Homemade Crockpot Yogurt!


I made my second batch of yogurt last week.  My first batch was a little off in consistency but had really good flavor.  I did a little research and decided that I needed to make a small tweak to the process.  The second batch is really great- I am sold on it!  Everyone can eat all the yogurt they want and I am saving a ton of money!!

The Process

1.  Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into a crock-pot (I have been using whole milk)
2.  Cover and turn the crock pot to LOW
3.  Let the milk heat to 180 degrees.  This will take 2.5-3.25 hours.  I used an instant read thermometer (can be purchased for <$5)
4.  Once the milk has reached 180 degrees, turn off the crock pot.  Let the milk cool in the crock pot for 3 hours.
5.  Remove 1-2 cups of the milk and place into a bowl.  Whisk in 1/2 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt.  You can use your homemade yogurt as starter after your first batch is made.  Then add the milk/yogurt mixture back to the rest of the milk in the crock pot.  Stir and then replace the lid.
6.  Cover the entire crock pot with 1-2 towels.  Let set for 8-12 hours.
7.  Congratulations!  You just made YOGURT!! 

The yogurt is of course very tart beacuse it contains no sweetener.  I have been adding a small amount of sugar or honey to ours and a little vanilla extract.  I am amazed at how little sugar I can add to the yogurt and my kids still scarf it up.  Adding some fresh berries makes it even better.  Once I get around to purchasing some cheesecloth, I am going to strain it for Greek-style yogurt.  I would recommend this super easy method of making yogurt to anyone who is hooked on high-quality yogurt but is sick of/ can't afford to pay for it on a regular basis.  It has also been a cool learning experience for my kiddos to see how yogurt is made and has sparked some interesting "live bacteria" conversations :) 

Comments

  1. Emily @ Gourmet MommyMay 25, 2011 at 10:52 AM

    To save yourself a dish, I use this method but pour the milk directly into glass jars and put them in the crockpot filled with water. That way I don't have to wash the crockpot afterwards :) I just stir a tablespoon of yogurt into each jar.
    Also, no real need to buy cheesecloth. I've always just used a clean dishcloth and that works just as well. You can make greek-style yogurt, or strain it a few hours longer and get cream cheese that's way healthier than the store bought version!

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