I also always thought that making yogurt at home sounded so complicated when I read others' descriptions of it. However, it is actually a pretty simple process and I hope that I don't make it seem complicated!
Ingredients:
- Raw whole milk (i.e. unpasteurized, nonhomogenized)*
- approx 4 oz of plain yogurt**
- Stainless Steel pot
- clip-on thermometer
- glass jars
- whisk
2. Heat milk to 185 degrees F.
3. Cool milk to 110 degrees F - While milk is heating, I fill my sink with cold water and ice. Then once the milk gets to 185, I put it in the ice water to cool it down faster, all the while stirring it and closely monitoring the temperature.
4. Once the milk is at 110 degrees, remove it from the ice water. Add the plain yogurt to the milk and whisk it to make sure it is well incorporated. (I first add warm milk to my starter and shake or stir it up to help liquefy it, then add it to the warm milk and whisk.)
5. Pour milk-yogurt mixture into glass jars. Have one small glass jar in which you pour about 4 oz to be your starter for the next batch. Place the lids on the jars to cover them, but do not seal them shut. You want some air to be able to circulate.
6. Place your covered glass jars in your oven with the oven light on. Leave for about 7 hours and then transfer to the refrigerator. (Close the lids on the jars.)
*Raw milk is not available in all areas. I am comfortable with raw milk since it will be pasteurized on my stove top. Furthermore, the cows are grass fed, so the milk has much more nutrients than conventional or even commercial organic milk. If raw milk is not available, try to find nonhomogenized whole milk.
**For your first batch of yogurt, use any store bought plain yogurt that you like. (preferably organic.) You can use your own starter for subsequent batches.
This recipe/method is borrowed from Nourishing Traditions.
3 comments:
How do you buy raw milk? Where do you get it from? I've never seen it for sale before.
Thanks for posting the recipe - I am looking forward to trying it!
Ha ha... well in NC it is not legal to sell raw milk to people, so I have to go to SC to get it! There is a SC farmer who makes a delivery every other week at a location right over the border (about 15 min from Charlotte).
I don't know what the laws are in CT, but I don't think you'll ever see raw milk in a grocery store. Try to find out if there are any farmers in your area who sell it. Maybe find some local discussion boards where you might get leads on where to obtain it. There is a health food store (Earth Fare) that sells non-homogenized milk, but it is still pasteurized.
I've just been reading more blog posts about yogurt, and apparently the amount of starter culture you put in can affect the taste and consistency. Your also supposed to be gentle with everything b/c the bacteria might not like getting too disturbed. I have not paid close attention to the amount of starter I use and I have shaken it up with warm milk to help mix it better and so far my yogurt has been fine, but I guess I will be careful about it in the future.
Just found a great post on how to make yogurt without dirtying dishes! http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/04/13/monday-mission-homemade-yogurt-the-easy-way/comment-page-1/#comment-479
Good luck! Let me know how it works out!
Here is some sources for raw milk in CT: http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html#ct
HTH!
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