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Backseat Driver

(4,339 posts)
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 07:16 PM Nov 2020

Does anyone make their own yogurt?

I did it once long ago; now trying the InstaPot method with plain Greek God starter. The mix is incubating until 9PM. Will I be able to tell immediately if the "mash" needs to be drained of whey? How long will it need to drain? If the draining is required, will a coffee filter serve. Not expecting to turn in early. Finally placing some blackberries at the bottom of 1/2 pt jars before refrigerating. Love the stuff, but it doesn't go far when you have to share it with the doggies, LOL!

Sound right? Open to all tips and/or favorite flavorings, toppings, etc...

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Phoenix61

(16,954 posts)
1. I have made a lot of it using a small cooler
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 07:22 PM
Nov 2020

and 4 1-qt wide-mouth mason jars. I add 1/4 cup dry milk to the milk for every quart. I have some very old yogurt strainers and use them. I get 2 qts Greek style yogurt from 1 gallon regular. I think the coffee filters will be too solid. A couple layers of cheese cloth in a metal mesh strainer would work better.

sanatanadharma

(3,639 posts)
2. There was a time, 6000 miles away when...
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 07:27 PM
Nov 2020

A good deep pot, stove, thermometer, gallon of milk, constant stirring on heat, cooling to appropriate temperature to add Nancy's (Oregon) plain yogurt with live cultures for starter, four quart jars with covers, a well insulated 4-jar styrofoam box for incubating.

Never needed to drain (unless for some recipe); always successful.

hlthe2b

(101,730 posts)
3. 2 gallons/per week for years by every method from a heating pad to the Instant Pot
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 07:32 PM
Nov 2020

And I highly recommend the Instant Pot (not all have a yogurt fucntion but the 7-in-1 DUO model does)

And yes, I do make Greek Yogurt about half the time. I have used coffee filters and fine cotton handkerchiefs inserted into the pasta insert from one of my pots. That can work but when you start making a lot of it I'd suggest getting something like this, which I've had and used for nearly three years now. Just be sure and handwash it as the filter itself, though metal mesh, is a bit fragile. This one is made by Euro Cuisine:





And, btw, I tend to put the entire pot from the instant pot into the refrigerator when it ends its cycle to cool overnight before filtering it. I find that works better, plus you can use half of it for regular yogurt purposes if you want.

luv2fly

(2,475 posts)
4. I make it twice a month
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 07:51 PM
Nov 2020

A gallon of milk (whole makes it closer to greek) heated in a crockpot to 180 then cooled to 116. Add your choice of starters (I use one or two small containers of any decent greek yogurt), stir gently then cover and wrap the whole crockpot in a towel for 12 hours. Straining the whey is optional, I do usually, but with whole milk it seems to need straining less often. I strain in cheesecloth and it works great.

sorcrow

(410 posts)
5. Every week to ten days or so
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 08:19 PM
Nov 2020

I have a gallon strainer that I bought on Amazon. It's great. I strain mine overnight. From a gallon of milk, I get about two quarts each of whey and thick creamy yoghurt. There are plenty of uses for the whey. I mostly drink it. I consider it clear(ish) buttermilk. My wife thinks it's gross, but loves the yoghurt.

I use a gallon of milk at a time. I used to have a stove with a proof setting that was about 100 degrees. It was very convenient. I have also used a small cooler with towels to insulate the milk overnight as it turned to yoghurt.

Now I only use my Instant pot. I put the milk in the pot, push the yoghurt button, and hit adjust to get to the BOIL prompt. It takes a while to boil, but there is no scorched milk at the bottom of the pot, a big plus for me. I then take the pot out of the cooker and put it in a sink full of cold water or cold water and snow in the winter.

As soon as the temperature hits 120, I take the pot out of the sink and stir in yoghurt from the store or from a previous batch. The pot goes back in the cooker for eight hours or so. Sources say more time equals more tart.

It's not difficult. It's only spoiled milk after all.

Good luck and happy cooking,

Crow

Demsrule86

(68,355 posts)
11. Mine has a yogurt button and I don't even boil the milk...
Sun Nov 15, 2020, 05:14 PM
Nov 2020

I used fairlife milk which works really well.

procon

(15,805 posts)
6. I make a batch of yogurt in the instant pot, and
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 08:33 PM
Nov 2020

then use about half to make a spreadable cheese similar to cream cheese.

Dump the yogurt into a cheesecloth lined mesh strainer and place it in a bowl so that it's a few inches off the bottom allow the whey to drain off. Cover the top of the yogurt with a sheet of parchment paper and the cheesecloth. Place a saucer on top and stack large can of food on top to weigh it down and force out the whey. Store in the fridge overnight.

Transfer the yogurt cheese to a glass bowl and stir in any fresh herbs, minced garlic or green onions, nuts, olives, capers, jalapeno peppers, or fruits, whatever you like. Cover tightly and use in 4-5 days.

This is very good spread on toasted bagels or artisan breads, crackers, or added to a big sandwich with all your favorite fixin's.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
7. A little bit of yogurt 101
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 08:53 PM
Nov 2020

After incubation you wind up with just plain yogurt which you can then just refrigerate and enjoy as is. Over incubated yogurt will start to separate from the whey or if you stir it separation will occur. This is all normal and you can simply drain off the whey and continue to use it.

If you want Greek style yogurt, then you will need to strain it, which you can do with a coffee filter, or some cheese cloth lined sieve over a bowl, or a commercial product made for the purpose listed upthread. Usually overnight in the refrigerator is all you need. The longer you strain it, the thicker it becomes.

You don’t need to remove the whey, but you can if you wish. Before straining the yogurt will be somewhat runny which is unlike commercial yogurt that often uses thickening agents. This is normal.

Backseat Driver

(4,339 posts)
8. Well group, it's done incubating and now draining
Fri Nov 13, 2020, 10:50 PM
Nov 2020

I found some cheesecloth - YAY!; already drained off about just less than 3/4 of a quart of whey - normal? The yogurt part was very soft and sort of soft-clumpy - Tastes great though! I have to confess that I used lightly processed milk w/the cream on top whole milk from a local dairy, not highly ultra homogenized processed milk from the grocery, if that makes a big difference. Gonna top off some berries in syrup on the bottom of my jars before I hit the hay around 2-3AM and refrigerate, then cross my fingers. In the meantime, MSNBC favorites then American Gods weirdness on Starz into tomorrow, hahaha!

I gave up all soda, save the occassional cocktail and now make a week's worth of iced flavored green tea, lemon, lavendar, hibiscus, etc... and store in recycled commercial tea bottles and have a breadmaker I use more than twice a year for yeasty stuff and breads. So yummy...

Thanks for all those tips and your processes. In all, it's fairly easy this new way and, all in all, a far better anxiety that all will be well! I appreciate your input!

lettucebe

(2,336 posts)
9. Late to the party. I make a gallon every 10 days or so
Sat Nov 14, 2020, 12:22 AM
Nov 2020

Just for me. Husband never eats it, but I'm addicted. I always drain for a couple hours cuz I like it thicker, it's nearly cheese sometimes. If you like Greek style (just because it's been drained of whey), then let it hang for an hour or more. You can also just have it in a bowl (still in the muslin or cheesecloth or whatever you're using) in the fridge overnight. I keep some whey in case I go too far.

I make it on the stove, heating to 193° or thereabouts, then cooling to 110°, then adding in my leftover from last time. I've used cultures, and they work great but once you've started, you don't need new culture every time. Then goes into my dehydrator set at 112° -- this usually in the evening so I get up in the am and drain it. Doesn't hurt it to be at room temp.

I've also used store-bought plain yogurt and lately a couple brands of really lux and delicious yogurt had plain available so now I'm torn which to use. As long as it's plain and has live cultures, just read the back to see what it has, you don't need to pay for expensive cultures. I may try drying some of the store-bought plain I bought.

I make curd, mostly lemon but also orange and raspberry (which was soooo good). I make that whenever I run out. I just eat it with the curd, and sprinkle grape nuts on top. Most mornings, that's my jam.

Demsrule86

(68,355 posts)
10. I make instant pot yogurt. I have to watch dairy so I make lactose free.,,
Sun Nov 15, 2020, 08:37 AM
Nov 2020

I use an entire container of fairlife lactose free whole milk. Fat is good for the brain so I have abandoned skim milk. I add three tablespoons of leftover whole milk Greek yogurt...must have the lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria...check label. I mix the yougurt and a couple tablespoons of sugar ( any sweetner) into the milk. I do not heat milk. My pot has a yogurt setting. Next push a button and that is it. After 12 hours or so, i put yogurt in straining pot...got off of Amazon for at least 8 hours or until it is the thickness you want. It is the best yogurt i have ever tasted. I add fruit or jam to it and granola. use it in place of sour cream...make ranch dressing etc.



Retrograde

(10,073 posts)
12. I've done 3 batches in the Instant Pot so far
Mon Nov 16, 2020, 11:08 PM
Nov 2020

the first two came out great (I used Schaub's European Style Yogurt as the starter), the last batch was loose but tasted OK. I don't drain or filter it unless I want Greek-style yogurt for some reason: I'm good with the more liquid style for most things.

I've made ricotta once, and probably won't make it again: I ended up with almost as much whey by volume as milk that I used.

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