How to Make Yogurt & Yogurt Recipe

I have eaten yogurt for lunch for years. I decided to look into how to make it myself.  Truthfully, I have never been a milk drinker and I don’t even enjoy the taste. But I had recently looked into Raw Milk that came from cows who were grass fed. I was shocked how good for you it was. There are many good articles about the nutritional benefits.  This is a good one.

 

Obviously, you will really need to know where your raw milk comes from.  In Colorado, you cannot buy raw milk in the stores.  I bought a herd share through a local farm (Sustainable Settings) and I get a half gallon a week.  My friend Karen and I went to their farm and they explained the process, and how their herd share works.  They then had us taste the full fat milk.  I took the tiniest of sips and was pleasantly surprised that it had no aroma and tasted so good.  It smelled more like water than milk.  We both took the plunge and bought our herd share. That was in November 2012.

I made my first batch of yogurt and it turned out pretty good.  Truthfully, I was surprised that it worked.  I have been making yogurt almost every week since. I have learned a few things along the way. It is very easy and the yogurt is delicious.

 

Suzy Homemaker Yogurt (Raw Milk) Recipe:

(For recipe without pictures click here)

Active time: 15 minutes

Inactive time: 6 or more hours

 

Now What:

Pour milk into a heavy pan.  (I use a Dutch oven.) Place pan over medium heat.  If you don’t have a heavy pan, stir the whole time, to keep milk from scorching.  I only need to stir occasionally with my Dutch oven. Bring milk up to 140 degrees and remove from heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fill sink with a few inches of water and some ice.  Carefully place pan in water.  This cools it down fast. You could just let it set on counter, but I am too impatient for that. Cool down to 110 degrees and remove from water.

 

 

 

 

Put ¼ cup of yogurt in a measuring cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add about 1 cup of warm milk to measuring cup and stir till smooth.  Then add your yogurt mixture to the rest of your milk.  Stir in.

 

 

 

Cover your pot, wrap in a big towel, and put in a draft free place.  I use my oven.  Let sit for 6 hours. The longer it sits, the more tart it tastes.  (Which I like.)  I have let it sit overnight many times.

 

 

Check your yogurt and it should look more solid than liquid.  More like runny pudding.  Voila, you now have yogurt.  Whisk in vanilla and honey to taste and you are all set. Store in refrigerator.

 

Suzy Homemaker Greek Yogurt (Raw Milk) Recipe:

 

Use same process as above but don’t add vanilla and honey.

And then:

Place a strainer over a bowl.  Place a thin cloth over the strainer.  Pour yogurt into your bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator.  In about 2 hours, the yogurt has separated from the whey. 

 

 

Place your yogurt in a bowl, add some of the whey back in.  Whisk until desired consistency and then add vanilla and honey.  The more whey you add back in, the thinner it will become. So good, so good for you, Love it!

 

 

Extra:

*For extra creaminess, add ½ to 1 cup half and half to your milk

*Let it sit longer if it doesn’t seem to be gelling.

*Preheat oven to take the chill off.  Don’t leave on.

*Sometimes, the yogurt just doesn’t gel up.  I asked about it and was told that sometimes the raw milk is so high in enzymes that it competes with the fermentation process.  This has only happened to me a few times.  You can always reheat the milk and start over.

*Whey – don’t throw it out.  I keep it in a jar in the refrigerator.  There are all kinds of things to do with it.  You can drink it straight up, add to your smoothies, soups etc… It’s loaded with protein and very good for you.