How to Make Your Own Yogurt
Lately, I feel like taking a nap. Not a cute little nap where you accidentally nod of while curled up with a good book. No. That won't do. I want to get my fat cloths on, eat a lot of fried rice, shut the blinds and check out for a good portion of the day. Then I want to go to bed at 8:30. Heika, do this for me. Then describe it in detail. Then suck an elf. I don't think I'm tired the way people are regularly tired. I think this weather and these bad attitudes are wearing me out. Fat nap worthy. Am I alone? Is there anyone out there willing to turn on some white noise and demand a siesta? To be fair, I could take a nap at any given point in any day. I have always been like that. Ask Heika, she came over last week after not seeing me for a while....what did we do? boom, couch nap. No questions asked.
Needless to say I've been drinking that 2nd....fine 3rd....fine 4th!!! cup of coffee each day. Don't look at me like that. That way....right there....like you've never microwaved the rest of the pot from the morning. Please.
I swear things will change as soon as it thaws. I'm ready! I am in full blown spring mode and I'm ready. Jordan and I have seeds growing all over and baby chicks in our shower. As soon as it's time, I'm golden. Until then, I'd just like to hibernate a little. Like a big fat bear.
Moving on, I don't nap because I'm doing other awesome stuff like making yogurt!
I've been on a dairy journey. Do I currently consume dairy? I would say mostly no. Except for when I make homemade pizza, but I'm not going to count that because....just leave me alone. So, I originally cut the D when I was nursing Lilliana. It didn't sit well with her at all. So now, she's on Goat's milk. It's super healthy and awesome, but a little boring for the poor gal. So, I picked up an old throw back post and remembered the days of making yogurt at home. It's intimidating at first. There are a lot of words and things to remember, but it's so possible and so worth it.
Making yogurt is more than just a baking project. It's taking back power from big food industries. It's reconnecting with the source of your food. It's proving to yourself that you are capable of learning something new. It's sharing something pure for your family.
This is the best system I compiled and developed from different sources. Mainly Howtomakeyourownyogurt.com.
You'll need some gear*:
a double boiler
a thermometer
a heating pad
a towel
a wooden cutting board
a straining towel
a strainer
You'll need some ingredients**:
1 half gallon of milk (any kind of milk will work. I use skim for dairy yogurt but mostly I use Goat's milk)
2-3 tablespoons of plain yogurt to "pitch"
* If you don't have a double boiler, you can make a water jacket using two different sized stock pots. Fill the bigger pot about halfway with water, and then add the second pot. When the milk is in the second pot, the water from the first should be hugging it. It should sit just about even, not too much water so it floats, but don't skimp on it or the milk won't heat evenly.
You could just use a regular pot, just make sure you're watching it and stirring it, and don't let it burn.
*If you don't have a heating pad, be creative. You just need to keep the milk at 110 for 7 hours. maybe an oven with a light on. Maybe a crock pot. Whatever works for you.
*A straining towel could be anything from a kitchen cloth to a cut up t shirt.
**I may or may not have broken the rules and pitched my yogurt using Dannon Greek Vanilla. It's what I had around. it turned out fine though
Ok. Are you ready?! Here we go! The full flowing instructions are all the way at the end but the pictures help.
First, fill the bottom of your double boiler with water and get it bubbling. Then add your top pot and your half gallon of milk. Stick your thermometer in and heat to 185 degrees. Then hold it there for 30 min. This will make your yogurt thicker and creamier than just stopping it at 185.
Next, Fill your sink about 1/4 way with ice cold water. When your milk has held 185 for 30 min, move your top pot to the sink and let it take an ice bath. Bring it's temp back down to 110 stirring occasionally.
Once your milk is at 110, "Pitch" your 2-3 Tbsp of yogurt and stir well to incorporate.
Now it's time to set the mood for yogurt making. I set a wooden cutting board down, then a heating pad, then an end of a towel. After the yogurt reaches 110, move it to your 7 hour time out spot. Cover it up and keep an eye on the time.
My heating pad shuts off every 30 minutes for safety, so I just keep and eye on it. I turn it off and on to make sure it stays right around 110.
7 hours later, you should have a yellow/greenish liquid on top and your yogurt should be firming up.
(if you just want regular yogurt, you would stir vigorously, then chill overnight)
Stir it all up and refrigerate it overnight for a few hours.
When it's cooled, take a strainer, a bowl, and your straining towel and strain the yogurt either over night or for a few hours. The liquid left behind is whey. Do not dump it. I'll cry. Just save it and use it in bread or put it in a smoothie. I feed it to my chickens if I don't use it in time. It is gold. Nobody dumps gold.
You can save 2-3 Tbsp of it for the next time you make yogurt. It will save in the freezer for 2-3 months.
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