Home Made Yogurt Topic

Justjennie 02/03/16
RECIPE FOR USING STORE BOUGHT MILK

Milk (whole or non fat)
Yogurt for starter - 1 tablespoon per quart of milk used (whole or non fat depending on what milk you're using)
Glass jars (I use 1 quart wide-mouthed canning jars)
Boiling water

Slowly heat milk to 180F
While milk is heating, pour boiling water into glass jars. Let sit about 5 minutes then pour out (this sterilizes the jars)
Once milk has been heated turn the stove off but leave pot on burner
Add starter (some people add about a cup of milk to the starter, mix it then pour it back into the milk. I don't. I add the starter directly to the milk)
Allow milk to cook to 110F
Once milk is cooled, pour into jars, wrap towels around jars and put in a warm location (I put it in the oven with the light on)
Allow to sit 12 hours. Pull jars out and place in fridge

The yogurt won't be as thick as what you get in the store but it's still good. There are recipes where you can thicken it with gelatin but I don't. Also if you want Greek Strained yogurt, just strain the liquid through cheesecloth in a sieve and what is left over should be thick.

If you're fortunate enough to have access to raw milk, below is a yogurt recipe using that. I'm fortunate that I have a farm about 7 miles away that I can go to for my milk and it is by far the freshest milk out there. If I don't get what is coming from the cows that night -- which I was fortunate enough to actually get that milk once -- it's a mixture of what was milked that morning and that night which is still by far fresher than anything in the store.

RECIPE FOR USING RAW MILK:

Raw milk
Yogurt for starter. Again use 1 TBS per quart
Canning Jars
Boiling water to sterilize the jars

Slowly heat milk to 98-100F (I have found 98F to be the sweet spot. Do NOT heat it higher than this. You will end up pasteurizing the milk and your yogurt will be 99% whey. I made the mistake of making it the way I made it with the store bought milk and ruined it).
Once it reaches 98F, turn burner off, stir in starter (again, I just put the yogurt straight into the milk).
Pour into sterile jars
Wrap with towels and place in warm location for 12 hours
Remove from oven (if that's where you put it) place in fridge

Again, to make Greek strained yogurt just strain it in a sieve lined with cheese cloth.

Home Made Yogurt