In college during the mid-1970s, I couldn’t help being strongly impacted by a Dannon Yogurt commercial set in Soviet Georgia that suggested a link between yogurt eating and longevity. Yogurt was not something our family knew about at that time, and the grocery stores did not yet have entire cold cases filled with it. This commercial may have kick-started the whole business! And I was attracted by the idea of living to a hundred.
As yogurt became a staple in my diet, I realized I did not prefer the store options with added sugar or fruit. I did not even appreciate the kinds that only added vanilla. Plain yogurt was good enough for me and healthier. But the grocery bill would suffer if you wanted to eat a lot of yogurt. I looked into making yogurt at home and was surprised at how easy it was. I’ll give you the steps in a list and then elaborate with photos:
- heat milk to 180 degrees
- let milk cool to 113 degrees
- add room-temperature yogurt saved as a starter.
- pour into containers
- put containers into a sleeping bag for 6.5 hours
- put the finished yogurt into the refrigerator.
Ta-dah!!! And the cost of a yogurt-eating habit becomes the cost of the milk.
Let’s do it:
You can use whatever fat content of milk you prefer. I like the creamy result of using whole milk. (Have you heard the latest news that dairy fat is not as bad for you as they’ve been telling us for decades?) If you have saved a starter from a previous batch, that is most handy, but you can also use a small amount of plain yogurt from the store as long as it contains live yogurt cultures. (Get one with a label showing lots of types of cultures.)
I make a gallon at a time, but you can decide how much to make and get appropriate containers. Plastic or glass containers work, and they should have secure lids.
Since temperature is critical, you will need a good thermometer. Heating the milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit is not difficult since that is just as it gets ready to boil. Cooling to under 115 degrees and over 110 degrees requires the thermometer. I use the Thermoworks DOT, which has a probe.
As the milk is heating up, take your yogurt starter out of the fridge to warm up to room temperature. For a gallon of yogurt, I only need about a quarter cup of starter (about 4 tablespoons). Now you have the ratio for smaller batches.
When the milk cools to 113 degrees, pour your starter into a handy container for mixing before adding it to the large pot. Add a small amount of milk to the starter, then gradually add more to get the yogurt chunks well distributed into the milk. Then, add to the entire milk pot.
Pour the inoculated milk into your individual containers and cover them with lids immediately to retain heat.
Remember to include a small container to hold your next starter. Alternatively, you would have to remember not to eat all of your yogurt before using some for your next batch.
I have long used a sleeping bag for retaining heat during the enculturing phase. It works just fine, but some folks use an oven with a pilot light. I always thought that would be less reliable. If you use a sleeping bag, you might include a towel in case of spills. Also, be sure the bag will not be disturbed for 6.5 hours because jiggling hinders the process.
Set your timer for at least 6.5 hours. It won’t hurt anything to go longer. Some say longer times make more tangy yogurt, but I don’t taste a difference. An excellent alternative to a sleeping bag is a bread proofing box, like my homemade one used for sourdough. For yogurt, set the temperature to 111 degrees.
After 6.5 hours, I usually stick it in the refrigerator without checking it. The cooled-down mixture is ready to enjoy!
From there, you can make parfaits with granola and fruit or eat plain with fruit or honey. Have it on pancakes or waffles. You can make Mediterranean tzatziki sauce. Make a new batch before ten days or two weeks pass. You can buy a small yogurt from the store whenever you think your starter may have weakened.