How to make Yogurt

I make my own yogurt. Yes- you read right, I make yogurt. I always thought it was this big complicated thing requiring expensive equipment and fancy yogurt cultures. But, if you ask the right questions to the right people, you find out that it really is not that complicated. So, I took pictures and will tell you how to do it with stuff you may already have around the house.

First, you need a large pot (enough to hold the amount of yogurt you're making and a candy thermometer. I make a gallon of yogurt at a time.



Next, the milk. I just buy regular old milk. Nothing fancy - although you can go organic if you want. $5 or so will buy you a gallon of milk and you're still saving money on yogurt.



Pour the milk into the pot and set the burner to medium.



While the milk is warming, you want to get out your yogurt culture (2 c). Just a tub of plain yogurt will do, I just use some of what I already made before.



Also, if you have children and a husband like mine who will clean out the refrigerator of food every week, you may want to label it.



Your goal is to get the milk to 190 degrees on the themometer. Once you have done that, turn off the burner and add 2 cups dry milk and 1 c sugar (unless you want it sweeter - mine turns out very much on the sour side). You want to use a whisk since I've had it all mush together on the bottom of the pot and not mix into the milk.





Now, fill up your sink with cold water and put the whole pot into the sink to cool it down. Your goal is to cool it down to 120 degrees.



Once it has cooled down, add 2 c plain yogurt and whisk well. Preheat your oven to 110 degrees.



Now is the time to put your milk mixture into jars to go into the oven. I just use canning jars because I have them around. Something with lids for obvious reasons.



Finally - the part I always thought you needed expensive equipment. Turn your oven light on (for the whole time yogurt is brewing in the oven), turn off the oven and put in the milk mixture jars. Close your oven door (hopefully you have an oven where you can have the oven light stay on) and let it sit for 12 hours.



This keeps the milk at the correct temperature for yogurt making AND you can make a lot all at the same time! Leave it in the oven for at least 12 hours (overnight) and when the time is up, put in the refrigerator. We LOVE to make smoothies with it around here - fresh fruit, yogurt, a little vanilla flavored protein powder makes a lot of yummy, plus we get all those good little bacteria without all the sugar.

Here's the recipe (for 1 quart) if you want it:

1 qt. milk
1/2 c dry milk
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c plain yogurt

warm milk up to 190 degrees on your stove. Turn off burner and add dry milk and sugar. Place pot into cold water and cool down to 120 degrees. Preheat oven to 110 degrees and turn off after it has warmed. Add plain yogurt to milk mixture. Put into container and let sit in oven with the oven light on for 12 hours. Enjoy!