Today’s post is kind of like a public service announcement: Make your own yogurt! It’s so easy, you’ll be amazed! Honestly, I can’t believe it took me this long to start making yogurt at home. For some reason I was under the impression that it was more complicated. I don’t know if I thought it required fancy equipment, took up too much refrigerator space, or what. Turns out it’s only two little ingredients and a very simple process. And given the amount of yogurt we eat, this discovery ended up being a game changer.
Here’s a little insight into our yogurt-centric family. My kids and husband eat yogurt every single day. I certainly like it, but the other three are nuts. So until this homemade-yogurt discovery, week after week I ended up buying loads of the stuff. I always sought out the organic versions, but even they were often packed with unnecessary, processed sugar. That always troubled me a bit. And the cost of keeping Radd, Aanen, and Aria’s yogurt supply stocked was embarrassing. The good stuff is not cheap.
So far, I’ve been making plain yogurt. It’s more versatile, and I like to use it in preparing other meals, too. We make Indian food frequently, so it works perfectly swirled into various dishes. I’ve also been putting it into different egg-salad recipes, making salad dressings from it, baking with it, and once summer hits I can’t wait to make frozen yogurt-pops for the kids. It’s been so convenient to have such a large supply on hand every week.
This homemade yogurt is creamy and not overly tart. I imagine that part of the flavor will depend upon the milk that you use. I’ve made several batches using milk with different fat contents, and I’ve mixed both regular and Greek yogurt into the heated milk. They’ve all worked well. If you prefer a thicker yogurt, you’ll want to strain it in a few layers of cheesecloth when it’s finished. I might do that in the future, but right now I want to enjoy every last spoonful. Radd and I have been enjoying it plain with homemade granola (recipe to come later this week). The kids like it sweetened with a touch of honey. I’ve also pureed fruit and stirred it in, and can’t wait until berry season arrives. The process could not be simpler. Once I put the yogurt in the oven, I don’t give it another thought until the morning. Look here if you’d like to experiment with other methods.
A few other things to consider: When you make your own yogurt, you know exactly what’s going into it. We buy milk from grass-fed cows from a local dairy. Aside from having more control over our food supply chain by buying local, the grass-fed milk contains more omega 3’s (among other health benefits). I also love that I can keep my family’s yogurt habit satisfied at a fraction of the cost of buying those individual packages. And without those individual plastic packages, there’s less waste. Alright, enough preaching for now. Go make a batch!
The Recipe: Homemade Yogurt
1/2 gallon milk, preferably organic (you choose the fat content)
1/2 cup plain yogurt with active live cultures, preferably organic
To make the yogurt: In a large saucepan heat the milk to 170°F, stirring every so often. This will kill anything that isn’t supposed to be there. Let the milk cool to 110°F. This process will take about an hour, stir occasionally to release steam. In the meantime, heat your oven to the lowest setting. Once the milk reaches 110°F, stir a bit of the warm milk into the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt to temper it, then add the entire yogurt mixture to the saucepan and mix everything together.
Pour the mixture into a large glass bowl and lightly press cheesecloth onto the liquid. This will prevent a “skin” from forming on the yogurt. Put the bowl on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Turn the oven off and turn on the oven light. This will generate enough heat in the oven for the yogurt to stay active. You want to try to maintain an oven temperature of about 110°F. After about 12 hours in the oven, the yogurt is done. Experiment with the duration of time — you may prefer it with a shorter time in the oven. Remove the cheesecloth and give it a stir. Pour it into individual glass bowls or just leave it in the bowl, cover it, and refrigerate. The yogurt will keep well for about 10 days, but it will more than likely be gone before then!
Source: Adapted from Zoe Bakes
Thanks for stopping by today!
Laurie
Relishing It 
My brother occasionally makes yogurt and cheese, and uses the leftover whey to make bread or other recipes in place of water, because it adds a richer flavor and protein… and reduces waste. Maybe you’ve tried this, but if you haven’t, I would recommend it, especially if you prefer a thicker greek-style yogurt. Thanks for the recipe! :^)
I’ve read about people using it in breads! I do enjoy baking bread, so maybe I’ll give it a try. Thanks so much for the recommendations!:)
I don’t make cheese often, but the last time I did I reserved the whey, froze it and used it in place of chicken/veggie stock in a soup recipe (which one is escaping me just at the moment although I think it was Brown Cabbage Soup) and it worked great! If you’re worried about the whey imparting too much flavor, use 1/2 & 1/2 with stock in your favorite soup recipe.
I love the idea of freezing it for a later use — that’s perfect! Thanks, Kris.
I’ll definitely be making this! 🙂 Maybe I’ll add vanilla bean to the milk as it’s heating. We love vanilla yogurt!
I meant to mention a vanilla bean! It’s heavenly. Enjoy!
I’ve had some of the same worries (fears?) about trying to make my own yogurt at home. I’m not as enthusastic as your your gang but I do love it. I will try it. Thank you!
I hope you do try it, Dianne! It’s just so easy. 🙂
I get through plenty of yogurt myself but I’ve never tried making it at home – I like the idea of having a supply on hand though!
I’m SO enjoying having a supply on hand — I never thought I would use so much yogurt, but it’s been really nice!
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We consume a lot of yogurt in this house too. I use it in place of buttermilk in baking, especially with muffins and quick breads as the moisture it adds is out of this world. I also sub it for sour cream if a recipe calls for it, and in curry, it’s the best. Mike eats a bowl of yogurt every night before bed, and now Griffin has gotten on to the yogurt kick too.
And now, you’ve convinced me to make my own. If it’s really that easy I have no more excuses.
I think you’re going to love it, Kate! Especially if you enjoy baking with it so much. It’s nice to always have a supply in the refrigerator.
A lovely post! Your yogurt photos are delicious!
Thank you so much. I try. 🙂
Delightful photos! Refreshing and tempting, a terrific and easy recipe. Fresh berries, honey and yogurt are screaming spring to me.
I’ve been wanting to make my own yogurt for a while, but I’ve always been a little scared to grow some hairy, scary bacteria in the process…were you worried about that? How do you know for sure you’re avoiding that?
You make me feel like I could do it though 🙂
You crack me up, Liz! Well…I’m not scared that I’m growing some “hairy, scary bacteria” because there isn’t any there. And because the final product tastes like amazing yogurt. This is how yogurt has always been made. 🙂 And yes, I know that you already know that. As long as your milk has been pasteurized, this should be completely safe for you to eat (since you’re pregnant). Hope you give it a try and like it!
No convincing needed–I have gotten so used to the homemade stuff that when I do buy it from a store I don’t like it as much. I “incubate” mine overnight in a few mason jars that are swaddled and tucked into a cooler to keep the heat in. In the winter I’ve noticed I need to also put it in the oven with the light on, but in the summer it’s fine on the counter. Yum!
I’ve been wondering what sort of differences in the process I’m going to encounter during the warmer months. Thanks for sharing. I’m still loving the heck out of it. Just made another batch last night!
My mom used to make yogurt. She finished it on top of the water heater. I’ll have to try this. I’ve made “quark” in the oven overnight many times, with milk and a buttermilk starter. The Germans love it and use it in all sorts of things from sweet desserts to savory dishes.