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Lisbet
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 3:20pm | IP Logged
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tried and true yogurt making instructions!! Please share your way of making yogurt - ingredients used, how much used, how long, what temp and incubating method. It is so hit and miss for me around here. I made a great batch last week - but this weeks was 'flaky'. What works for you?
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 3:27pm | IP Logged
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i do the crock pot thing.
4 cups fat free, pasteurized but unhomogenized milk
4 cups whole pasteurized but unhomogenized milk
(no particular reason why i use that combination, it's usually what i have here so it's what i use -- sometimes it's more of one and less of the other)
1/2 cup strained yogurt from previous batch (or a yogurt you like, my first batch i used yogurt from seven stars farm)
2 1/2 hours on LOW in crockpot
turn off crockpot, leave for 3 hours
whisk in 1/2 cup yogurt/starter, cover and wrap the whole crockpot in two large towels
leave 7 hours
chill until needed.
also wanted to mention a few weeks ago i made a mistake and left the yogurt for 7 hours instead of 3 (duh) and it STILL worked, except it was much more watery (or should i say whey-y). but it was still yogurt and i still used it to start the next batch.
hope that helps! now if someone can teach me how to make kefir!....
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stef
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SusanMc
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 3:36pm | IP Logged
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I use an almost identical recipie with the crockpot.
8 cups whole milk
crockpot on low for 2 hours, unplug and let sit for 3 hours
add 1/2 cup of yogurt from store or previous batch in a bowl with a cup of warm milk from the crock pot in a separate bowl(This is about 3 ice cubes thawed in the fridge.)
Add mixture back to crockpot and cover with three towels.
Tell toddler that the yogurt is "sleeping" and don't wake it by touching it. 
Transfer to plastic tubs and fridge after 8-13 hours. I find that there isn't much difference in this range so I just time the process to be able to wake up to yogurt in the morning if possible.
Put masking tape label on yogurt with the "use by" date 10 days from yogurt making day.
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 3:51pm | IP Logged
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I haven't tried this crockpot method which is identical to what I do in a regular pot but sounds way easier. But here's what I do:\
1 gallon of whole, pasteurized, organic milk in a stock pot
heat on medium to 180 degrees, stirring occasionally
turn off heat and let cool to 120 degrees
mix some of the warm milk with 1/2 cup or so of last yogurt batch, mix well
mix the tempered yogurt into the pot, mix well
put a lid on the pot, set it on a hot mat on the counter, cover with three towels and leave for 8-10 hours
Dh and I have both made yogurt according to this method and my yogurt is always much better. I find that the single most important step (and the one he skips) is to really mix some yogurt and warm milk before adding yogurt to the pot and then really mix the culture into the pot of milk really, really well.
Even though we are raw milk fanatics I use pasteurized for yogurt because it comes out a lot better.
I might try the crockpot next time--sounds like it requires much less "watching" than my method.
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Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 3:52pm | IP Logged
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Oh, and kefir is the easiest thing ever to make. I personally find it extremely gross but we had it going for a long time and I often baked with it.
Just get some grains and toss them into some milk and let them sit. If it comes out too strong, let it sit less next time. If it isn't to where you want it, let it go longer. Easy, easy. Much harder to find the "grains" to get you started.
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Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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Maria in WI
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 8:15pm | IP Logged
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I only make 1 quart at a time, but here is what I do-
Heat 4 cups milk in microwave up to 180, then add about 3/4 cups sugar (or else dh says it is too sour, and won't take it in his lunch  ) and 1/2 cup powdered milk, and let cool to 115. Add about 1/2 cup yogurt, and I agree that it needs to be mixed really well. I use a yogurt maker to incubate it, for 8-12 hours.
I have used a crock pot for a double recipe, but I still heat it up first, then put it in the crockpot after it is cooled.
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Bookswithtea
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I use a 2 qut yogurt maker. I add one packet of unflavored gelatin to a little bit of cold milk and stir till its completely dissolved. Then I add it back to a full 8 cups of whole milk. I used to add in 1c. milk powder too, but now I understand that's not so good, healthwise, so I'm leaving it out. I heat to 182 degrees, then submerse the pot in cold water in the sink to get it to drop to the right temp. Then I add in some sweetener (used stevia this last time...turned out very nice) and 2 T vanilla, and starter (I use the packets but am going to try using yogurt next time). Then I incubate for 4 hrs.
The only batches that have failed for me have been ones with lower fat milks...they turn out really runny. I used organic whole milk for the first time this week and it turned out much creamier and smoother than grocery store milk. My kids much prefer when I add vanilla and a bit of sweetener to the cooking process, rather than just adding toppings.
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happymama
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| Posted: Oct 15 2009 at 11:24am | IP Logged
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Maria, I'm glad I'm not the only one who microwaves the milk to 180! I used to do it on the stovetop, but couldn't pay enough attention to it to keep it from scalding on the bottom, and it took SO long to heat. So...
2 qts. whole milk - micro to 180, then cool to 120.
2 ice cubes frozen, purchased organic yogurt - I put these into a 1 C pyrex measuring cup & put it inside my yogurt maker water bath, which heats it up to 120, then I add 1 packet of gelatin. Following Susan's advice, I
blend this really well into the cooled milk.
culture overnight in the yogurt maker, mix it up, refrigerate, and it's always perfect, unsweetened yogurt this way. Good for baking with, but the only way the kids & I will eat it is if I sweeten it, typically 3/4 C sugar into the 2 quarts, but we also eat ours with berries, granola, etc.
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Maria in WI
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| Posted: Oct 15 2009 at 11:03pm | IP Logged
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Bookswithtea wrote:
| I used to add in 1c. milk powder too, but now I understand that's not so good, healthwise, so I'm leaving it out. |
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Very interesting... I thought that the purpose of the powdered milk was to make the yogurt thicker and to add calcium. I have actually never made yogurt without it.
What is it about the milk powder that is not so good? 
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Oct 16 2009 at 6:34am | IP Logged
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I read in Nina Planck's Real Food that the spray dry process of making powdered milk creates damaged cholesterols. What I don't know is if there are other ways of dehydrating milk naturally that would be healthy.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Maria in WI
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| Posted: Oct 16 2009 at 9:49am | IP Logged
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I see... I have read about the downfalls of pasturization and homogenization, but I will have to look into that, too  . Do you recommend Nina Planck's book?
eta: sorry for taking the thread off topic 
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Oct 16 2009 at 9:56am | IP Logged
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I made a batch in the crockpot, and it is not flaky at all (that texture makes me  ) It is very creamy, but a tad runny, so I have some draining in the fridge right now. I think I will try to add the gelatin next time to thicken it up a bit. I was using the heating pad method, but it would get too hot on the bottom and get dry and flaky. The crockpot was much easier and I didn't have to hover over it to keep track of the temp. Thanks so much!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Oct 16 2009 at 2:22pm | IP Logged
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Maria in WI wrote:
I see... I have read about the downfalls of pasturization and homogenization, but I will have to look into that, too . Do you recommend Nina Planck's book?
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I love Nina's book. I find her inspiring, but also down to earth, and her writing style is really excellent. The book is fun to read because its as much story as it is information.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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amarytbc
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| Posted: Oct 16 2009 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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I make ours with powdered milk, but since you want to stay away from that here is the regular milk recipe.
I don't think it gets any easier than this. I read it on a cooks blog, but don't remember which one.
Fill a thermos with hot water.
Heat a pint (I just fill up my old yogurt container) of milk to 110-120 which feels like the temperature of the hot water coming out of your tap. I've never used a thermometer and don't think this part is as important as people think, it just needs to be hot but not very hot  Add a few spoonfuls of real yogurt (1/4 C probably) to the milk and whisk until smooth. Pour water out of the thermos and yogurt milk into it. Close lid. In 5 hours you should have the perfect yogurt. If it's not firm, leave it longer. Works every time for me and is creamy and thick.
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Karen T
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I've only made yogurt using raw, whole non-homogenized milk.
Take 7 cups of milk, 1/2 cup raw sugar and 1/2 tsp corn starch (I'm not crazy about using cornstarch but it's a tiny amount) and heat to 180 on stove. Let cool to 120. Add about 1/2 cup of the warmed milk to a small container of active yogurt (I get Stonyfield's vanilla), mix well and then dump back into the pan of warm milk and stir well, adding 1 tsp vanilla and if desired, 1/2 dropper of stevia.
Meanwhile, I've had my oven heating up to 150 degrees. I turn it off and put the milk into 2 quart jars and put in the oven. It takes about 5 hours to set up and it's lovely and creamy and oh-so-yummy while warm!
My friend who gave me this recipe does hers either in a yogurt maker she has, or in the crockpot, by putting the jar(s) in a glass bowl with a towel under it, and then setting the bowl in the crockpot and putting water in so it's almost above the yogurt. She also keeps a wooden spoon between the lid and the crockpot. I don't have a regular crockpot, just a slowcooker which is short and oblong, and it gets WAY too hot even on low, so I tried the oven and it worked fine.
Karen T
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Oct 17 2009 at 9:06am | IP Logged
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Ah ha! Its funny you should post right now, as I am drinking my first ever sample of raw cow's milk while reading your post! Way yummy.
So the process for raw milk isn't any different than for pasteurized?
Also, what is the cornstarch for? Are you using liquid concentrate stevia...the kind that often comes flavored?
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Karen T
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| Posted: Oct 17 2009 at 10:23am | IP Logged
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Some say not to heat the raw milk up as high b/c you don't want to kill off the good stuff in raw milk, but I've also heard if you don't heat it up enough the yogurt will be runnier.
the cornstarch is a thickener; I also use it sometimes if my gravy isn't thickening up well.
Yes, the stevia is liquid concentrate but it's not flavored. Actually I didn't put it in last time and it was plenty sweet enough without it.
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melanie
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 4:47pm | IP Logged
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First, fill a sippy cup with milk. Roll it under the couch and let sit until your next cleaning day. 
Ok, well, we use a yogurt maker. Is that cheating? I wouldn't have bought one new, I found it at a yard sale for $2. It's basically just an incubator and probably doesn't work any better than a crock pot. You still have to make the yogurt. It does have small cups that are handy.
I don't add sugar, but I put a tablespoon of jam in the bottom of each of the little containers. Peach is my favorite. I have found that homemade yogurt does come out a bit runnier than store bought. This doesn't bother me. I would like it a bit firmer, but when I've tried adding gelatin it turns out all grainy textured and no one will eat it.
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