Making Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

This is probably the easiest way to make your own yogurt, but it definitely takes a bit longer.  That is not a problem for me, but for both Kayte and Rachael it is because their families eat the yogurt up quickly, making it difficult to keep enough made at any given time.

The method I use doesn't require a thermometer, but you do need to pay attention to the size of your slow cooker, how much milk you are using and the timing of each step.  The basic requirements are for the milk to reach about 180 degrees, then cool down to about 110 degrees before adding the yogurt starter, then the mixture needs to stay between 105 and 110 degrees for 8 to 12 hours.  

I use a 6-quart slow cooker, 1/2 gallon of milk and 1/4 cup of yogurt with live cultures as a starter. Add the milk to the slow cooker and heat on low for 2 3/4 hours.  At the end of that time, turn the slow cooker off and allow to cool for 3 hours, leaving it covered.  When it is cooled (it should still be warm), remove 1 cup or so of the warm milk and add 1/4 cup of either store bought yogurt with live cultures or yogurt reserved from a previous batch (I try to have the starter close to room temperature so it doesn't cool the mixture down too much).  Mix well, then pour back into the rest of the milk and mix well again. I like my yogurt sweetened, so this is when I add about 1/3 cup of sugar and about a tablespoon of vanilla extract. You can also add a vanilla bean or other flavoring, but don't add fruit or jam because it may make your yogurt watery. (You can also add any sweetener or flavorings at the end of the process.) Put the lid back on the slow cooker, wrap well in several heavy towels and allow to culture at room temperature for 8 - 12 hours. I like to wrap the slow cooker insert in towels and put it in the oven with the light on overnight. The yogurt is done after that culturing time (it should still be slightly warm), and is ready to go into the refrigerator to cool. 

If you want Greek style yogurt or just want it a bit thicker, strain it through cheesecloth or a linen dish towel for a few hours - the longer you strain it, the thicker it will be.  In the picture above, you can see that some parts end up thicker than other, but just stir it up good. I usually strain it after cooling, and about 4 hours is maximum for my yogurt. If you strain it too long, you end up with yogurt cheese, similar to cream cheese. Don't discard the whey that drains out - we did a previous post on many ways to use it.

One of my favorite ways to store the yogurt is to put it into 1/2 pint jars with a little fruit or jam at the bottom, mixing it up just before eating. Don't forget to set aside enough to start your next batch!  I have had to go back to the store to buy enough for starter several times, especially if my grandkids help themselves to it.

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Make your own Yogurt - Part 2 - Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Last week I posted a fairly long post about making your own yogurt. That was just Part One of what has been quite an adventure. This week, I'm going to expand with some tips, tricks and ideas for your yogurt making process! If you haven't read the original post, you can read it here. You can make yogurt on the stove top, in a yogurt maker, or even in your slow cooker (we'll be posting on that option soon). You can cook it in your oven, or a cooler, or any place warm and insulated.

Scalding the milk

Starter Cultures

During the yogurt making process you use starter cultures (as a packet or store bought or reserved yogurt). For my first starter I used store purchased yogurt. Since then, I have mostly used my own yogurt. I say mostly because I have forgotten to save yogurt once or twice, or have reverted to a new starter when I haven't found the flavor/texture as much to my liking. If you use older (less fresh) yogurt, you might find that the yogurt you make is less firm, or the flavors different - mine seems to get more tart. Tartness can be a result of an old starter, or using too much starter. If you keep forgetting to save yogurt for a starter - you can freeze some, or I've taken to separating my starter as soon as its finished straining. I put it in a small jar and hide it on a shelf!

Fruit-Syrup Topping

Yogurt Flavors

The recipe I posted originally uses both vanilla extract and sugar. I find if I add them early in the process, the yogurt is sweeter. It seems to take a tad more sugar on the back end. You can make your yogurt plain, which leaves you open to all different flavors.

Originally, I stirred in one vanilla bean per container into my yogurt. I find this really enhances the vanilla flavor - but since my children don't seem to care - I have been leaving it out lately. I use these Grade A Tahitian vanilla beans.   

You can flavor yogurt with preserves or fruit. For example - this raspberry yogurt looks delicious! Be careful how much you mix though as it can make your yogurt runny. My yogurt maker suggested putting preserve on the bottom of the jar, and pouring the milk on top - cooking the yogurt over the preserves. This would leave you with your standard "fruit-on-the-bottom" yogurt.  I have been making fruit syrup with leftover berries, and find this to be a delicious (and toddler approved) topping. Something we will also post on soon.

There are several recipes for flavoring yogurt that include adding gelatin - This allows for flavoring while maintaining the consistency. This recipe is for strawberry flavor, but works with other berries. You can even make your yogurt light and airy, like yoplait whips! 

You can, of course, add fresh fruit or homemade granola also. 

Milk in an ice-bath

Troubleshooting: Watery/Runny Yogurt

Note: Many store yogurts contain some type of thickener. Homemade yogurt may be thinner than what you are used to. Check out this article from the Kitchn on how to make thicker yogurt. 

1. Too extreme temperatures: Milk was too cool while cooking or too hot when starter yogurt was added. If milk is too cool, yogurt cultures grow slower and will not be done on time. If your milk is too hot when you add the starter cultures, the starter bacteria could be killed. Make sure your thermometer is working and your temperatures are accurate. I got a new thermometer when I started making yogurt, and it's been working great: check it out.
2. Ultra-pasteurized milk: if milk is ultra-pasteurized then it has been heated to higher temperatures than during normal pasteurization. If this is the case, too many bacteria may have been killed, inhibiting the growth process.
3. Other types of milk: Milk with lower fat content will be thinner and tangier. Add gelatin or powdered milk before adding the starter. If you used non-dairy milk, you may need a different recipe, though many recipes state they will work with any type of milk. 

If it tastes and smells all right but is just a little thin, you can use yogurt to in a smoothie, in place of buttermilk or heavy cream in recipes, or turn it into Greek yogurt by draining out the whey until it reaches a normal consistency. 

Troubleshooting: Separated Yogurt: Culturing yogurt at too high of a temperature can cause separation into curds and whey. If the yogurt is lumpy, but not fully separated, just whisk it back together. Check your temperatures before doing the next batch. A culture that is too old can also cause it to happen. Over cultured yogurt can also taste bitter. 

Having trouble with your yogurt? Let us know! Have some great flavor options, tips or tricks - comment below!

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Make your own Yogurt - Part 1

My toddlers devour yogurt. They always want yogurt. Every meal all day - could be yogurt. I still want my younger child on whole fat yogurt. Finding whole milk yogurt is a struggle! It's usually organic, but still full of sugar AND expensive. I prefer Greek yogurt, but finding full fat Greek yogurt is even more of a challenge, and sometimes even more expensive. Most often we buy this Whole Milk Stonyfield French Vanilla. While it is delicious, and easier to find, we go through two or more containers at week, at a minimum of $4 per container. Even on sale with coupons, I don't believe I've been able to purchase for less than $3.50. I can make it myself for half that or less!

Just over a month ago, I was eyeing the latest Instantpots. I LOVE my Instantpot - I even wrote an entire post about it, but the new ones are pretty fancy.  They have a yogurt making function and even a blue tooth option! So I started looking into yogurt making. I was pretty sure I was losing my mind but the blogosphere insisted it was easy, healthy and financially beneficial. So I decided to give it a go....

... It's been quite an adventure, but I have successfully made batches and batches of delicious yogurt., both toddler and husband approved. It is cheaper and I now know exactly what goes into my yogurt. Homemade yogurt has probably been my best DIY project and it IS easy. You can't mess it up - believe me - I've tried. Ok - not really - but I've inadvertently messed up part of just about every batch and I have yet to throw a batch out. I mean just look at that delicious Greek vanilla bean yogurt!

Generally speaking. the yogurt making process is pretty simple.  Heat milk to scalding, cool down, add starter yogurt or starter powder, keep warm for 4 to 10 hours. Done. You can add sugar, and flavoring early on, or later. You can heat the milk on a stove, or in a crockpot, or in your Instantpot if you've got one. You can keep the yogurt warm in a yogurt maker, an Instantpot, an oven or even a sealed cooler. To make Greek yogurt, you can take it one step further, and strain the excess whey out of the yogurt.

The very first batch of yogurt I made, I used a yogurt maker. I purchased the Eurocuisine YM80 (affiliate link) through Amazon. It is a best seller and reasonably priced and currently holds an orange Amazon best seller's tag. It comes with seven 6 oz jars so you can make multiple flavors, or for preset servings sizes - just cap when completed. After reading some reviews, and knowing I wanted to make Greek yogurt, I just chose to use a seven-cup pyrex dish in the place of the jars. I mostly make yogurt in the oven. I prefer to make a larger batch than the yogurt maker can hold. However, this means my oven is occupied all day or I have to start a batch before bed and leave it overnight. The yogurt maker does take up counter space, but leaves my oven free.

I also had to purchase a good thermometer, as ours had bit the dust. I got this digital thermometer from Amazon as well (affiliate link).  I decided to go with a vanilla bean recipe from The Vintage Mixer. I keep vanilla beans on hand for other dishes, and vanilla extract, but in the past I have purchased them online. I have been using Grade A vanilla beans (affiliate link) from Amazon, but you should be able to find them in a local store, though it typical cost a tad more.

For my starter yogurt, I purchased Liberte yogurt. It's absolutely delicious, but cost far more than I'd like to pay on a regular basis. I had read that when choosing a starter yogurt you wanted to avoid a Greek yogurt, and avoid heavily processed yogurts. There was a list of good store-brand starter yogurts.

The first time I made yogurt, I followed The Vintage Mixer's vanilla bean yogurt recipe. Since then I have doubled it and modified it for my own, combining several other recipes. A half-gallon of milk will yield two nearly full large containers of regular yogurt, or one large container of Greek yogurt. You'll find the full recipe at the bottom of this post.

First, bring an entire half gallon of milk to 180 F, stirring occasionally. The milk tends to stick to the pot, so be sure to use one that is easy to clean. Once you hit 180 F, remove the milk from heat. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Then let the milk cool. You can let it cool on its own - This took over an hour last time! - or you can place in an ice bath. It cools rather quickly - so keep an eye out. You are waiting for the milk to cool to 110 F.

When milk has cooled, whisk in your starter yogurt (or packet). I have been able to successfully mix the yogurt directly into my cooling milk. However, some recipes recommend adding a bit of milk to the yogurt to water in down for a more even mix. I think the yogurt being room temperature is helpful in this process. I set the yogurt on the counter just before I start, before I even start the milk. It has usually thinned by the time I need to use it.

Pour the milk into the container(s) of your choice. At this point your yogurt will need to maintain a temp of 100-105 for approx 4 - 10 hours. I have been doing my yogurt for 8-10 hours. If you are using a yogurt maker, you can put the milk in the maker at this point. It will stay warm and maintain the proper temp. For larger batches, I have been putting in pryex dishes (up to 3 as needed) and "cooking" in the oven. Wrap the dishes in a towel and place in the oven (off) with the light on. I know - this sounds crazy, but it stays plenty warm. In the beginning, I often turned the oven on just long enough to take the chill. I think this kept the oven a tad warmer, but it is very easy to loose track of time, then the oven is too hot! Use your own discretion.

Remove yogurt from incubator. Yogurt should be firm. Place in refrigerator for approximately 4 hours, and you are ready to go. You can add additional flavors or toppings. I'll post a Part 2 with some suggestions. If you are interested in Greek yogurt, you'll have to strain the yogurt after cooling.

You can use a plain strainer, a nut bag, or a tea towel. I felt the plain strainer and nut bags let through too much yogurt. The tea towel works, but it does leave me with more laundry! You can throw out the whey, or use it in recipes (it can be used anywhere buttermilk is called for). I have always just thrown mine out. I leave mine to strain in the fridge for up to four hours.

When I am done, I dump it back into an old yogurt container with a name and a date. My kiddos don't mind if it's in the same container. If it comes out of something different they aren't interested in trying it.

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1/2 Gallon Whole Milk
• 6 Tbls Sugar
• 1 Tbl Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 C starter yogurt

Instructions

1. Scald milk by heating to 180 degrees.
2. Remove from heat. Add sugar and vanilla.
3. Cool milk in an ice bath until 110 degrees.
4. Add yogurt starter.
5. Pour yogurt into containers. Wrap in a towel and place in oven with the light on 
6. Leave for 8-10 hours.
7. Cover and refrigerate for 4+ hours.

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Lowdown on the Dirty Dozen

I have insomnia. The type that causes me to lay awake for hours thinking and obsessing about all the horrible things that ever have happened to me, are currently happening, or what could happen if I were to go on vacation to the Amazon and fall off a small canoe while traveling down the Nile and there were hippos and leeches and piranhas and even worse, giant man-eating crocodiles, and one of them decided I looked tasty and I was frantically swimming swimming swimming trying to get away and I turn around and all I see in the murky water is a gaping pink maw coming at me AND THEN IT'S 2 A.M. AND I'M LAYING IN BED WITH MY HEART POUNDING AND I'M SWEATING AND GENERALLY NEVER GOING TO FALL ASLEEP EVER AGAIN. True story.

Freaking. Terrifying.

My point is, I do not have the talent that my husband has for easy and blissful sleep anywhere, any time. I know, because I spend a goodly amount of time laying next to him listening to him breathe as I contemplate his demise. Night time is an opportune time for me to explore all my shortcomings and ways that I can do better for my family. One way that I pacify these voices without either making myself crazy or completely breaking the bank is to follow the guidelines of the Dirty Dozen.

As much as I would love to only buy free range, organic, non-GMO, fair trade foods grown and produced by tree-loving hippies and farmers who sing their flocks to sleep each night, I just can't justify the cost. I want to eat healthy, but even more than that I want to spare my children and their rapidly growing bodies the hazards of constant pesticide and herbicide exposure. Things like this are seared into my psyche, and I agree with it wholeheartedly:

I get around this by choosing my battles, and spending extra money for organic when it comes to the things in my fridge and pantry that pack the most poison. The dirty dozen outlines the top 12 contenders in order from the highest pesticide concentration to the lowest. The things on this list we simply do without if we cannot get them organic.

Dirty Dozen
1. Apples (Trader Joe's is my favorite place for organic apples)
2. Strawberries (I've lost hours of my life thinking about how many I've picked and eaten pregnant with Ayden. He's so smart now, he probably could have cured cancer if I hadn't marinated him in pesticides for 9 months.)
3. Blueberries (Costco has a big bag of organic frozen mixed berries that are my toddler's favorite dessert)
4. Celery (good riddance)
5. Peaches (I haven't had a fresh peach in years. *sob*)
6. Spinach (Costco has 1 lb. organic baby spinach for $4.53!)
7. Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines
9. Cucumbers
10. Cherry Tomatoes
11. Snap Peas
12. Potatoes (This tuber sucks up all the pesticides in the soil)

We've found making informed choices about organic produce an easier undertaking when its boiled down into a nice tidy list like this. Even better, there's yet another list out there of produce that has the least amount of pesticide contamination, but I will cover that in another post. I try not to sweat the occasional lapse when eating out, but I figure our day-to-day intake is minimal so we can take a hit.

In addition to following these lists fairly closely in our home, we also buy only organic milk (Trader Joe's is one of the cheapest places I've found). We are in high hopes that this will spare our pre-teen son from sprouting breasts or our (hopefully) future daughter from starting her period at 9 years old from all the hormones most dairy cows are given. We also avoid canned goods and bottled drinks as much as possible, due to the often high BPA contents of these items. I thought I was being completely paranoid until I discovered that the university hospital where I work is currently undertaking a fetal BPA and phthalate exposure study and measuring babies' genatalia after birth. Greeeeeeeeat. I'm not a total nazi about this, as we've been known to use the occassional can of refried beans, and I'm not going to stop my thirsty child from drinking a bottle of water when he's running around in our 90 degree weather if that's the only thing available. But, I'm certainly not going to buy him bottled water to drink at home when we have a wonderful water filter at the kitchen sink.

Not a big fan of this look in a fetus.

Five years ago we started this process by making the commitment to buy only organic milk, which felt huge and unbearably expensive at the time. Over the years we have slowly adopted other lifestyle modifications, and I can only imagine that ten years from now we might well be living like naked recluses in the rain forest in an attempt to escape the chemical exposures of everyday life. Each family has to decide for themselves what is important to them, and taking that first little step is by far the most important one.

Us 10 years from now...scared of everything!

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