Making yogurt

@deebomb (15304)
United States
March 18, 2013 6:07pm CST
I like yogurt as well as ice cream and find it healthier. I have been wanting to make some instead of buying it but was put off because it seemed difficult and I thought you need special equipment. I found an easy recipe on e-how. All The equipment needed is couple of pots a candy thermometer. Ingredients are milk and yogurt with active culture. I thought making the yogurt would be demanding but it is just time consuming and no real work at all other than keeping the temperature right for a period of time. The milk needs to be heated at a given temp and kept at that temp for a time. Then the yogurt is added and the milk is put into jar and kept at a temp for several hours. My first try turned out pretty good. I used a 5 qt pan and had difficulty keeping the water the right temp. I will be making my own yogurt from now on. a.nd trying more yogurt recipe
1 person likes this
9 responses
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
19 Mar 13
This is really a healthy and economical thing to do. I met some friends from Finland that gave me once some "culture." As I understood it every culture is different and give different results. I lost it because of a move. Where did you get yours?
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
19 Mar 13
Hello bluedoll. I just buy a plain greek yogurt called oikos brand from the grocery store. It works very well and is made with grade A non fat milk.
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
20 Mar 13
Yes Bluedoll one should save a starter for the next batch. I have only used whole milk so far.
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
19 Mar 13
All my friends told me to do was to not eat it all but save some and keep the same bacterial culture going. These guys were from Finland. I just put a bowl on the counter at room temp and added milk. Do you think non fat is an advantage?
2 people like this
@maximax8 (31047)
• United Kingdom
19 Mar 13
Good luck making your own yoghurts. I have a vegan diet and I like a brand called Alpro. I love their yoghurt called Forest Fruits. I wish I could make a yoghurt that lovely tasting. It has soya drink in it and fruit I believe.
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
21 Mar 13
Hello maxim. I have come across some recipes using almond milk on the net. one called for using a crockpot. It didn't work I am going to try again this week but I will use a water bath.
• United States
21 Mar 13
crochpot cooking is also neat, and helpful, sorry it didn't work out for this though.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
19 Mar 13
Yes, it's very easy to make yogurt and if the temperature varies a little bit, it won't hurt it. I have made it in a thermos where I heated it up (the thermos bottle) warmed the milk, added yogurt, stirred and put it in the thermos. I left it overnight and it was yogurt the next morning. I sometimes use the top of my food dehydrator. It's just the right temperature for it, but I never use a thermometer. If I had to use a pan of water, I might, though.
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
19 Mar 13
Hello peavy. I never thought of using a thermos bottle. I did come across a recipe that used a slow cooker but that didn't work for me. it might have been the slowcooker. I might try the thermos next time.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
19 Mar 13
Good luck with it!
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
19 Mar 13
My first encounter of a homemade yogurt was way back in high school.In our dorm-school, we had a chef that made yogurt for the Turkish people, and I thought that it was not difficult at all since she did it with no extra or special equipments. Yet, I was unsure because I didn't know the exact procedure. I have thought about making one sometime but discarded I wasn't really sure if I can handle the delicacy but after reading this discussion,I might actually do some online searching and if I find it not as difficult as you have described it, then maybe I'll go ahead and make one myself. So, thanks for this encouraging work.
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
20 Mar 13
All the recipes I have seen on the internet the milk is to be heated to 180 to 185 degrees Then cool to 115 to 105 degrees then add yogurt and put into jars and keep at 105 to 120 for 4 to 6 hours. I finished the yogurt in a large canning pot. so the water covered the jars. http://www.ehow.com/how_2041164_make-yogurt.html
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
21 Mar 13
Neat thing that you learned, it may end up saving you money? I think its anice thing though to be able to make some things home made like this. I didn't know the process either but knew some active yogurt was needed to make more yogurt. Then how was the first yogurt made?
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
21 Mar 13
Hello echoforever. There probably a many recipes for making yogurt a there are recipes web pages on the internet. There are probably as many stories and legends as there are the recipes. I think it was an accident with nomads and or Shepards just as it has been with other food.
• Canada
19 Mar 13
Hi Dee My sister-in-law has made her own yogurt and she has also added vanilla to it which she really thought was good.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
21 Mar 13
Hello Lauren and welcome to myLot. I like to keep mine plain so that I can use it in different ways such as a substitute for sour cream. Tastes great on tacos abd baked potatoes. I have also made a sub for cream cheese spread. I usually end up with 5 pints so guess I could do vanilla in some. you can put just about any thing in it.
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
19 Mar 13
Well, of all the recipes, I did not think there was a set to make yogurt. your discussion, however, denied to me in a striking manner. Although I did not understand very well if the yogurt must already be ready prior to the recipe, I must say that you had a initiative a bit particular. I do not have a passion for cooking, when I eat, I do very simple things, just to take off "hunger, bigger". However, many people suggest to me that we should switch the meals, do not eat constantly the same things every day.
1 person likes this
@Pegasus72 (1898)
10 Apr 13
I have never made yogurt or had homemade yogurt. I remember my pastors daughter making her own yogurt years ago, but I never did get to try it.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Mar 13
Making yogurt is not difficult at all. If you don't care for calories then try to make yogurt with full fat or Vitamin D milk, it will be ever better and creamy. My family loves yogurt and I serve them yogurt at least two times a day, so I started making yogurt at home. I boil milk in a pan and then let it cool for sometime, when its light warm I add yogurt and cover the pot with a kitchen towel and left it over night in the oven. Take out in the morning and put it into refrigerator. I make yogurt once a week for entire week and keep it in refrigerator.
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