I love a good bowl of yogurt and my goal early on was to learn how to make yogurt. Hence, I found out how truly easy it was to make. It’s absolutely delicious and the best part is you know what is in what your eating. More and more we hear about the dangers of our foods and how horrible they are for our bodies. Take yogurt, for example, you think, “Ok I am eating yogurt and this has to be good for me, right?” Well, maybe not. The terrible sweeteners they fill the finished product with, well it is not so healthy. Besides, it is fun to make your own yogurt and your family will think you are wonderful! So here we are! Let’s learn how to make yogurt.
Is Yogurt Good For You?
Some brands do not even have active cultures (the good bacteria that helps your gut) and others have high fructose corn syrup (or some hide this and just say corn syrup) laced inside. Terrible for your body.
Specialty Organic yogurt can cost up to seven dollars a container (ouch!) Have you ever wanted to make it yourself but thought it would be too hard? Well not so!!! And guess what my friends, we (ahem… grabbing sister and smiling) are going to show you how to do it. Now the hardest part is TIME because you have to wait for the culture to do the job of making your yogurt.
We have found doing it at night helps with the wait (get it, you are sleeping… you don’t notice the wait). Then in the morning in your warm comfy jammies, you run to your kitchen (ok, maybe stumble groggily) and find magic in your crock and therefore you will be hailed by your family as the most wonderful because there it is ready to go like real kitchen magic.
Yogurt In A Crock Pot
For this recipe you will need:
1/2 gallon of whole organic milk or raw cow, goat or other milk. If you can get it straight from a farm, or have a farm all the better.
3/4 cup of powdered milk (This is optional. It helps make your yogurt thicker, especially if you are using other than whole cow milk for instance goat milk yogurt using fresh from the goat milk will come out much thinner thing the drinkable yogurts at the store without it.)
Freeze-dried yogurt culture (Cultures For Health has cultures you can purchase or can buy powdered yogurt culture at Whole Foods Market called gourmet) OR
3/4 cup of powdered milk (This is optional. It helps make your yogurt thicker, especially if you are using other than whole cow milk for instance goat milk yogurt using fresh from the goat milk will come out much thinner thing the drinkable yogurts at the store without it.)
Freeze-dried yogurt culture (Cultures For Health has cultures you can purchase or can buy powdered yogurt culture at Whole Foods Market called gourmet) OR
1/2 cup of plain organic whole fat yogurt with live active cultures (make sure you check the ingredients because not all do)
Crock-Pot
or another slow cookerThick fleece blanket or other heavy blanket or several towels.
A wooden or plastic spoon.
Yogurt In Your Crock-pot
First, we turn on our crockpot to low and let sit and heat up. We do this while making dinner so it can be warming while we are busy with other things and as a result, it does not seem to take long. Next, pour your milk into a pan and let it heat to 175 degrees F. Afterward pour the warmed milk into the crockpot. Do not overheat the milk or it will scald and taste funny (which is not funny, I have done this).
Time To Culture The Yogurt
Next, turn the crock-pot off and add the 1/2 cup of starter or room temperature yogurt with live active cultures. Cover with several layers of towels or blankets and let it sit undisturbed for 8 – 12 hrs with the lid on and covers wrapped/ No peeking now! You need to seal that heat in.
We do this at night and by morning we have breakfast! We usually just lift it out of the crock and put it covered in the fridge. I just know you will truly love this recipe.
“Go. Make It Now!” This is my sister pulling my arm and telling me to make yogurt not me being bossy telling you to make yogurt, although I think you would be very happy if you did.
“Go. Make It Now!” This is my sister pulling my arm and telling me to make yogurt not me being bossy telling you to make yogurt, although I think you would be very happy if you did.
A Drinkable Yogurt
For instance, if you want to make a thinner yogurt to drink let it sit for a shorter period of time than normal yogurt
How To Make Thicker Greek Yogurt
If you want it a bit thicker like Greek yogurt you can pour it into coffee filters
, a clean new pillowslip, or some cheesecloth and hang it or put it in your strainer in the cheesecloth. The whey will come draining off of your yogurt. But DON’T THROW IT AWAY SILLY! Keep it (you can even freeze it in ice cube tray) and it can be used to add protein to smoothies. (Yep, this is the overpriced powder you get at the health food store or at your local smoothie shop.), used in soups, etc. If you allow the yogurt to drain longer it will become a “yogurt cheese” which is much like cream cheese.
, a clean new pillowslip, or some cheesecloth and hang it or put it in your strainer
in the cheesecloth. The whey will come draining off of your yogurt. But DON’T THROW IT AWAY SILLY! Keep it (you can even freeze it in ice cube tray
) and it can be used to add protein to smoothies. (Yep, this is the overpriced powder you get at the health food store or at your local smoothie shop.), used in soups, etc. If you allow the yogurt to drain longer it will become a “yogurt cheese” which is much like cream cheese.Storing Homemade Yogurt
Later when ready to eat it you can sweeten or flavor it. Just take your serving and sweeten with honey, maple syrup or stevia. We like the liquid stevia that is flavored with vanilla and other flavorings. We top with flax and frozen or fresh berries, chopped nuts, granola (Ooh we have a recipe for you!) or whatever you desire.
This is really great yogurt and it is making me hungry just thinking of it and my sister is already getting the stuff to make more granola. I guess I lost her for the rest of this post… (CRASH- muffled voice “I’m alright!”). Be sure to check out our granola recipe! Trust me, you won’t believe how good it is and how easy it is to make. Try it, and let us know what you think, we sure love to hear from you!
, maple syrup
or stevia
. We like the liquid stevia
that is flavored with vanilla
and other flavorings. We top with flax
and frozen or fresh berries, chopped nuts, granola (Ooh we have a recipe for you!) or whatever you desire. This is really great yogurt and it is making me hungry just thinking of it and my sister is already getting the stuff to make more granola. I guess I lost her for the rest of this post… (CRASH- muffled voice “I’m alright!”). Be sure to check out our granola recipe! Trust me, you won’t believe how good it is and how easy it is to make. Try it, and let us know what you think, we sure love to hear from you!
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I had heard of making yogurt in a crock pot and always wondered whether it wouldn't be too warm and kill the culture, but now I know: Turn it off and cover it to preserve the heat. That sounds super easy. I use a thermos for mine, which works mighty fine too. I'm curious about the metal spoon issue you mentioned. Can you point me to the research on that? I'd love to understand what's happening. I presume the metal acts on the live cultures somehow?