Yogurt

Yogurt

My family goes through gallons of yogurt a week.  Yes, you read that correctly GALLONS.  I use to use a yogurt maker that would only produce 6 or 7 1 cup jars at a time.  This was essentially just a heated plastic base with small glass jars and a lid.  Since then I have switched to using my instant pot and it produces consistent results each time and a much higher yield.  In my area milk averages about $2 a gallon.  The only other essential ingredient is a starter culture being a small jar of yogurt (around $1) or a purchased powdered culture which range in price.

It is completely possible to make yogurt without any fancy equipment, though you will need a thermometer.  In this post I will give instructions on both methods.

You will need

* A nonreactive pot to heat your milk.  Copper and cast iron are not recommended as they react with the milk and may cause curdling.
* A thermometer that ranges in temperature from 110 degrees to 185 degrees
* An instant pot or yogurt maker - optional
* Milk (must be dairy milk)
* A starter culture (plain prepared yogurt or a powdered yogurt culture)

Choosing a milk

As long as you use dairy milk you can use any percentage of fat you wish.  Goats milk, cows milk, and sheep milk are all acceptable types and will each produce a different flavor.  You can use anything from skim milk to whole milk and even include heavy cream.  Personally I always use whole milk.  Skim milk will be fewer calories but will also have a thinner consistency after fermenting.  If you desire a thicker yogurt it can be achieved through straining.  Adding heavy whipping cream to your milk will lower your carb ratio (from milk sugars) and also produce a thicker consistency.  You may use raw milk, regular milk, or ultra pasteurized milk.  There are some brands of milk including fairlife milk that are ultra-pasturized and filtered to remove lactose.  Fairlife milk also contains more protein which produces a thicker yogurt but is significantly more expensive.

Choosing a starter culture

Not all yogurts are created equally.  When choosing a starter culture choose a yogurt that you enjoy eating.  Your culture will play a large roll in the end flavor of your yogurt.  If I am using a store bought yogurt I tend to use Fage Greek yogurt as I prefer the taste over other yogurts.  It is less tart but still pleasantly tangy.  Choose a yogurt that does not have added sugars or stabilizers and has live and active cultures.  When you make your first batch of yogurt save enough yogurt for your next 4 or 5 batches and then use a fresh starter.  This is recommended as your yogurt strains may begin to weaken.  I also really like having powdered starters in my freezer.  They are convenient for when I forget to save any yogurt from my last batch and they also produce different flavors and textures.  My favorite place to order yogurt cultures is from https://cheesemaking.com/collections/yogurt-making.

Getting Started

1 tablespoon prepared starter per quart of milk

or

1 package powdered culture per 1 - 2 quarts of milk

1 quart of milk = 4 cups

1 quart milk - 1 tablespoon starter

1/2 gallon milk - 2 tablespoons starter

3 quarts milk - 3 tablespoons starter

1 gallon milk - 1/4 cup starter

Make sure all of your equipment is very clean.  In a non reactive pot add your milk.  The pictures shown were taken of a 1.5 gallon batch.  Heat your milk to 185 degrees, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.  Hold the temperature of the milk at 185 degrees for 5 minutes.  This will denature the proteins in the milk and produce a thicker yogurt.  Alternately you can heat the milk to 180 and immediately move to the next step.  If you are using an instant pot (this will not work in the lux model) you can also hit the yogurt bottom until the display reads boil and wait for your milk to reach 180 - 185 degrees.  I prefer the stovetop method because I find it to be faster and much more consistent.  

In a sink filled with ice water transfer your pan and stir the milk until it is cooled to 100 - 115 degrees (or whatever the temperature indicated on your powdered starter).  Whisk in your starter culture (yogurt or powdered) and transfer to your instant pot.  Cover with a glass lid or your instant pot pressure lid and press the yogurt button making sure it is set to yogurt normal.  Notice in the picture below the buttons that are lit.

Your yogurt should incubate anywhere from 6 to 24 hours.  This tends to be a personal preference.  I tend to set mine to be ready when I think I will be available to continue to the next step.  The longer you incubate your yogurt for the more lactose will be consumed in the process.  This makes the yogurt easier for those with lactose issues to digest.  The bacteria is eating the milk sugars so the yogurt will be more tart the longer you go.

When your timer has finished your instant pot will read yogt for yogurt.  At this point your yogurt should look thick and a spoon should stick up without being held.

If you prefer traditional yogurt with a thinner consistency then you can refrigerate the yogurt at this point and it is ready to eat.  If you would like a thicker Greek yogurt you will need to strain your yogurt.  I have strained my yogurt directly after the yogurt setting has finished though some bloggers will tell you that this disrupts the proteins.  I have not found any mention of this in any of the dairy science books I have read.  When you stir the finished yogurt it will start to release whey (this will happen in refrigerated yogurt as well.  In the picture below you can see little pockets of yellow whey close to the edges of the yogurt.

Gently ladle your yogurt into a butter muslin (cheesecloth with very small holes) lined colander.  If you do not have butter muslin use a clean thin woven kitchen towel.  This draining process can be sped up by leaving your yogurt at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours or you can strain it in the refrigerator for several hours.  Place your colander over a bowl to collect the whey.

After several hours you will be left with a thick yogurt and a lot of whey.  Depending on the consistency you desire will depend on how much whey you will let release.  If I want a really thick Greek yogurt I let half of the mass of whey release (1 gallon of milk will yield 2 quarts thick Greek yogurt and 2 quarts of whey).  You an even strain your yogurt until it is a cream cheese consistency.  This is known as yogurt cheese.  

Once your yogurt is strained you can either put it in an airtight container and refrigerate it or flavor it.  We like to flavor ours in small jars with chalkboard top lids so that it is easy to pick your desired flavor.  They also travel well this way.

How to sweeten your yogurt

There are many ways to sweeten your yogurt but it should be done after you have made your yogurt and not before.

*Pure maple syrup

*Honey

*Monk fruit - liquid or granulated (zero calorie low glycemic, keto)

*Stevia - liquid or granulated (zero calorie low glycemic, keto)

*Sweetened condensed milk

*Sugar

*Simple Syrup

*Coffee Syrups (homemade, store-bought, or sugar free)

*Jello (regular or sugar free)

*Fresh Fruit

*Frozen Fruit

*Fruit Purees and preserves (homemade or store-bought)

*Fruit Curds (Lemon, lime, orange)

*Extracts (Vanilla, Peppermint, Lemon, Raspberry...)

Here are some of our favorite flavors:

Peppermint.  Lightly sweetened with maple syrup with a couple of drops of peppermint oil.

Banana.  Lightly sweetened with maple syrup and a couple of drops of banana extract.

We have also used fresh banana but it gets brown and slimy fast.

Caramel.  We either sweeten this with caramel coffee syrup (caramelize 1 c. sugar with 1/4 cup water

then add 1 cup of water and stir until dissolved) or a homemade caramel sauce.  Instant pot dulce de leche would work well too.

Strawberry banana.  Lightly sweetened with maple syrup then a couple of drops of banana extract and 

strawberry jam.

Vanilla Bean.  Lightly sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla bean paste stirred in.

Lemon Curd (my favorite).  Lightly sweetened with maple syrup and a dollop of lemon curd on top.

My youngest prefers squeeze pouches for their ease and the fact that they are mess free.  For these we take some of the reserved whey and mix it back in until it is a drinkable consistency.  He prefers his to just be lightly sweetened with maple syrup.  I bought this pouches in amazon.

How long does homemade yogurt last

Unflavored I wouldn't hesitate to eat homemade yogurt that is a month old.  The live bacteria and cultures are a great preservative.  Flavored will be good for several weeks.  Just use your best judgement.  If it smells funny, don't eat it.  If it is growing anything, don't eat it.  If the color has changed, don't eat it.

Uses for extra whey

The leftover whey is still full of probiotics and protein.  It is tangy and acidic and can be used in many different ways.

*stir some back into your yogurt for a thinner consistency

*freeze in ice cube strays and use in smoothies

*use in soups or when making homemade stock

*marinate and tenderize meat

*use in place of stock in recipes

*use as liquid in homemade beverages (lemonade...)

*use as a lacto-ferment starter

*use in place of milk or buttermilk in bread, pancake... recipes

*feed to your animals

*water acidic loving plants (blueberries...)

Yogurt without an instant pot or in an instant pot without a yogurt button

Follow the instructions above.  Once your milk is cooled back to 110 - 115 and you have stirred in your culture place the milk in your instant pot lux and seal the pressure lid.  Insulate with bath towels and let incubate for the desired time.  Then follow the directions listed.

If you do not have an instant pot place your yogurt mixture in a heavy pot with a lid.  Place the entire pot in your oven and insulate with bath towels.  Leave your oven light on so that it produces a small amount of heat.  Then follow the directions listed.