Have you ever thought about making yogurt yourself? Well in this post I am going to tell you exactly how to do that!
All you need is a crockpot, a towel, milk, and yogurt. Yes, you need yogurt to make yogurt. Since yogurt is a form of cultured milk, you need a bacteria culture to start the process off with.
Store bought milk and yogurt is just fine. If you have raw milk, that’s great too! The process is simple and relatively hands off. You will start by heating the yogurt to 180 degrees Fahrenheit to kill off any bacteria. You may be wondering why you would kill off the bacteria if your end goal is grow a bacteria culture. The answer to that is, you want to grow the right kind of bacteria.
Opening and closing your milk jug can introduce harmful bacteria, milking your cow outside in the stall, and there can also be bacteria lingering in your crockpot. So you will want to pasteurize your milk.
The next step is to let your milk cool slowly to around 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit. I have let mine dip below 105, closer to 100 degrees and it still worked just fine. Just somewhere in that sweet spot.
Once you’ve reached the optimal temperature, you will introduce your bacteria in the form of yogurt. Use plain yogurt, Greek or not. You just don’t want any flavorings or sugar in it. Wrap your crockpot up in a towel, and let it sit until the next morning. That is literally it! Top your yogurt with my favorite granola and a drizzle of honey!
If you would like a Greek yogurt texture, pour the yogurt in layered cheesecloth and suspend it over a bowl in your refrigerator. You can just lay the cheesecloth in a colander, and set it in a bowl that is slightly smaller so the whey drips down into the smaller bowl.
Making Yogurt in the Crockpot
Save money by making your own yogurt at home!
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Instructions
- Pour milk into your crockpot and turn it on low. Put the lid on. Let it heat the milk on low for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until it reaches at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the milk is to temperature, turn the crockpot off. Set your timer for another 3 hours. Check the temperature. You want the milk to be between 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When it has cooled to 105-110 degrees, take the lid off and pour in your yogurt. stir it in. Put the lid back on and wrap the crockpot in a large towel. Make sure it is snug. Leave until the next morning.
- Jar it up and put it in the refrigerator when you wake up! For a Greek yogurt texture, put it in layered cheesecloth suspended over a bowl in the refrigerator. Let it strain for a few hours, until it us at the desired texture. Reserve 1/2 cup of yogurt for the next time you need to make some!