Making Homemade Yogurt
Homemade yogurt relies on two temperature stages: heating milk to 180°F to denature the proteins, then holding it at a steady 110°F to 115°F for several hours while the starter culture consumes the lactose.
Consistency starts with clean equipment.
Sterilize your jars and spoon in boiling water before starting to ensure only your chosen starter culture populates the milk. Use a probe thermometer; guessing the temperature results in either thin milk or dead bacteria.
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Digital probe thermometer
- Whisk
- Glass canning jars with lids
- Cooler or insulated oven for incubation
What goes in.
- 4 cupsWhole milk
- 2 tbspPlain yogurt with live active cultures
Maintaining the Warmth
The bacteria need a steady, low heat. If your oven has a bread-proofing setting, use it; otherwise, place the jar-filled cooler in a warm corner of the house to avoid temperature fluctuations.
The method.
Heat the milk
Pour milk into the pot over medium heat. Bring it to 180°F, stirring frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom.
Cool it down
Remove from heat and let it cool until it reaches 110°F. Do not rush this, as adding the starter while the milk is too hot will kill the culture.
Inoculate
Whisk a small amount of warm milk into the yogurt starter until smooth, then stir that mixture back into the main pot.
Incubate
Pour the mixture into clean jars. Keep them at 110°F for at least 8 hours. The longer it sits, the tangier it becomes.
Set
Move the jars to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving to stop the process and firm up the structure.
Other turns to take.
Greek-style
Once set, pour the yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl. Let it drain in the fridge for 2 hours to remove excess whey, resulting in a thick, dense texture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use glass jars; plastic can retain odors or harbor bacteria that compete with your culture.
Do not stir or shake the jars while they are incubating; agitation prevents the yogurt from setting firmly.
Save two tablespoons of your finished batch to act as the starter for your next round.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my yogurt runny?
The temperature likely dropped below 105°F during incubation, or the starter culture was too old.
Can I use low-fat milk?
You can, but the texture will be significantly thinner because there is less milk fat to provide structure.
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