Homemade yogurt is so simple to make, and a great way to add beneficial bacteria to pasteurized milk. While I prefer to consume raw milk, it isn’t always available. Yogurt makes pasteurized milk full of good bacteria again. I started making yogurt this past year when one of my girls had a recurring yeast infection. I took her off of all sugars including fruit, white flour, and limited her soaked grain consumption. I added this yogurt and probiotic pills. She was completely healed and has yet to have another yeast infection in the past five months! I love that God has given us real foods and herbs to heal our bodies. Because she really didn’t care for the taste of the plain yogurt I added a pinch of stevia and 1/2 tsp of vanilla to every cup of yogurt.
Make Your Own Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 quarts whole milk
- 4 TBS whole fat yogurt
- 4 1-quart glass jars
- Candy Thermometer
- Large stock pot
- Small kitchen towel
- 4 additional kitchen towels
Instructions
- Fill two very clean jars with the whole milk. Place a towel in the bottom of the sauce pot. Put both jars of milk in the pot on top of the towel (this is to prevent the jars from cracking when heated). Add water to the pot until the water comes 3/4 of the way up the jars.
- Clip the candy thermometer onto the side of the pot so that the tip is submerged in the water. Bring the water to a boil. Remove the candy thermometer from the water and clip to the side of one of the jars. Continue to boil until the milk reaches 185 degrees F. Remove the jars of milk from the water and allow to cool to 110 degrees F.
- While the milk is cooling remove the water and towel from the pot. Fill the two remaining jars with boiling water. Place them in the pot. Once the milk has cooled to 110 degrees F( this normally takes at least an hour), stir in 2 TBS of whole fat or greek yogurt into each jar. Screw on the lids and place in the same pot as the jars with the boiling water. Place the lid on the stock pot and cover with 4 kitchen towels to keep the heat in the pot. You want to keep the milk/yogurt at a consistent 110 degrees F until firm which takes from 4 to 24 hours. Change the water in the jars as needed. Keep the pot in the warmest location in the house as long as it does not raise temperature of the milk/yogurt above 110 degrees F. You will know that the yogurt is ready when it is slightly firm. The yogurt will keep in the fridge for about one month.
Ways to enjoy your yogurt:
Drizzled with raw honey and a little vanilla
With fresh or frozen berries
In smoothies
As frozen yogurt (recipe)
This post is part of Monday Mania, Hearth and Soul, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thrusday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways,
The yogurt which i add to the milk – can it be the store bought variety? the packaged yogurt?
my previous experience, making yogurt at home using the packaged yogurt as starter has always made yogurt which is not firm and looks weird. tho – it tasted okay.
But – given your post – I am ready to give it a try again.
I use plain full-fat yogurt from the store. It has always turned out nice and thick. The only time it was runny was when I used goat milk.
This awesome post only has three comments (one being yours) and that is just sad! So I’m going to add my two cents.
I had in the past entertained the idea of making yogurt, but it sounded very picky and hard to make. Now I’m one for a challenge, but people kept saying that it’s not worth my time if I don’t have a yogurt maker. Well, then you posted this in September and stressed how easy it is. So I just DID it! I closed my ears to all negative advice and whipped up a batch. Your blog post was so inspiring that you convinced me it was easy. I think it was alot of the fact that you just used good old simple towels and “homemade” double boiler.
Needless to say by the third or so time it was easy as cake and…who needs a recipe? Once you’ve got it, it’s a no-brainer.
I am not a fan of yogurt from the store, ESPECIALLY flavored stuff. But I was thoroughly addicted to homemade yogurt on the first batch.
So all this to say…thank you. And everyone who stumbles across this now old post…JUST MAKE IT!! It is SO stinking easy you’ll wonder why you never made it before. It sounds complex, but it’s not at all. If it didn’t involve a stove, a 4 year old could make it. That’s how easy it is.
Thank YOU Bethany! You are such a encouragment! Blessings!!!
I just made [crockpot version] homemade yogurt for the first time last week. It has taken me some getting used to its consistency since it is a tad runnier than what I am used to, but so much better and healthy! I had a small dad of homemade jam in mine to sweeten it up!
Penny, hopefully you can find time to make some yogurt in the midst off all the other awesome things you make! I’m trying out your fig honey today!
I love homemade yogurt! I need to get started making it again; I’ve been just a little lazy in that sense. Thanks for the inspiration!
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