Homemade Yogurt (in a crock pot)

Having become attached to yogurt daily, I committed to learning to make an acceptable product. Here is my first attempt. I read lots of recipes and chose the easiest one.

What you need:

Crock pot (at least three quart size with low setting)


Half gallon of milk (Ultra pasteurized will not work. While I didn't research the reason, I expect that we need bacteria to grow.)


Time at home to monitor the process (or to return within two hour blocks)

One half cup of plain yogurt (free of additives - just milk and bacteria strains - no pectins, guar gums, etc)

Kitchen utensils - ladle, spoon or whisk, colander/strainer, cheese clothe, paper towels, or clean white clothe, a large bath towel and containers for storing yogurt.

 

*  Pour milk into crock pot and cook on low for two and a half hours.I checked the milk at two hours as my crock pot tends to be very hot. Various opinions said the temperature should reach 110  - 160 degrees. As the milk is already pasteurized the lower temperature seems fine.

* After two and a half hours, turn off the crock pot and leave it to set for three hours. (As my kitchen is unheated, I found two hours was long enough to cool the milk.)


* After the three hours, ladle out two cups of the warm milk and stir/whisk in 1/2 cup of the store bought active culture yogurt. Pour back into the crock pot and whisk/stir to combine.


Replace the lid. Unplug the crock pot and wrap in a heavy towel or blanket for insulation. Leave set for 8 hours or overnight.


In the morning, it will have thickened to the consistency of plain low-fat yogurt.

Seeking a thicker product, I strained the yogurt by ladling it into a colander lined with napkins. I have read that it can be strained through cheese cloth or even hung to drain in butter cloth.

yogurt draining at sink

Yogurt treat with frozen mixed berries

Yogurt with seedless blackberry jam

Yogurt smoothie - super green foods, carrot juice and blackberry jam