOT* ultra pasteurized) gallon milk (We prefer Organic Valley California Pastures because it is organic, local and grass-fed. They have other local varieties that may be available in your area. Visit their website!)
- 1 crock pot - 2.5 quarts is the ideal size. We have been actually using a little less milk and doing ours in a 1.5 quart crock pot lately.
- 1 thick towel
- Fine mesh strainer (we use a 9 inch one)
- Cheesecloth or coffee filters
1. Pour milk into crock pot. Set on low and let it heat for 2-3 hours.
2. Take pot out of crock pot machine and wrap in towel. Put in unused oven to keep air temp around it nice and even. Let sit 3-4 hours. (It helps to lay the towel flat, place the crock on top, and then wrap the towel over.)
3. After 3-4 hours, take out 1-2 cups of milk and put into a clean bowl. Whisk in your 1 cup of starter yogurt until blended. Put the mixture back in with the rest of the milk.
4. Rewrap in towel, put back in oven, and let it sit 8-10 hours.
5. It's time to strain out the whey! For thicker yogurt, strain longer and for yogurt cheese, put in the fridge and let it strain for 24 hours. We strain ours for about 30 minutes or so for a nice thick yogurt. We just put the clean cheesecloth over the mesh strainer and then put that on top of our large stock pot. :) If you want, you can whip the yogurt in your blender to make it a bit frothier. You can use the whey as a substitute for liquids in baking, blend it into a smoothie, use it to soak beans, etc. It's also very good for you so don't let it go to waste.
6. Put a cup of starter aside in a separate container for next time, and refrigerate it all! Be sure to refrigerate it in a non-reactive (non-metal) container. Enjoy yummy yogurt that you made yourself. :)
- 1 cup starter organic yogurt (PLAIN and whole milk...make sure it has ACTIVE cultures)
- 1 half PASTEURIZED (*NOT* ultra pasteurized) gallon milk (We prefer Organic Valley California Pastures because it is organic, local and grass-fed. They have other local varieties that may be available in your area. Visit their website!)
- 1 crock pot - 2.5 quarts is the ideal size. We have been actually using a little less milk and doing ours in a 1.5 quart crock pot lately.
- 1 thick towel
- Fine mesh strainer (we use a 9 inch one)
- Cheesecloth or coffee filters
1. Pour milk into crock pot. Set on low and let it heat for 2-3 hours.
2. Take pot out of crock pot machine and wrap in towel. Put in unused oven to keep air temp around it nice and even. Let sit 3-4 hours. (It helps to lay the towel flat, place the crock on top, and then wrap the towel over.)
3. After 3-4 hours, take out 1-2 cups of milk and put into a clean bowl. Whisk in your 1 cup of starter yogurt until blended. Put the mixture back in with the rest of the milk.
4. Rewrap in towel, put back in oven, and let it sit 8-10 hours.
5. It's time to strain out the whey! For thicker yogurt, strain longer and for yogurt cheese, put in the fridge and let it strain for 24 hours. We strain ours for about 30 minutes or so for a nice thick yogurt. We just put the clean cheesecloth over the mesh strainer and then put that on top of our large stock pot. :) If you want, you can whip the yogurt in your blender to make it a bit frothier. You can use the whey as a substitute for liquids in baking, blend it into a smoothie, use it to soak beans, etc. It's also very good for you so don't let it go to waste.
6. Put a cup of starter aside in a separate container for next time, and refrigerate it all! Be sure to refrigerate it in a non-reactive (non-metal) container. Enjoy yummy yogurt that you made yourself. :)
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