My method for homemade yogurt

Last edited Fri Jul 19, 2013, 08:54 PM - Edit history (1)

Since the subject of making yogurt comes up quite frequently here I thought I'd detail the method I use. Yogurt has been made for thousands of years and it's really pretty simple to make. There are a variety of different methods you can use from the very low tech to the fairly high tech. This is the one I've found works best for me after many years of trial and error. Keep in mind that I make a lot of yogurt on a regular basis, so my needs are basically something that can make a lot of yogurt fairly easily and foolproof.

The first step is to warm up the crock pot. I posted details about my sous vide controller which I marry to one of my crock pots for yogurt making. I pour in about a gallon of warm water and set the controller to 135 degrees. I supplement the warm tap water with a few cups of boiling water to bring the temp up to around 135F and then I let the controller maintain that temp while I'm preparing the milk.

Next I scald the milk. I use 2% milk because I prefer the texture that provides. You can certainly use whatever milkfat content you want and your results will vary accordingly. I also don't use milk powder or any thickening agents to my milk, although this is certainly an option. I just prefer the texture plain milk provides. I use a gallon of milk at a time, which seems like a lot, but by the time I am finished I get about 1/2 to 1/3rd of that amount, so it's not as much as it seems. I scald the milk in a big pot with a very thick bottom (very important) over medium-low heat until the temperature reaches 190F. I use a simple thermometer that clips on the side of the pot, which works just fine. Since I'm using a thick bottom pan and low heat, there's no need to stir very much, if at all. Since I bring the milk up to temperature quite slowly, there's really no need to hold this temp for any length of time. As soon as it gets to 190F, I put the pot into a water bath in the sink along with a few ice cubes. It takes just a few minutes to lower the temp to about 125-130F.

At this point I pour the hot water from my crock and dry it out with a towel. I adjust the controller to 122F and pour in the milk through a metal strainer. The temp of the milk at this point is usually a bit on the low side at around 115-118F which is just about where I want it. 122F would be ideal, but it's better to be on the low side. Too high and you will kill the yogurt culture. Next I pitch 8oz of yogurt and incorporate with a balloon whisk. I either use a cup from a previous batch or commercial plain yogurt with active cultures. I generally don't reuse my yogurt too many times before buying new starter because I don't want to culture other bacteria which may have found their way into my batches. Then I just position the temperature probe and put the cover on the crock. I usually incubate for about 4 hours. Lower temperatures will require longer incubation times. This will also affect the flavor of your finished product which is a matter of personal preference. The nice thing about the controller is you can get whatever temperatures you like. At 130F, your culture will start to die. Anything from 100-120F will work with variable results in taste and texture.

While the yogurt is fermenting, I sterilize several mason jars by steaming them inside a large pot for about 10 minutes.

After 4 hours I'm done culturing. The mixture will seem somewhat runny at this point although noticeably thicker than what you started with. From there the yogurt goes into the mason jars and I let everything cool off in the fridge for a few hours. After 4-8 hours you'll have a layer of whey on the top of the jars. I skim this off and put the yogurt into my strainer 2 qts at a time. If you make a lot of yogurt and want to strain it to make it thicker, I highly recommend getting a strainer designed for the task. You can certainly use any fine mesh strainer you want or cheese cloth. I strain the yogurt for about 3-4 hours. Longer straining times yields a thicker final product. The yogurt will have some small curds in it at this point. If you want creamier yogurt, simply use a hand or stand mixer.

I like to eat my yogurt plain or with a bit of fresh fruit or a few sprinkles of granola. If you like it sweet, honey or maple syrup are good options.

Edited to add nutritional information:

I'm borrowing the nutritional information from Fage 2% Greek Yogurt, which is going to be pretty close if not identical to what I make

Calories 150
Calories from fat 35
Total fat 4g
Sat fat 3g
Carbs/sugar (from the milk) 8g
Protein 20g