Make Your Own Yogurt
Edited by Maureen D., Lynn, Graeme, Alma and 1 other
Yogurt is a fermented soy milk, nut milk, or any other milk product. Yogurt cultures are the bacteria used in making them. Its texture and tang come from the fermentation of lactose by these bacteria. This edible and versatile product can be used to do the following:
- 1Lower cholesterol
- 2Help children and adults alike with lactose intolerance
- 3Enhances the immune system
- 4Relieves diarrhea
- 5Treats yeast infections
- 6Can be used for facials (DIY)
- 7Soothes sunburn pain
- 8Can make yogurt cheese and a lot more!
There are several ways on how to make yogurt on your own. It comes in various forms and can be easily made and stored at home.
Making Yogurt - Crack Pot Method
Ingredients
- 18 cups of your choice of milk
- 21/2 cup of plain yogurt with live cultures
- 3Crock pot
- 4Bath towel
- 5Strainer
- 6Cheesecloth
Steps
- 1Pour the milk into the crock pot.
- 2Set it to low and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
- 3(Do not remove the lid.)After cooking, turn it off and set it aside for 3 hours.
- 4Add 1/2 cup of the yogurt with live bacteria and put the lid back on.
- 5This will make the live cultures propagate.Take the bath towel and wrap it around the crock pot.
- 6Let it sit for 8 to 12 hours.
- 7So if you want your yogurt to be a bit thicker, run it through the cheesecloth lined in the strainer.At this time, the yogurt should be a runny consistency.
- 8Place the strainer over a bowl and let the yogurt drip.
- 9Letting it drain for an hour more gives you a Greek yogurt consistency, which is very thick.
You can store the strained liquid and add it into your smoothies. There is really no waste when making yogurt.
Heat Pad Yogurt Making
Ingredients
- 11/2 gallon of milk
- 23 tablespoons of yogurt (plain)
- 3A 10 quart stock pot
- 4A 5 quart pot with lid
- 5A spoon (plastic or metal will do)
- 6A dial thermometer (preferably with clip)
- 7A heating pad
- 8A dish towel
Steps
- 1Make sure the milk is at room temperature.
- 2This procedure prevents the milk from burning, and thus saves time and effort. Place the bigger pot in the sink, put the smaller one in it, fill the bigger pot with water until it reaches halfway of the smaller one.Create a water jacket.
- 3To take away any possible contamination, sterilize the equipment you need to use.
- 4Boil water using the water jacket approach, pour the milk into the smaller pot.
- 5Clip the thermometer into the smaller pot.
- 6Heat the milk to 185 degrees F to have it prepared for yogurt culture production.
- 7Stir frequently to prevent the milk from sticking into the bottom of the pot.
- 8As soon as it reaches the correct temperature, turn off the fire and cool it down to 110 degrees F in cold water bath for faster results.
- 9When the milk reaches the correct cool down temperature, pour in the yogurt and stir the mixture.
- 10Cover the pot with a lid.
- 11Take the heating pad and set it to medium, place it on top of a chopping board and place the milk pot on top of it.
- 12Cover it with a dish towel to keep it warmer, and wait for 7 hours for the yogurt to culture.
- 13After 7 hours, turn the heating pad off and remove the pot from it.
- 14Take the lid off and stir the yogurt and check for curdling.
- 15Pour the yogurt into clean containers with tight fitting lids.
- 16Chill the finished product in the coldest part of the refrigerator overnight.
The day after, the yogurt should be thicker. Add in some chopped fruits and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Making Yogurt in the Cooler
Ingredients
- 1A gallon of milk
Equipment Needed
- 1Dutch oven over a big pot
- 2Thermometer
- 3Cooler - medium sized
- 44 Quart canning jars with a pint jar
- 5Food funnel
- 6Ladle
Steps
- 1Stir to keep the milk from curdling, until it reaches the temperature of 180 degrees.Pour the milk in a clean dutch oven and set it to medium heat.
- 2It will take long time doing it naturally so you may want to put it in a cold bath to do so. However, you will need to monitor the temperature closely and stop the cold bath as soon as it reaches the correct temperature.Take it from the heat and let it cool down to 115 degrees.
- 3Spoon some of the milk into the yogurt, mix it well before adding it in the pot.
- 4Close it with the lid.Pour in hot water in your cooler, until it reaches about half way up of the quart jar.
- 5Leave about 2 inches of head space.Seal tightly with the lids.Take your quart jars and ladle the cooked milk, do not fill them up to the brim.
- 6Cover it with a towel to let it sit and incubate it for for 8 to 24 hours undisturbed.Put the jars of milk into the cooler.
Making Yogurt in the Sun
Ingredients
- 11 Quart of milk, warmed
- 23 Tablespoons of plain yogurt
Steps
- 1Pour the warmed milk into a casserole or pot with a glass lid.
- 2Add in the yogurt, mix it well.
- 3Place it under the sun on a warm summer day, but not on a very hot day though.
- 4Let the pot sit in the warmth of the sun for 5 hours.
Making Yogurt in a Thermos
Ingredients
- 11 1/2 cups of fresh milk
- 21/3 cup of milk powder
- 31 1/2 tablespoons of yogurt
- 4A 500 ml Thermos
- 5Bath Towel
Steps
- 1In a saucepan, pour in the fresh milk and the powdered milk and mix them together with a wire whisk.
- 2Heat the saucepan into 180 degrees F, it will take about 10 minutes.
- 3After it reached the desired temperature, take it away from the heat and cool it down to 115 degrees F.
- 4Boil water and pour it over the thermos, fill it up and put the lid on.
- 5When the milk has cooled down, add in the yogurt and mix it together.
- 6Empty the water from the thermos, and pour in the milk into it.
- 7Put the lid on and wrap it with the towel and leave undisturbed overnight.
Yogurt in the Oven
Ingredients
- 11 1/2 cups of fresh milk
- 21/3 cup of milk powder
- 31 1/2 tablespoons of yogurt
Steps
- 1In a saucepan, pour in the fresh milk and the powdered milk and mix them together with a wire whisk.
- 2Heat the saucepan into 180 degrees F, it will take about 10 minutes.
- 3After it reached the desired temperature, take it away from the heat and cool it down to 115 degrees F.
- 4Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- 5While waiting for the oven to reach the correct temperature, boil water and pour it in 400 ml glass jars to preheat them.
- 6Empty the jars and place the milk inside them, put the lids on tightly.
- 7Turn the oven off as soon as it reaches the right temperature and place the glass jars in and leave them for 4 hours.
Tips & Tricks
- The jars to be used must be clean and sterilised.
- The yogurt to be used as starters should have live cultures, it must be stated in the labels.
- The heating temperature of the milk must reach at 180°F to kill other bacteria that could hamper the bacteria to be used in making yogurt.
- If you want the yogurt creamier and with more tang, make the incubating process longer.
- The homemade yogurt should last for up to 14 days in the refrigerator.
- Add nuts and fruits into your yogurt for a healthier twist.
Questions and Answers
Does fermented soy milk works the same as regular milk when making yogurt?
Yes, fermented soy milk works the same as regular milk when making yogurt. Typically, regular cow's milk is recommended for making yogurt, but if you do not have any, you can try other forms of milk, as long as they have sugar to ferment the bacteria and protein that can be coagulated.
Now, to tackle the healthy components found in fermented soy milk: It contains fermented protein and less saturated fat, which are good for the health. On the other hand, unfermented protein in soy is harmful to your health, and it reduces the absorption of some minerals and vitamins in your body. If you are not going to use fermented dairy products for making yogurt, the possibility is that you will have stomach upset and other adverse effects, after consuming your homemade yogurt.
The final verdict is that when choosing soy milk for making yogurt, make sure that it contains fermented protein and sugar, which are essential for the fermentation process of yogurt. Avoid unfermented dairy products, because apart from their health benefits, they also cause numerous adverse effects to your health.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
