Comments on: Homemade Yogurt

By: Heather Arndt Anderson

Heather Arndt Anderson — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:33:06 +0000

I use nothing but the heat from my oven’s lightbulb to warm my milk and cultures into yogurt. Works great.

By: Taylor

Taylor — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:55:53 +0000

THANK YOU MIKE! (Can I call you Mike? F* it, Mike it is.)

I’m a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay and there is a serious shortage of good dairy products here. Don’t even get me started on the issue of cheese. Prior to leaving, I too generally ate yogurt every morning, but the yogurt in Paraguay is super sugary and shamefully drinkable. I’ve been draining the drinkable yogurt to make it at least a little better, but it still is really too sweet and not very yogurty tasting.

I just used this post to guide my own yogurt making endeavor and it turned out great. I clearly didn’t have an immersion circulator to sous-vide my yogurt, but I did have a hot sunny day. I put my yogurt in the sun all day to come back to super delicious yogurt that I then strained all night. I now am enjoying a wonderful breakfast.

Thank you so much for helping this Peace Corps Volunteer have a little taste of home, when she really needed it.

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:48:16 +0000

This is perfect as I won a CVap oven at this year’s Starchefs ICC and have been playing with it in different applications. I will try this today and eat the results tomorrow. Should go great with my modification of your granola recipe which I have been making and eating for the past two years. Thanks for the motivation.

By: jabbett

jabbett — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:19:15 +0000

Ultra-pasteurized milk cannot be used for making cheese, so I imagine the process kills it for yogurt, too. Ultra-pasteurization is only good for large manufacturers (extends pre-sale shelf life), no benefit to consumers. I will always choose a high-quality, local non-organic (and gently pasteurized) brand over ultra-pasteurized industrial organic.

By: Darcie

Darcie — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:35:19 +0000

If the milk is already pasteurized, can you explain why you need to heat it up again past the incubation temperature?

By: KellyC

KellyC — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:27:32 +0000

At some times of the year I don’t eat up my yogurt as quickly as others and I wasn’t sure if my end of the batch yogurt would make a reliable starter so I started freezing 1/3 cup portions of my freshest yogurt or if I have to buy a starter I split it into parts and freeze it. Then I let my starter thaw in the fridge the day I’m planning to make yogurt. I have found my starter is not weakening with this method and I always have a starter even if I haven’t made yogurt in a while.

By: Mitchell Webster

Mitchell Webster — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:50:35 +0000

Having grown up Old Order Mennonite, I well remember yogurt being made a gallon at a time, I have been buying yogurt for years and want to start making my own again (I know what is in it ) this way. I am so glad that I subscribed to your blog years ago, and right here in front of me it the recipe I wanted when I needed it. Thanks Michael.

By: laura

laura — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:22:23 +0000

My pup really gobbles it up:)

By: Weekly Gluten-Free Roundup – October 9, 2011 « Celiac Kitchen Witch

Weekly Gluten-Free Roundup – October 9, 2011 « Celiac Kitchen Witch — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:22:38 +0000

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By: Casey La Rue

Casey La Rue — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:08:29 +0000

I’ve always despised yogurt but my kids like it so made your recipe today. Came out nice but still not for me.
What is the microbial process? do you know what precisely the active cultures need to turn milk into yogurt? I suppose its not a fat/protein ratio if skim or 2% will work. Wanting to try coconut milk yogurt but need to do some studying.
Thanks for the ideas!

By: Suzette Mahr

Suzette Mahr — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 21:24:14 +0000

My pal Pam McKinstry came up with a way to use the SousVide Supreme as a yogurt maker. Simple and foolproof. Here’s how she does it. Enjoy! http://svkitchen.com/?p=3619

By: Jason DiLoreti

Jason DiLoreti — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:56:03 +0000

would you do anything different if you were using raw milk?

By: Terrie

Terrie — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:40:49 +0000

I have homemade yogurt for breakfast most mornings. I like to strain it until it’s nice and thick, then I put it in individual serving size containers. In the morning, I add a spoonful of homemade jam and I’m good to go.
We use the whey in bread and smoothies or in the garden to add acid to the soil.

By: SulaBlue

SulaBlue — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:12:48 +0000

The whey has SO many uses – including making lacto-fermented vegetables. A little bit of whey with active cultures in it added to homemade mayonnaise will give it a bit of tang, and also make it last longer.

By: allen

allen — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:04:54 +0000

I made a 2 liter Pyrex bowl in the oven at 104c on a large pizza stone to retain the heat, turning the oven on and off twice in 24hrs after reaching temperature. So easy, the yogurt came out great.
I strained it with a weight on top for 24 hrs, added salt and covered with a fabulous Australian olive oil.

I thought it was a waist of time when I saw how much yield there was after rendering the whey – until I took my first bite. Wow!
I had a Tbsp over a fresh tomato slice with a drip of olive oil and some dried garden oregano, mint and a little black pepper. Thank you for the great post and inspiration.

By: Dee G

Dee G — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:53:21 +0000

Foolproof method – I heat and cool the milk in a 3 quart heavy pot and then place it on a heating pad set to medium for 7 hours. Into the fridge overnight then strain it. Strain it thick enough to be cream cheese consistency and then mix it with tahini for a spectacular dip.

Re: whey – you can also use it to jump start lacto-fermented pickles (2 tbs. per quart and you can cut back on the salt a bit.) It acts as a natural preservative in things like hummus if you mix it in and let it sit at room temperature for a day or two.

By: eric

eric — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:48:55 +0000

A great way to keep your yogurt at temp is to heat it in a dutch oven and then put it in an over-the-range microwave with the light on underneath. Same principle as Mara suggested earlier it’s a nice variation that works well.

By: subhorup dasgupta

subhorup dasgupta — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:01:43 +0000

Not so sure that homemade yogurt will stay for up to a month in a refrigerator. I have tried keeping it in the container I set it in as well as in sealed jars. I find it going “martian” in about 2 weeks.

In many parts of India, a meal is incomplete without a helping of yogurt. My favorite tweak is to spike the yogurt with a dash of tabasco or wasabi.

@Paul C
Thanks for the labne in olive oil and the tzatziki idea. I have to give it a try.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:29:20 +0000

I haven’t ever made yogurt, but lately I have been making homemade ricotta out of whole milk, buttermilk, and cream, and it is absolutely delicious. This yogurt is something I am definitely going to try soon.

By: ruhlman

ruhlman — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:53:41 +0000

Thanks everyone for all the questions and suggestions.