Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

Tagged: homemade yogurt

This topic has 15 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 11 months ago by Misty.

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June 15, 2010 at 5:17 pm
leah
Participant
I’m interested in learning to make my own yogurt. I found the “Yogotherm Yogurt Maker” at cheesemaking.com (sorry, I don’t know how to do links) It’s basically a big thermos. I’m wondering if this would really work or do I really need something that generates heat? What are the opinions/experiences of those who make their own yogurt? Thanks!
June 15, 2010 at 5:54 pm
houseofchaos
Participant
It’s easy to make your own without anything other than your oven, and some plain yogurt for starter. There is a good link here for simple directions; this recipe uses skim milk powder and water, but you can use regular milk instead:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/yogurt.htm
I make it this way all the time, it is simple and tasty!
Gaeleen
June 15, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Bookworm
Participant
I’ve never tried without using heat. Although for a long time I used a heating pad. 🙂 It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to maintain the temp in the right zone for long enough. I’ve never tried a product like you mention.
June 15, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Scherger5
Participant
I make mine in a crockpot with great success. You can see how here:
http://llljourney.blogspot.com/2010/03/yogurt-perfection.html
~Heather
June 15, 2010 at 7:25 pm
3babygirls
Member
I don’t use an oven or a crockpot. Just the stove! (I actually have some making right now!)
I just heat the milk on the stove, add in yogurt, put in jars. Then I put the jars in a cooler with towels and a heating pad. And then let it set til bedtime, then put in the fridge.
We go through a gallon of yogurt in a week to 10 days, so I had to start making it myself! I couldn’t afford it otherwise! (And making it yourself you avoid all the extra sugar and stuff they put in the commerical yogurt)
I don’t have a link to help you out, but you are welcome to PM me if you want more step by step how I do it.
June 15, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Doug Smith
Keymaster
We had another discussion about making yogurt a while back. You might find some other good tips there…
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/i-made-yogurt-and-it-was-easy
June 16, 2010 at 3:49 am
leah
Participant
Thanks to everyone who added their wonderful advice and experience. I can see that I’ll just have to do some experimenting. My oven only goes as low as 170 and I don’t have a toaster oven. Those would probably have been my first choices. I have a crockpot with a “warm” setting and a roaster. I just need a good thermometer. Thank you, Doug, for the link to the previous discussion. I had already read it, which is what prompted me to ask my question here. I figured there were plenty of wise and experienced people who could help me out. (And I was right!) I just didn’t get the easy answer that I was hoping for. Thanks again!
June 16, 2010 at 11:20 am
Gem
Participant
Leah, I have a Deva Bridge yogurt maker that is much like the yogotherm – it works great. I also have an electric one that makes in these cute little jars, but I use the deva much more – so much less cleaning.
Here is how I do it – heat a quart of milk (in a pan on the stove, or I heat in a quart widemouth canning jar in the microwave) to the recommended temp, then let cool to the recommended temp, then stir in the yogurt starter or a big spoonful of good plain yogurt, then pour into the preheated yogurt maker (I fill with hot tap water to preheat). Wrap it all up in a towel, and set it out on the counter for 4+ hours. Presto, yogurt!
someone mentioned above putting the jars of yogurt in a cooler to stay warm – this is the same concept. The yogotherm and deva bridge are just fancy thermoses LOL.
Have fun, and just try it, you will be glad you did!
June 16, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Betty Dickerson
Participant
I have celiac and it’s better that I don’t have lactose or alot of casein which is in milk. So, when I make yogurt, I heat up some half & half mixed with whatever milk I have to 180 degrees. I let the milk cool to about 110 degrees (or you’ll kill the starter). I open the appropriate number of pouches to quantity of milk of yogurt starter to my mason jars, then I add milk and stir. I cover loosely and put the jars into my Yolife yogurt maker which allows me to make up to 3 quarts of yogurt at a time. I culture for 24 hours to totally eat up all the lactose and break down all the casein protein in the milk. It is soo soothing and comforting. I also can make ice cream and desserts from the yogurt.
I’ve been making it this way for a few years. The more fat in the milk, the less sour and the thicker the yogurt is. Hope this helps.
June 16, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Rachel White
Participant
I make mine from raw milk in a dehydrator and previously in an oven which I could go down as low as 110-115 degrees using my pilot light on. I know you said that your oven only goes down to 170, but maybe try using just your oven light to incubate the yogurt; if you have an oven therm, you could try it.
Before my dehydrator, I initially turned the oven on the lowest setting, including the light, watching the oven thermometer; then when it hit 110, I turned the oven off, but left the light on. I found that it stayed at between 110-115; being the temp. you want to incubate at. Other than the temp. I heat my milk to, since it’s raw, there’s no difference in prep. I would use 2 tbslp.-1/4 cup of plain yogurt (preferably a whole milk.organic like Brown Cow, Seven Stars, Nancy’s or Stonyfield Farms, you really don’t want the milk powders from the low-fat versions) per quart of milk. After, heating the milk up, to between 170 and 180, don’t let it boil, take it off and let it cool to 110. Then add your starter; you can even add in stevia, flavoring (like the flavored stevia liquid drops or vanilla, whatever), or a little honey at this time, if desired or wait till later so people can do theirs individually.
Then fill up into half-pint or pint size Ball jars, cover and place gently in the oven. The longer you incubate the more tart it is, but more probiotics are there. Anywhere from 6-10 hours. Some people do more, then place in the refridge, undisturbed for 8 hours. You could test at different times, taking one out at 6, one at 8, ect… and then after the cooling process, compare consistancies and then you’ll know what time is best for ya’ll’s tastes. Add in fruits and stuff at eating time. I like using the individual Ball jar servings.
I also have some other ideas. If your oven light alone won’t keep the temp. right, I’d try the crockpot next. On the ‘Warm’ and ‘Low’ selections, you could fill it up half-way with water one day and test the temp of your crockpot, then you’ll know and you won’t have to buy the Yogurt maker (but if you decide it works better for you then go for it and don’t feel guilty when you tried your best using other methods). Try it with the lid on for 8 hours and the lid off another time, maybe a towel on another day and see if you get the right temp. with any of these options, without having to do the turning on and off thing I’ve seen with so many crocpot yogurt recipes-they seem like a pain; I just like to make it and let it do it’s thing. If you find you can get the water to stay consistant at around 110 using one of these ways, then put in your jars of yogurt with water about 1/4-1/2 way up and try it. I think w/having a warm selection, you’ll have success.
Besides that, If you don’t use raw milk, use regular pastuerized, not the ultra-past. (it won’t work) organic whole milk would be best (again the powdered milk problem and more fat is better in the final product). Also, very importantly, I recommend not using any gelatin or powdered milk to thicken it up as many recipes call for it; they’re not necessary if you incubate long enough and treat the yogurt gently while moving till the whole process is complete. With the way Gelatin is processed (except for Bernard Jenson’s version), free glutamate is created, i.e. MSG; not good. As for the powdered milk products, the methods of commercial dehydration create oxidized cholesterol, which is harmful to the arteries, and the high temp. drying creates large quantities of nitrate compounds, which are potent carcinogens; one of the reasons to avoid most processed meats for example are the nitrates.
SO having said all this, I hope you find a method that works without having to purchase something; but if you do, you’ll at least know you tried other things first! Then once you get your yogurt method established, you can make whey and cream cheese! YUM!!! And start soaking things and making smoothies, popsicles and maybe yogurt leathers (haven’t done that one, just read about it). How exciting!!! I’m sorry I don’t have a recipe for you specific to a crockpot.
Let us know how it goes! Sorry I was so long-winded, too.
Rachel

June 17, 2010 at 3:17 am
leah
Participant
Wow! All this great advice and encouragement is making me a bit braver about just trying it. I really appreciate everyone’s willingness to share ideas. I’ll try to remember to post a report about how it goes, but don’t hold your breath. I have a lot of other things going on right now, and I will still need to at least get a thermometer before I can start experimenting. There’s not really any extra cash right now for that. I know lots of you can relate to that issue. Also, I’m just one of those people who talk and think about doing something new before I get around to actually doing it. I rarely, if ever, just jump right in. Thanks again for all the great tips! I really am excited about trying them out!
June 17, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Misty
Participant
Rachel, you use your dehydrator? How do you do that? I have a very large one and that sounds like a great way to do it. Could you give me the information!!! Thanks MIsty
June 17, 2010 at 2:16 pm
3babygirls
Member
Leah, I have never used a thermometer. It’s not really necessary. Yogurt making is more of an art then a science. What I do is heat up the milk on medium, checking it frequently. To see if it is at the right temp, I put my clean pinkie finger in it. If it is hot enough that it is pretty uncomfortable, but I can hold my finger in for a count of ten, then it is good. It took a couple of not so great batches before I figured out what is the right temp by feel. A thermeter would be handy, but is not essential. Then I take some of the hot milk out, add my starter yogurt, and then add that back to the big pot and stir. Then put in my jars, and into my cooler.
I love homemade yogurt!
And Rachel! You are going to have to post and explain how you make cream cheese! I want to try that!
June 17, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Rebekahy
Participant
Cream cheese is SUPER easy. All you do is put yogurt into a strainer lined with a clean dish cloth (place above a bowl) – the whey will drip into the bowl and the cream cheese is the part the remains in the dish cloth – it’s a bit more tart than the cream cheese at the store, but you can make your own flavors if you don’t like it plain.
Misty – if you check out your dehydrator book – I think mine came with recipes for how to make it… haven’t done it yet though. I know I could in mine because I can take out racks to put in larger things like jars. If you just have stackable rings I’m not sure that you can do it because you can really contain it in a jar and not sure you could just spread it out like fruit leather (but I’m certainly open to being corrected!)
June 18, 2010 at 2:32 am
Rachel White
Participant
Leah, the only thermometers you would need are oven and candy, both under $5-$10.00; nothing fancy. Also, once you make your own batch, you can use your own as a starter as long as it’s within 7 days, so be sure to set some aside for that purpose. Then it’s recommended to get a new one after 4 times. I want to get some greek yogurt starter-it’s so yummy! There are also yogurt starters that don’t require heat, but room temps, like kefir, but I haven’t tried that.
Iamasahm-I don’t know which dehydrator you have, so that would matter; check your manual. I have an Excalibur, so I make the recipe as usual, then put them in the Ball Jars, leaving one tray on the very bottom rack (for circulation), placing them on top. You can make quite a bit in it; I would probably be able to use the really small Ball jars, too, come to think of it, and do several layers and without the weight. Anyway, then I set the temp. on 110 for about 8 hours, then gently move to the fridge for 8 (I try to do this step overnight, so the jars don’t get jostled any. I always make 2 quarts at a time. Check your manual and find out what it says; if you can maintain a temp. between 110 and 115 for the incubation time, then you’re good to go (and if you have room). It defnitely gives the best results, IMO, being consistant, evenly heated, not all dehydrator can offer that. I also like rising my bread in it, too. I’ve had the best results when I do it in there. So again, check your manual.
As for the cream cheese, it was described above for using yogurt, except if you put powdered milk or gelatin in yours usually, don’t with the cream cheese batch as it will have a harder time draining. Also, I try to use cheesecloth, as it’s consistancy is different, being thinner, but that’s my preference; you can use an old t-shirt, too. You definitely want it to drip thoraoughly though so it will keep longer.
The yogurt cream cheese is my favorite version. The longer it drips, the drier the cream cheese, so keep that in mind. Keep that whey too for soaking and mixing with smoothies for yourselves and mixing about 2 tbsp. with lemon juice, and cool water for an electrolyte pick-me-up after being outside (or homemade ginger ale); watch out, it has a kick to it! My children like that a lot. The other method of cream cheese is if you use raw milk; let the milk sit out in a large jar (about 2-3 cups worth) until it separates into curds and whey, about 2-4 days. Then proceed with the same cheesecloth and straining. It’s longer than overnight to drain generally for cream cheese for both the yogurt method (which may take longer) and the raw milk cream cheese (which also has enzymes just some different ones and good lactic acid). Again, you can add herbs and seasonings to it. My chickens also love curds and whey! I only let them get an overnight drain though, real curdy, but the whey mixed with some water is good for them, too after a long summer day withmany electrolytes and nutrients. Both versions of making cream cheese are so much healthier than the ones at the store. Oh, you can store the whey in a mason jar in the fridge for about 6 mths and also the freezer if you’re not getting thorugh it in time.
Yes, you can make yogurt leathers. I haven’t done it but apparently you make your yogurt, then puree with fruit, fruit jams or whatever and finish it like the fruit leather recipes in your manual. I know mine came with directions but I can’t find it currently. I want to get the book “Preserve it Naturally” soon. Online, I found a recipe for lettuce crisps (I knew about kale ones); I have an abundance of lettuce and we’re tired of salads, so if it hasn’t ruined in the fridge yet, I’m going to try it.
Rachel