Who knew that making your own yogurt could be so simple?!! It really is! If you can get your hands on some raw milk, you will avoid the harm that occurs at the cellular level from homogenization and you’ll retain the good bacteria that usually gets destroyed through pasteurization. The scare from raw milk started with industrialization and people moving away from farms and into the cities. Milk took longer to get from the cow to the people’s homes, but treated properly, it is really the only milk you should be drinking 🙂
Homemade Yogurt
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 16
Ingredients
- 1 gallon milk
- 1/2 cup organic yogurt as starter
Instructions
- Process:
- Bring milk up to 110 degrees F. Here’s where many recommend you first bring it up to 180 F to pasteurize (That is up to you and your researched decision.), then cool to 110 F (warm to the wrist, not hot).
- Mix 1/2 cup organic yogurt with 1 cup of the warm milk, then pour the mixture into the rest of the milk, mixing well.
- If you want to make vanilla yogurt, now is the time to add 2 T homemade vanilla extract.
- Pour milk into sanitized jars and put lids on loosely. Keep at 110 F for 6 hours without mixing, stirring, or moving if possible.
There are a few ways to do this:
- Put in a yogurt maker that keeps them at 110F.
- Put the jars in water that is 110 F and wrap towels around it to keep warm. I’ve done this before and it stays warm for a very long time. You just need to check occasionally and turn the burner on for a minute or two (but watch carefully).
- Put in oven and place candy thermometer so you can see temp.This usually stays at 110F for about 4 of the 6 hours. If you turn the oven on, again, watch it carefully. You can turn the oven light on and it may keep it at 110F as well
Homemade Yogurt Process with Pictures:
- Bring milk up to 110 degrees F. Here’s where many recommend you first bring it up to 180 F to pasteurize (That is up to you and your researched decision.), then cool to 110 F (warm to the wrist, not hot).
- Mix 1/2 cup organic yogurt with 1 cup of the warm milk, then pour the mixture into the rest of the milk, mixing well.
- If you want to make vanilla yogurt, now is the time to add 2 T homemade vanilla extract.
- Pour milk into sanitized jars and put lids on loosely. Keep at 110 F for 6 hours without mixing, stirring, or moving if possible. There are a few ways to do this:
- Put in a yogurt maker that keeps them at 110F.
- Put the jars in water that is 110 F and wrap towels around it to keep warm. I’ve done this before and it stays warm for a very long time. You just need to check occasionally and turn the burner on for a minute or two (but watch carefully).
- Put in oven and place candy thermometer so you can see temp.This usually stays at 110F for about 4 of the 6 hours. If you turn the oven on, again, watch it carefully. You can turn the oven light on and it may keep it at 110F as well.