Instead of paying about $23 a month for yogurt I now pay about $3, the price of a gallon of milk! Saving $250 a year, not bad. However, I do like using organic milk, if I can.
Homemade Yogurt
The basic items you will need are:
A large stainless steel pot
4-5 large sterilized glass jars and lids*
A thermometer
An ice chest
A gallon of milk
A cup of yogurt (starter)
* I use four 32oz mason jars and one 8oz jar, but any glass jar with a lid would be fine. If you want to recycle salsa or pickle jars that is fine, but make sure all the smell is out and perhaps leave in the sun for the day to ensure you don't end up with pickle favored yogurt!
Sterilizing the jars and lids. Fill a large pot with hot water, large enough to hold your glass jars. Turn the heat on high, and place your jars carefully in the water. Ensure the water is an inch over the tops of your jars. Bring to a gentle boil, and keep them boiling for about 10 minutes. You can also sterilize your jars in the dishwasher (but use them immediately - while hot), or you can also use the oven and/or microwave.
I typically use the water method, noted above or the dishwasher.
Making the yogurt. Place a gallon of milk (whole, low-fat, non-fat, or goats milk) in a large stainless steel pot and turn heat to medium. Stirring occasionally, if you turn the milk on too high it will create a film - just remove the film and continue to heat but at a little lower temperature.
Bring the milk to 185-195 degrees. Remove from heat.
Create an ice bath for your hot pot of milk. I use my sink, see photos. Place the stainless steel pot gently into the cool water, ensuring no water gets into the pot. Bring the milk down to 120 degrees.
Whisk into the pot of 120 degree milk a cup of yogurt. I suggest you use a good brand of yogurt as this is your live active cultures. I like plain Greek yogurt so I started my first batch with a nice, tart, low-fat yogurt. If you like vanilla you could use that favor. I try to stay away from favored yogurts as they are full of chemicals and stabilizers. If I want fruit in my yogurt I cut it up fresh and add local honey, that is if I want it any sweeter.
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| Warming the milk on medium heat |
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| The ice bath. Bring milk down to 120 degrees |
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| Remove the bubbles from the top |
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| Isis - watching the process, awaiting Yogurt |
NOTE: You will need to place the lids into a small pan and sterilize them prior to use. Secondly, you will also need to warm a gallon of water up to 120 degrees for your ice chest. That is why I find it easier to use the water sterilization method. After the jars are removed and filled, I keep the hot water for the ice chest.
After you have whisked in the yogurt, ensuring its really stirred in well, pour into your jars. I like to pour the milk into a 4 cup Pyrex, as I find it easier to get into the jars without a total mess!
Remove any foam from the top of the jars. Place the sterilized tops on the jars and place in an ice chest. Carefully pour a gallon of 120 degree water into the ice chest without knocking over your filled jars.
Close ice chest and place somewhere free from drafts and allow yogurt to sit for a minimum of 3 hours. At the end of three hours check to see if your yogurt is set. You can tell by gently tilting the jar and it should NOT move at all. If for some reason your yogurt has not set, you can place back into ice chest for several more hours. However,if this happens to me, I like to gently remove the water and replace with a gallon of 120 degree water to ensure the yogurt is in a nice warm place. Recheck in a few more hours. Once set, place in the refrigerator for up to one month.
As I make 4 large jars and one small jar, I save the small jar of yogurt to serve as my starter for the next batch. If for some reason you don't make yogurt within the next month, just go back to store and buy a small cup of yogurt and use as your starter.
Please let me know if you have any questions and/or comments.
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