Making Yogurt at Home
You do not need a specialized machine to make yogurt, only a heavy-bottomed pot and a reliable thermometer. The secret lies in patience during the incubation period, ensuring the culture has enough time to transform the milk proteins.
Temperature control is your primary job.
If the milk is too hot when you add the starter, the culture will die; if it is too cold, the yogurt will never set. Use an instant-read thermometer for every step.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
- Whisk
- Glass jar with lid
- Insulated cooler or oven with the light on
What goes in.
- 1 quartwhole milk
- 2 tbspplain yogurt with live active cultures
Maintaining Steady Heat
To keep the milk warm for 8 hours, place the filled jar inside a cooler filled with warm water or keep it in an unheated oven with only the internal light turned on.
The method.
Heat the milk
Pour milk into the saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to 180°F, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming or the bottom from scorching.
Cool the milk
Remove the pot from heat. Let it cool until the thermometer reads between 110°F and 115°F.
Add the culture
Whisk a small amount of the warm milk into your starter yogurt to thin it out, then pour that mixture back into the main pot and whisk gently to incorporate.
Incubate
Pour the mixture into a clean glass jar. Place the jar in your warm spot—the cooler or the oven—for 8 hours. Do not disturb the jar during this time.
Chill and set
After 8 hours, move the jar to the refrigerator. It will continue to thicken as it cools; wait at least 4 hours before serving.
Other turns to take.
Greek-Style
Line a colander with cheesecloth, pour the finished yogurt in, and let it drain in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours to remove the whey.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always reserve a few tablespoons of your current batch to act as the starter for your next one.
If the yogurt is too runny, you likely disturbed the jar during incubation or your starter was old.
Sterilize all jars and spoons in boiling water before starting to ensure only your chosen culture grows.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use low-fat milk?
You can, but the final texture will be thinner and less creamy than when using whole milk.
Why is there yellow liquid on top?
That is whey. It is perfectly fine to eat; simply stir it back in or pour it off if you prefer a thicker consistency.