Homemade Yogurt

[cdrumm4448]

Does anyone here do this? My kids drink an amazing amount of drinkable yogurt each week. In addition to the monetary cost, we are throwing away tons of those little bottles.

 

I've considered buying Kefir and blending it with fresh fruit to add flavor and thin it enough for them. Would this be preferable to making it myself? I don't know much about it, but I would still have to thin it,even if I make it, in order to get them to consume it. I gave them flavored Kefir and they hated it. Too tart and thick.

 

That stuff in the little bottles is probably also loaded with sugar. Another reason to find a substitute.

 

Any suggestions?

[Aggie]

We make our own goat milk yogurt and it is delicious. We don't put sugar or fruit in it.

 

It's easy to do and well-worth it, ime. :) Try it!

[cdrumm4448]

Do you use a yogurt maker, or do you make it on the stove?

[Tammyla]

I make an easy vanilla yogurt drink here.

 

1. Bring 4 cups of skim or 1% milk up to 180' in a pan.

 

2. Remove from heat and let cool down to 120' (no cooler that that!)

 

3. Meanwhile heat some water in a quart jar in the microwave to get the jar nice and warm. Empty the water out of the jar and put 1-3 Tablespoons of plain yogurt in the bottom, add the warm milk and stir well for about 20 seconds. Put the lid on and wrap in a blanket or towel for 6-8 hours. 6=less tart. That's it!

 

It will thicken up after refrigerating. Remember to save some yogurt (plain) for your next batch.

 

I add in homemade vanilla or other flavor to the milk before pouring into the jar. Once the jar or bowl is wrapped in the towel I usually let it set in the microwave for around 7 hours.

 

This recipe is easy and flexible. I know some use a big thermos to incubate it vs the blanket wrap.

 

If you use whole milk and a larger amount of yogurt starter, it will thicken to a spoon eating consistency.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Tammyla

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I would like to make homemade yogurt too since we all have a yougurt a day for breakfast or for snacking. Wouldn't the yogurt makers be like using a crock pot?

[Nicole M]

I make an easy vanilla yogurt drink here.

 

1. Bring 4 cups of skim or 1% milk up to 180' in a pan.

 

2. Remove from heat and let cool down to 120' (no cooler that that!)

 

3. Meanwhile heat some water in a quart jar in the microwave to get the jar nice and warm. Empty the water out of the jar and put 1-3 Tablespoons of plain yogurt in the bottom, add the warm milk and stir well for about 20 seconds. Put the lid on and wrap in a blanket or towel for 6-8 hours. 6=less tart. That's it!

 

It will thicken up after refrigerating. Remember to save some yogurt (plain) for your next batch.

 

I add in homemade vanilla or other flavor to the milk before pouring into the jar. Once the jar or bowl is wrapped in the towel I usually let it set in the microwave for around 7 hours.

 

This recipe is easy and flexible. I know some use a big thermos to incubate it vs the blanket wrap.

 

If you use whole milk and a larger amount of yogurt starter, it will thicken to a spoon eating consistency.

 

I use a very similar method. I have a one-quart glass canning jar that I fill with whole milk and then heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes. I stick my grandmother's old candy-making thermometer in it and let it cool to 105*, then dump in several tablespoons of yogurt. I have an older Salton yogurt maker that I bought at Target for $10 about 10 or 15 years ago (I did a search and found one similar, but it's $50!). I put a plastic lid on the quart jar, then set it in the machine. That keeps the temperature up the same way the towels would.

 

I'm a little curious about the temperature thing. I thought I remembered that over 110, you killed off the something-something-good (acidophilus?).

 

I will try vanilla. Thanks! I hadn't even thought of that. I use the yogurt in our bread, so vanilla would be fun to try in cinnamon rolls.

 

My homemade yogurt is a little thinner than store bought, so I'm thinking that it could be "drunk" like kefir. We use our yogurt in smoothies, with a banana, frozen peaches, protein powder and smidgen of agave nectar. It's not exactly kefir, but yummy.

 

Oh, and this one is similar to mine:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Cuisine-2qt-Yogurt-Maker/dp/B002KBFO6C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263170772&sr=8-4

[Nicole M]

Here's a nice little article about making your own kefir:

 

http://www.rwood.com/Recipes/Kefir_Homemade.htm

[Jen in PA]

I make an easy vanilla yogurt drink here.

 

1. Bring 4 cups of skim or 1% milk up to 180' in a pan.

 

2. Remove from heat and let cool down to 120' (no cooler that that!)

 

3. Meanwhile heat some water in a quart jar in the microwave to get the jar nice and warm. Empty the water out of the jar and put 1-3 Tablespoons of plain yogurt in the bottom, add the warm milk and stir well for about 20 seconds. Put the lid on and wrap in a blanket or towel for 6-8 hours. 6=less tart. That's it!

 

It will thicken up after refrigerating. Remember to save some yogurt (plain) for your next batch.

 

I add in homemade vanilla or other flavor to the milk before pouring into the jar. Once the jar or bowl is wrapped in the towel I usually let it set in the microwave for around 7 hours.

 

This recipe is easy and flexible. I know some use a big thermos to incubate it vs the blanket wrap.

 

If you use whole milk and a larger amount of yogurt starter, it will thicken to a spoon eating consistency.

 

:iagree: This is so close to what I do -- I use whole milk, though, and omit the vanilla. I put it in a big glass bowl, wrapped in a towel, and stick it in the microwave overnight.

[Denise in Florida]

Is it still cost effective if you have to use store bought milk? I have been interested in making yogurt but I don't have access to anything except the homogenized/pasturized milk in the grocery stores.

 

Side note: would it be cost effective to make cheese? I have seen so many posts about homemade yogurt and cheese that I really want to try it.

[Amira]

Is it still cost effective if you have to use store bought milk? I have been interested in making yogurt but I don't have access to anything except the homogenized/pasturized milk in the grocery stores.

 

Side note: would it be cost effective to make cheese? I have seen so many posts about homemade yogurt and cheese that I really want to try it.

 

I think yogurt is cost effective, because you get the same amount of yogurt as you started with milk, but I haven't yet figured out a good way to make cheese cost effective if you don't have a cheap source for milk. You don't end up with much cheese from a gallon of milk. Hard cheeses also require some supplies and space which can be expensive. Soft cheeses are much easier to make. I've done feta and jack, in addition to the super easy mozzarella and paneer. But I rarely make cheese, just because it's usually cheaper to buy it instead of make it with regular store-bought milk. Feta might be an exception though.

[MommyX8]

You heat the milk to 180 degrees anyway, which is hot enough to kill "stuff" in the milk so that the yogurt cultures can flourish. If I have the extra raw milk, I'll use it. But since I am heating it anyway, I am fine with using pasteurized milk.

[homeschoolmomtutu]

We live by out Yogourmet yoghurt maker and Yogourmet yoghurt starter....love, love...

...well worth the 50 bucks!

[JeneralMom]

I make both yoghurt and kefir constantly. I use my crockpot to make the yoghurt : If you have a 3 or 4 quart crock pot use 1/2 gallon of milk and 1/2 cup starter. If you have a 6 quart crock pot use 1 gallon mil and 1 cup starter. For starter just buy all natural, live yoghurt or keep some from last batch (this only works for about 5 times, then it weakens)

 

Put milk in crockpot and turn on low for 2.5 hours. Then, turn heat off for 3 hours. After this, remove 1 cup warm milk, mix with starter and mix back in to crock pot. Cover the crock pot with warm towels, or put in a cooler, or I find one of those insulated freezer bags from the grocery store works well, and let sit out from 8 to 12 hours. You can leave it out for as long as 24 but it gets really tart.

 

I always use whole milk or a mix of whole and cream. It makes a luscious creamy concotion. I do not add any sugar or flavourings.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Here's the recipe I use. It makes 1/2 gallon of yogurt.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

[cylau]

There used to be a thread about making yogurt in a crock pot.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132603&highlight=crockpot+yogurt

[stripe]

Is it still cost effective if you have to use store bought milk? I have been interested in making yogurt but I don't have access to anything except the homogenized/pasturized milk in the grocery stores.

You can figure this out easily. I think around me, yogurt costs about $2.49/quart. If milk is anything less than $10 / gallon, you're coming out ahead to make your own, unless (perhaps) you invest in lots of expensive yogurt "equipment." (I haven't done calculations for yogurt-by-the-cup.)

[Tammyla]

You're right, the temp needs to be between 110' and no higher than 120', somewhere between the two is ideal. (I use my candy thermometer and finger test before adding in the starter.)

 

Here is an interesting yogurt making like for those interested in other ways.

http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-make-yogurt

 

I use a very similar method. I have a one-quart glass canning jar that I fill with whole milk and then heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes. I stick my grandmother's old candy-making thermometer in it and let it cool to 105*, then dump in several tablespoons of yogurt. I have an older Salton yogurt maker that I bought at Target for $10 about 10 or 15 years ago (I did a search and found one similar, but it's $50!). I put a plastic lid on the quart jar, then set it in the machine. That keeps the temperature up the same way the towels would.

 

I'm a little curious about the temperature thing. I thought I remembered that over 110, you killed off the something-something-good (acidophilus?).

 

I will try vanilla. Thanks! I hadn't even thought of that. I use the yogurt in our bread, so vanilla would be fun to try in cinnamon rolls.

 

My homemade yogurt is a little thinner than store bought, so I'm thinking that it could be "drunk" like kefir. We use our yogurt in smoothies, with a banana, frozen peaches, protein powder and smidgen of agave nectar. It's not exactly kefir, but yummy.

 

Oh, and this one is similar to mine:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Cuisine-2qt-Yogurt-Maker/dp/B002KBFO6C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263170772&sr=8-4

[homeschoolmomtutu]

for those interested in even more ways =)

we culture for 24hrs ...here's why:

http://www.glassbird.com/scd/yogurt.htm

[stripe]

Oh, that's interesting (24 hr idea) -- I recently had trouble getting my yogurt to thicken up, and it ended up taking about 24 hrs, and it was dramatically "tarter" than my normal homemade yogurt. What's your experience?

[homeschoolmomtutu]

I would say yes it is more tart (I think that equals yummier too =0)*)...it is always very creamy! We use one 1/2 gallon carton of organic whole milk and about one cup of organic 1/2 and 1/2 in each batch.... no sweeteners or gelatins etc... while batching.

Then when it's ready it can be eaten any way you like...plain, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon, add fruit, nuts...and even for making "ice cream"....we also use it the other way as a topping for anything that would call for sour cream or to make veggie dips...love it!